Let’s talk Quinoa

firesrain
firesrain Posts: 2 Member
edited November 22 in Food and Nutrition
When I eat it out, it’s AMAZING.
When I cook it at home, no matter what I do, it tastes like dirt.

What am I doing wrong?

Replies

  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    Thats why I wont eat it. Mine was awful. Rather eat couscous or polenta.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Do you rinse it first?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited November 2017
    I've never eaten it at a restaurant, I think of it as... meh. I usually toast it in the pan before adding liquid, cook it in veggie or chicken stock, and then add a little butter or vinaigrette before serving. I usually buy it looking for a change from my usual grain sides like rice, barley, and farro but it never measures up!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • firesrain
    firesrain Posts: 2 Member
    I do rinse it first...and (for some varieties) allow it to sit and sprout before finishing the cook and eating.

    I’ve never thought of toasting it first. This might work. I had an amazing lemon quinoa with blueberries this spring. I’ve not been able to come anywhere close!
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited November 2017
    Rinse it well.

    I've made a couple of savory recipes that I thought tasted o.k., but my husband and son were not fans.

    I've also made some sweeter recipes (think apple, cinnamon, or pumpkin) for breakfast--in lieu of oatmeal--and those are pretty good.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
    I made an amazing quinoa dish for work lunch today:

    1/2 cup dry quinoa
    1 chopped red bell pepper
    1/2 red onion - chopped
    1 can of chickpeas
    cherry tomatoes halved
    1 cup baby spinach roughly chopped
    1/4 cilantro roughly chopped
    1/4 cup EVOO lemon herb salad dressing (Wishbone brand)
    salt and pepper to taste

    Cook quinoa according to the directions. Combine with the chickpeas and produce. Toss with dressing.

    This makes 4 servings and each serving is 200 calories. I love to make this, portion it out, and take it to work for lunches.
  • bisky
    bisky Posts: 1,090 Member
    edited November 2017
    Okay, this is my rant today against restaurants. They add a lot of salt, seasonings and oils to make foods taste better. The first warm kale salad with pine nuts I ever had was to die for. Finally asked how they prepared it as I could not replicate it...stir fried in butter.

    I agree natural quinoa by itself does not have a great taste. It is full of good things though, fiber and protein. I make it in the rice cooker. I add a tsp of vegetarian Better than Boullion per cup of quinoa. I could (and probably should) add a low salt bullion but I really like the taste of Better than Bullion in my soups, rice.

    If I am using quinoa in a salad I just use what ever dressing to help it out.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    bisky wrote: »
    Okay, this is my rant today against restaurants. They add a lot of salt, seasonings and oils to make foods taste better. The first warm kale salad with pine nuts I ever had was to die for. Finally asked how they prepared it as I could not replicate it...stir fried in butter.

    I agree natural quinoa by itself does not have a great taste. It is full of good things though, fiber and protein. I make it in the rice cooker. I add a tsp of vegetarian Better than Boullion per cup of quinoa. I could (and probably should) add a low salt bullion but I really like the taste of Better than Bullion in my soups, rice.

    If I am using quinoa in a salad I just use what ever dressing to help it out.

    If I'm paying someone to make me food, I want them to make it taste delicious! I would never rant against a restaurant for making something taste good.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • hludwig980
    hludwig980 Posts: 102 Member
    I cook mine in a low sodium veggie stock and throw in some spices and I'm usually pretty happy with it.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I like it in soups and casseroles.
  • bapity88
    bapity88 Posts: 98 Member
    Rinse, seasoning, cooking in stock, I'm sure you know those things. The restaurants are probably also cooking it in tons of flavor like butter, oil, etc. Would you add tons of butter to your own? Probably not. Restaurants make things more flavorful by adding those flavor enhancers.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    bisky wrote: »
    Okay, this is my rant today against restaurants. They add a lot of salt, seasonings and oils to make foods taste better. The first warm kale salad with pine nuts I ever had was to die for. Finally asked how they prepared it as I could not replicate it...stir fried in butter.

    I agree natural quinoa by itself does not have a great taste. It is full of good things though, fiber and protein. I make it in the rice cooker. I add a tsp of vegetarian Better than Boullion per cup of quinoa. I could (and probably should) add a low salt bullion but I really like the taste of Better than Bullion in my soups, rice.

    If I am using quinoa in a salad I just use what ever dressing to help it out.

    Don't blame poor butter
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I like it, and haven't noticed a significant difference between it at restaurants or it at home.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I've never had it at a restaurant. I rinsed and cooked it following the packet instructions and it tasted fine to me.
    I don't love the texture of quinoa though.
  • Daveacpa2
    Daveacpa2 Posts: 19 Member
    Have you tried Trader Joe's frozen quinoa, tastes good out of the box.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    I love quinoa, I soak it for 30 minutes, rinse, add water and salt, cook 15 minutes, add chopped veggies on top, don't stir, replace lid, finish cooking. My favorite is broccoli. Also put finely minced onion in after rinsing, before cooking for flavor, but I love onions. Would probably be good with garlic if you love garlic.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Buy it prerinsed.

    I like the flavor of quinoa without anything special added to it. Mine always comes out delicious. I much prefer the flavor of red or black to white quinoa. It has a definite nutty flavor. If I do anything fancy to it, I sauté some diced onions, deglaze the pan with a little balsamic vinegar, then add the quinoa, salt, and water (or stock) and cook.
  • litoria
    litoria Posts: 239 Member
    Also nice included in a mixed grain porridge for breakfast
  • Alamobabe
    Alamobabe Posts: 6 Member
    I love Quinoa, I cook a huge batch and keep it it the fridge. I will add it so salads, stir fry, sometimes add diced cucumber, tom, red onion, balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle feta cheese in. Or Roast a pan of veggies, anything, peppers, butternut squash, zucchini, broccoli, sweet potato, red onion, garlic drizzle olive oil. After veggies are done mix in quinoa in a bowl. Yum, O love to add feta and balsamic, lemon to it too.
  • BeccaLoves2lift
    BeccaLoves2lift Posts: 375 Member
    I like it in soups or in chili.
  • flowerhorsey
    flowerhorsey Posts: 154 Member
    I have only eaten it at home..I know if I cook over 15 minutes it is not good (turns too soft) .. otherwise I add salt and pepper and cook in broth if I have it on hand. ImakeA big batch to eat on a few days..adding butter or cheese when I heat it up along with veggies and protein
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I like it, and haven't noticed a significant difference between it at restaurants or it at home.

    This. I know some people aren't fans of the texture, but I think it's a really nice change from rice (with more protein, of course.)
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    I love quinoa and genuinely love the taste.

    Can't cook it to save my life.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Boil it for 5 or so minutes let it cool, rinse it, add your seasonings, and cook according to the directions. It gets a bit softer and absorbs your seasonings better. It's bit like cooking dry beans, in my opinion.
  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
    I don't eat quinoa on principle, the majority of quinoa is produced in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru by small family farms. Their land is being degraded by farmers favoring intensive quinoa monoculture over traditional crop rotation. Growers are also less-inclined to leave nutrient-poor soil fallow to regenerate.
    Land that once ran llamas used to fertilize soil has also been given over to quinoa, causing farmers to rely on chemical fertilizers.
  • Silkysausage
    Silkysausage Posts: 502 Member
    I tried quinoa but it wreaked havoc on my IBS as the coating consists of a bitter compound called saponin. You're meant to rinse it off before cooking it but my tummy doesn't like it or the high fibre in the actual grain.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories