Is Quinoa worth it? And how do I make it tasty?!

Quinoa is so awesome- use it anywhere you would normally use rice

You can also make a really fantastic cold quinoa salad (amounts are up to you):
Cooked quinoa (chilled)
feta cheese
blueberries (or whatever berried you have on hand)
cucumber
squeezed lime juice

mix it all up and enjoy!

Admittedly, I didn't know what I was doing with it when I tried it. I probably will try it again in the future, but at present, I wasn't that impressed.

It's great in a hearty soup/chili! I substitute it for rice whenever possible because it's so much healthier. Also, I add a vegetable bouilion while cooking to give some flavor.

There is no direct co-relation between US cups and UK Imperial/Metric, it depends on the ingredient being measured eg 1 cup of flour may equate to X ozs while 1 cup of say beans will most certainly be different. Try using one of the conversion websites to get an accurate measure of the ingredient being used.

Here is a recipe for quinoa that I absolutely love. In fact, I'm making it this weekend. I usually eat this on "Meatless Monday's". I found this recipe on www.cookingquinoa.net.

Quinoa Patties

2 ½ C. cooked quinoa
4 large eggs, beaten
½ tsp. salt
2/3 C. fresh chives, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
1/3 C. parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 C. whole wheat bread crumbs
1 T. olive oil

1. In a medium bowl, combine quinoa, eggs and salt. Stir in garlic, chives, onion, cheese and cayenne pepper. Add breadcrumbs and allow to sit for a couple of minutes.
2. Form into patties 1 inch thick. The mixture should be very moist. You may need to add water or extra breadcrumbs to moisten or make the mixture dryer.
3. Place a large skillet over medium low heat. Heat olive oil. Add as many patties as your skillet can handle, being careful not to overload it so that you have trouble flipping the patties.
4. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Flip and cook for 7 more minutes on the other side. Patties should be lightly browned.
5. Allow to cool on a wire rack, keeping your spatula handy to fend off family members who try to steal them. 

Prep time: 15 minutes Yield: 6 patties
Cook time: 18 minutes Calories per serving: 237
Total time: 33 minutes

This turkey and quinoa meatloaf tastes like nothing else I've ever tried anywhere. It's so delicious it is now a staple at our household.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Turkey-and-Quinoa-Meatloaf/

I don't necessarily know it's "worth it" - as in not sure if quinoa is high in calories or carbs but it's definitely a tasty side dish. I like to add chopped garlic & a little bit of salt.

quinoa is high on iron, it is a complete protein, it is high on calcium and fiber among many other things. I loooove it!!! Way better than any grain. I do not eat wheat. Oh it is gluten free too.

I like to make a cold salad with quinoa. I rinse the quinoa and then cook it in the rice cooker. While it is cooking I chop veggies --red pepper, corn kernels, minced onion, etc. I rinse and drain a can of black beans. When the quinoa is done I mix it with the veggies and then add a cilantro/lime vinagrette (lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped cilantro). You can eat it warm, but it is good after it has been stored in the fridge as well.

This sounds amazing! Work lunch for next week sorted!

Quinoa Salad.

1 cup Quinoa
1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsps Olive Oil
2 Green (spring) Onions (sliced thin)
1 Cup drained and rinsed black beans (scant)
1 Cup drained and rinsed chick peas (scant)
1 – 2 jalapeno peppers (diced super-fine)
Lemon (for juice)
Feta Cheese

Cook the quinoa. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix quinoa with the vinegar, olive oil, green onions, black beans, chick peas, jalapeno peppers and a big squeeze of lemon juice. Add some cracked pepper, and a pinch of salt -- top with feta cheese. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

While you can eat this same day, refrigerating overnight really brings out the flavors.