Tomatoes

Most of you know my sheer adoration of Italian cuisine. I love pizza, pasta, and lasagna. So what I am about to say may come as a surprise to you - I don't like tomatoes. But my dislike of tomatoes comes with a caveat. I like tomatoes when they come in the form of sauce, say, on a pizza or something like that, but I just don't do raw tomatoes. I don't put them on my sandwich, my salad, or eat them when they appear on a veggie plate at a party. I'm not really sure why. I have never been a fan of the flavor (watery rubber, pretty tasteless), and I think what made it worse was the fact that tomatoes are always integrated with other foods (I've already mentioned I'm a food segregationist). So seeing as how there are so many things I haven't tried, and given the fact that I do remember at some point trying tomatoes, and not being a fan of them, you probably would have seen the appearance of tomatoes (if at all) in a much later blog entry. But when I started this mission to get out my comfort zone and give scary foods a chance, the tomato was one of the first foods I thought about trying again. And here's why. 

My trip to Italy exposed me to so many things - Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, and the David. But what I remember most about Italy was the AMAZING food. Our first night in Italy was a treasure. We found ourselves in one of the many squares in Rome. After venturing down one of the many side streets, we came upon a little restaurant. There was outdoor seating at the restaurant, which gave us a preview of the food they were serving. And let's just say it looked delicious. So having been sold on the appearance of the food, we sat down at one of the tables and proceeded to be served one of the most delicious meals I've ever had, and hands down, the best Italian food I've ever had. 

But what I remember most about this meal was the Italian appetizer that we ordered - Bruschetta. Now I've had bruschetta in America, but it was just nothing compared to this bruschetta. In America, the highlight of bruschetta for had always been the bread. The tomatoes never had much flavor, so it was like eating a watery, rubbery substance with seeds - I hope that doesn't sound appetizing to you because it certainly never was for me. But my first bite into my Italian bruschetta was sheer BLISS. The tomatoes were so sweet and juicy - nothing like the bland tomatoes I get here in America. I couldn't believe how amazing the tomatoes were. I gobbled up the bruschetta like it was crack cocaine, and sat back amazed that I had eaten so many tomatoes. So what did I learn from this experience? Simply put - American tomatoes SUCK. No wonder I never liked them - I had never experienced the pleasure of a true tomato. 

So fast forward a couple years and here we are. I start thinking about the foods I want to try, and I decide that I simply haven't given tomatoes a fair shake. After all, it's not the tomato's fault that grocery stores insist on selling ones that have no flavor. Plus, from my reading, tomatoes have amazing nutrients. How can I not try to make these amazing little vegetables part of my diet? 

I dig out my cookbook for something easy and simple, and I come upon a recipe for caprese salad on crostini. The crostini is easy enough to make - take a baguette, cut it into thin slices, lightly brush olive oil, salt and pepper, and rosemary, and bake the slices until they are golden brown. Once the crostini is done, add one fresh basil leaf, a tomato slice, and fresh mozzarella, and voila - you have an amazing little appetizer that incorporates fresh tomatoes. But when I made my caprese, I didn't get the crappy store bought tomatoes. I bought tomatoes from the farmer's market, and low and behold, the flavor was AMAZING. I was so shocked to find tomatoes that had flavor right in my home town. Plus, the tomatoes mixed with basil and fresh mozzarella was a perfect blend of ingredients! Since eating caprese, I've experimented with cherry tomatoes, which are easy enough to add to a salad. I also incorporate tomatoes in wraps, which combine chicken, spinach, and tomatoes (this feat is also shocking - spinach AND tomatoes mixed together!). I still have a little bit of trepidation with tomatoes because I always have this fear that I am going to get one that isn't good. But like all new things, you just have to keep trying and eventually you won't even remember why you ever had the fear in the first place.

Some fun facts about tomatoes:

