Quinoa (say 'Keen-wah') is the on trend food of the moment. Read about why it's so brilliantly good for you as well as being yummo and easy to cook. Also try this fantastic summer recipe using quinoa as a base!
As a Dietitian, I am admittedly the ultimate sceptic. I will always tend to steer clear of fad media about 'superfoods' claiming to be the 'be-all and end-all cure to every ailment under the sun', BUT quinoa is really a great product to include in your diet. It's also been pretty obscure for a long time up until now and so I thought I would share some info about why I love it and give you some hints on how to cook with it.
Technically, quinoa is not actually a grain, it is in fact a seed. It is grown on really high mountains (think 10, 000 feet plus) in the Andes in South America. We may only just be hearing about how awesome it can be as a food staple but the Incas have known this for many millenia and have been relying on it for as long. So much was it revered in Inca culture that it was affectionately referred to as 'chisaya mama' which translates to 'mother of all grains'.
Ok, enough history. What about it nutritionally makes quinoa so worthwhile?
1. It contains 17% protein which is very high for a cereal. The protein it contains is also of the highest quality as it contains all eight of the essential amino acids needed by humans which is a unique and valuable feature! This makes it particularly helpful for vegans or vegetarians where getting enough high quality protein can be hard as this type of protein usually comes from meat sources.
2. It is a low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrate source which is fantastic for stabilising blood sugar levels
3. It is a great source of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper and manganese
4. It contains 20% of your daily needs for folate (key in the prevention of spina bifida in newborn babies so pregnant ladies get munching!)
5. It is low in fat, particularly low in saturated fat so your heart will love you and so will your waistline
6. It's gluten free so if you are gluten intolerant or have Coeliac disease this is a top cereal choice for you
Hopefully I have successfully convinced you to at least try it now, but the clincher that should really seal the deal for you is that its so easy to prepare and tastes excellent.
How to cook it
Cook quinoa much like you cook rice on the stovetop. First rinse the quinoa rubbing it together lightly. Use 2 parts water to one part quinoa (eg. 2 cups water to 1 cup of quinoa) and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed, it still has a slightly crunchy texture and the little curly tails on the seed have become visible. Quinoa can also be cooked in the rice cooker following the same proportions.
Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Fetta
Ingredients
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500ml (2 cups) water
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150g (1 cup) quinoa, rinsed, drained
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Olive oil spray
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2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
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1 large red capsicum, halved, seeded, coarsely chopped
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75g (1/2 cup) crumbled reduced-fat feta
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40g (1/4 cup) sunflower seed kernels
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4 shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
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2 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
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1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice
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2 tsp honey
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2 tsp olive oil
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1 tsp sweet paprika
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100g baby rocket leaves
How to make it
1. Prepare the quinoa as per the instructions above the recipe and then set aside to cool
2. Grill the asparagus on a high heat grill surface for 2-3 minutes or until tender crisp. Add the capsicum, asparagus, fetta, sunflower seeds, shallots and parsely to the quinoa
3. Mix the lemon juice, honey, olive oil and paprika until well combined and then toss through the salad along with the rocket leaves with a little pepper and voila!
4. Enjoy this great summer salad which is perfect when it is a million degrees outside as it has been in Perth this week!