Does anyone eat Quinoa?

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ladyofivy
ladyofivy Posts: 648
in Food and Nutrition
My husband has this month's issue of Muscle & Fitness, and it has the list of the top 25 foods you should be eating. Quinoa is listed. Here is it's review:

"QUINOA:

Brown rice was our favorite grain until we were introduced to quinoa. There's room for all whole grains in your diet, but quinoa, which is technically a "pseudograin," has enough of all nine essential amino acides to be considered a complete proteine. And to ttop it off, quinoa has fewer carbs and boasts more fiber than brown rice, making it the ultimate muscle-building, fat-burning grain."

I'd love to hear about this food if anyone has tried it. Is it "like" rice? How does it taste? Is it expensive? (M&F gives it three $$$ out of a possible five, so I'm guessing it's moderately priced....)

Replies

  • ladyofivy
    ladyofivy Posts: 648
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    My husband has this month's issue of Muscle & Fitness, and it has the list of the top 25 foods you should be eating. Quinoa is listed. Here is it's review:

    "QUINOA:

    Brown rice was our favorite grain until we were introduced to quinoa. There's room for all whole grains in your diet, but quinoa, which is technically a "pseudograin," has enough of all nine essential amino acides to be considered a complete proteine. And to ttop it off, quinoa has fewer carbs and boasts more fiber than brown rice, making it the ultimate muscle-building, fat-burning grain."

    I'd love to hear about this food if anyone has tried it. Is it "like" rice? How does it taste? Is it expensive? (M&F gives it three $$$ out of a possible five, so I'm guessing it's moderately priced....)
  • Julesh964
    Julesh964 Posts: 51 Member
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    Hi,

    I have tried Quinoa. personally I didn't like it very much, I wouldnt say it's like rice at all, it has a very strange texture, and is quite nutty in flavour from what I remember, not used it in recipies before so could be different in that respect, it's not too bad on price, I would say maybe a tad more expensive than a packet of cous cous...
  • flcaoh
    flcaoh Posts: 444
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    I love quinoa. It's not much like rice. It does have a kind of buttery, nutty flavor and a texture similar to grits (if you know what those are LOL). It's a little crunchy... it's different. I like to mix a little olive oil and a dash of salt in it and eat it plain or you can also dice up some grilled chicken or put some vegies in it. Basically, treat it like rice :) I really really like it. Some big chain grocery stores don't carry quinoa, but it should be easy to find in an organic or health food store.

    I buy it at the grocery store Giant Eagle and it is about 3$ for a 1 pound box, which lasts quite a while.
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    I absolutely looooove quinoa!

    totally worth the price (though it's not too bad)

    i eat it as a snack- which I could never do with plain brown rice.:tongue:
  • keiko
    keiko Posts: 2,919 Member
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    I LOVE Quinoa! It is more like cous cous than rice. But when you buy those cous cous packets you get all the sodium... that processed foods have.

    Most brands of Qinoa need to be rinsed and some presoaked before using. I buy Ancient Harvest brand. It does not need rinsing or soaking. It's ready to use out of the box and is ready in 15-20 min.

    I've used it in place of rice with stir fry. I also like to make the quinoa to have on hand for easy lunches. I cook 1C dry. That will give you about 4C cooked, 1C per serving. I saute vegetables and add them in. Having these in individual containers make a quick grab & go microwavable lunch.

    Some vegie combos I like green beens, yellow beans, carrots sauted in sesame oil with a small amount of chili paste. Carrots, broccoli, ginger, green onion with a little teriyaki sauce, I used sesame oil for that one too. Red, yellow, orange peppers, onion in olive oil. I use a about 1/2 TBL of oil, you really don't need much.

    Here is a link to Ancient Harvests website. They have recipes and product info there. You can even order from them.

    http://www.quinoa.net/
  • amberdawn2
    amberdawn2 Posts: 3 Member
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    Not sure how many types there are but I have tried Quinoa pasta. The flavor is pretty good, but the texture was a little strange. It also seems to over cook very easily, or maybe I do not know how to cook it properly.lol
  • bootilicious
    bootilicious Posts: 141 Member
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    Hiya,
    I have tried Quinoa a few times. One thing that I will add is that you should cook it like rice with a little less water. But, you should add mixed vegetables and a bouillion cube. If you cook it in it's pure form, it is bland and boring. If you dress it up like I suggested, it is not bad.

    Best Wishes,

    Rita.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    I love quinoa. It can be expensive if you buy it in the organic section of the grocery store but we have found an organic wholesale place and buy it there.

    I thought my teens would think I was nuts bringing in new things but they like it too, as does my husband.

    We use it as a side with meat and vegetables at dinner. I cook it with a bit of chicken stock and I usually cook extra and have some for lunch sometimes too.
  • FitnessGeek
    FitnessGeek Posts: 487
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    If you buy quinoa from a bulk bin at a natural foods store, it's ridiculously cheap. I like to make cold quinoa salads or put it in soup to add protein.
    I've posted this recipe before, but it's very tasty. My boyfriend does not like the texture of quinoa, but he will eat it in soup.

    Quinoa Stew
    Vegan
    Serves 4

    Ingredients:
    1/2 cup quinoa
    1 cup water
    2 cups onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves
    2 tbsp olive oil
    1 celery stalk, chopped
    1 carrot, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
    1 bell pepper, chopped in 1-inch pieces
    1 cup zucchini, cubed
    2 cups of fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes undrained
    1 cup vegetable stock
    2 tsp cumin, ground
    1/2 tsp coriander, ground
    pinch of cayenne
    2 tsp fresh oregano (only 1 tsp if dried)
    salt to taste
    chopped fresh cilantro to garnish
    1 limes, cut into quarters and served on the side

    Cook
    - Using a fine sieve, rinse the quinoa well. Place it in a pot with the water and cook, covered, on medium-low heat for about 15 min or until soft. Set aside.
    - While the quinoa cooks, saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 min on medium heat. Add the celery and carrots, and continue to cook for 5 min, stirring often.
    - Add the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, coriander, cayenne, and oregano. Simmer, covered, for 10-15 min, until vegetable are tender. Stir the cooked quinoa into the stew and add salt to taste. Top with cilantro, serve with limes on the side. Serve immediately.

    Nutritional Information:
    Serving Size- 8oz. or 1/4th prepared recipe
    Calories: 140
    Protein: 2.8g
    Fat: 4.7g
    Carbs: 22.9g
    Sodium: 52mg
    Cholesterol: 0

    Recipe can be found in the Moosewood Cookbook for Cooks at Home.

    Enjoy!
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
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    I love quinoa. Tastier than brown rice, IMO.
  • walnut
    walnut Posts: 216 Member
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    If you make quinoa and it's crunchy, it's probably undercooked. It's not as soft as rice and has a little spring to it, but I wouldn't call it crunchy. I add it to every broth soup I make - adds a great texture, kind of like bulgar wheat. I also get mine in bulk in the natural foods section of supermarkets or at a co-op, and it's not too expensive. Much cheaper than bread!

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