I love quinoa (KEEN-WAH)! This ancient seed, a member of the
same botanical family as spinach, has been a staple in South
America for thousands of years and can be used in so many ways. Here,
we use it as a binder instead of breadcrumbs in our meatballs. Quinoa is a
wonderful source of low-fat, cholesterol-free protein (about 8 grams protein
and 3.4 grams of fat per cup of cooked quinoa) as well as a good source of iron,
magnesium, and fiber. As with any food, watch what you add during the cooking
process for maximum health. If you add
salt, butter and cheese, sadly, this changes the healthfulness of the dish. I prefer to buy quinoa uncooked, like rice, it
is less expensive, stores much longer on your shelf in this form and it cooks
up quickly. Quinoa has a natural seed coating that contains saponins (a
bitter compound) and must be rinsed off prior to cooking.
Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa
1½ cups water
1. Measure one cup of dry quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and
rinse repeatedly (for a full minute) under cool water to remove the seed coat.
If you do not have a fine mesh strainer you could put the dry quinoa in a bowl,
cover with cool water, swish with your fingers and then carefully drain the
water. Repeat 2-3 times.
2. Once rinsed, add the quinoa to a small saucepan with 1½
cups water. Bring to a boil over high
heat, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
You can tell it is
cooked when you can see its funny little tail curled around itself (this is
part of its sprouting structure). I like my quinoa with a little bite or
texture to it (not mushy), if you like it a softer just cook it a little
longer. Remove lid and fluff with a
fork. This will make about 5 cups of
cooked quinoa. Let the quinoa cool and keep it in the fridge (up to 5-6 days) to toss into salads, soups or just eat it right out of a bowl. Check out the
recipe for my curried quinoa salad to use up the remaining quinoa from this
meal!
Resources:
USDA Nutrient Database
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