1. There are so many amazing characteristics of tomatoes. The first being that the red color comes from an extraordinary amount of the potent antioxidant beta-carotene. I think I've talked about beta-carotene before, but this antioxidant has been linked to reduced cancer risk. Tomatoes also contain chlorogenic acid, which is believed to help detoxify carcinogens and viruses. Plus, tomatoes contain high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin for preventing eye diseases. But perhaps the greatest nutrient found in tomatoes is lycopene, an antioxidant that is found to be even more powerful than vitamin C in the fight against cancer. Interestingly, eating cooked or processed tomatoes isn't all that bad for you - food processing actually increases the presence of lycopene astronomically (compare 42 milligrams in two tablespoons of tomato paste to 3 milligrams in one medium raw tomato). Harvard studies suggest that we should be eating one or two tomato products every day.
2. While it is generally agreed that tomatoes originated in South America, there is much debate over how the vegetable made it to Europe. Many historians believe that Cortez, the Spanish explorer, brought a small yellow tomato (similar in size to a cherry tomato) to Europe after he captured the Aztec City (now Mexico City) in 1521. Others give Christopher Columbus the credit for bringing it back with him to Europe in 1493. The tomato made its first appearance in European literature in 1544, when Pietro Andrea Mattioli dubbed it the pomo d'oro or "golden apple."
3. Thomas Jefferson first experienced tomatoes in Paris and sent some seeds back to America. Today, California and Florida produced the largest crops of tomatoes in America. About 130 million tons of tomatoes were produced across the world in 2008. The biggest producer? China, which accounted for about one quarter of the global output.The U.S. came in third.
4. Apparently finding a good tomato can be as difficult and expensive as finding a purebred puppy. Heirloom tomatoes, which claim to boast more flavor and have a better texture, are considered the best sort of tomatoes one can buy. However, like puppies, there has been a lot of inbreeding of heirloom tomatoes, which have resulted in a loss of healthy genes. There is currently a movement to  bring the heirloom tomato back to the status it had in its glory days. Really, who would have thought growing a good tomato would be that complicated???

Sources:

1. 101 Healthiest Foods: A quick and easy guide to the fruits, vegetables, carbs and proteins that can save your life, Dr. Joanna McMillan Price and Judy Davie (2009).
2. Wikipedia - Tomato
3. Scientific American - How to Grow a Better Tomato: The Case against Heirloom Tomatoes

Stevia

So about two months ago, I needed to change up my workout. I was getting kind of bored, and I felt like I was spending too much time in the gym - something that probably won't be possible once I make the switch from working for a federal judge to working for a law firm. Plus, as much as I love working out, I would be happy if I could keep myself where I am at right now without having to work so hard at it (I know, I know - every human being's holy grail). So I figured a trainer would be a great way to keep my workouts fun and interesting, and a means to understanding what I needed to do to "maintain."

Now my trainer isn't huge on the nutrition side of things - at least he hasn't been so far. During our first session, he looked at my food log (yes, I keep a food log) and really didn't have much to say. He did, however, take issue with my daily intake of diet soda (diet coke and diet sierra mist are my pleasure) and use of splenda in my coffee. My trainer said that he didn't want me to change much - just eat more protein and cut out the use of artificial sweeteners. At first, I resisted, which many of you might already be doing right now as you continue reading this entry. I love diet coke, and I like artificial sweeteners. I use sweet-n-low or splenda in my iced tea and coffee, things I drink almost every day.

When I met with my trainer the next week, one of his first questions was whether I had stopped using artificial sweeteners. And I did the worst thing ever - I lied and told him I quit cold turkey. Lying to my trainer is not something I do. After all, if you lie to your trainer, how can you expect to benefit from his advice? Inevitably, the guilt washed over me. I resolved to make a conscious effort to learn about artificial sweeteners and decide for myself whether it was worth stopping or not. In other words, I wasn't going to blow my trainer off, but I was going to make the decision for myself whether I wanted to continue using artificial sweeteners in my diet.

Artificial sweeteners are a calorie-free way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Thus, it is no surprise that most people dieting substitute artificial sweeteners for real sugar. There are a ton of different artificial sweeteners - Saccharine (aka Sweet N Low), Aspartame (aka NutraSweet and Equal), AspatAcesulfame potassium (aka ACK, Sweet One, and Sunett), Sucralose (aka Splenda), and Neotame. Artificial sweeteners are used in all sorts of things - soda and other beverages, baked goods, ice cream, cookies, gum - they are all over the place.

The safety of artificial sweeteners has become a controversial subject because there have been some studies showing a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer in laboratory animals. FDA-approved studies, however, have not demonstrated clear evidence of an association with cancer in humans. For example, in 2005, a study found increased instances of lymphoma and leukemia in rats that were fed very high doses of aspartame. Because of inconsistencies in the study, however, the FDA did not mess with its approval of aspartame as a safe artificial sweetener. And in 1996, a study linked an increase in the number of people with brain tumors between 1975 and 1992 to the introduction of aspartame in the United States - but the study could not establish a conclusive link. Artificial sweeteners remain FDA approved, and have served as a powerful tool for people attempting to lose weight or people with diabetes. Still, the inconsistencies and inconclusive reports are not reassuring to me, given the relatively short life of artificial sweeteners.

Thus, I decided that I would make up my mind after trying some natural sweeteners. After all, why bother with artificial sweeteners if I'm satisfied with natural sweeteners? My trainer suggested using natural sweeteners such as Blue Agave, honey, or stevia. My first inclination was to try stevia because of the similar consistency to sugar and the artificial sweeteners I enjoy. Blue Agave and honey have a similar consistency - a kind of gold colored liquid.

So what exactly is stevia? Stevia is derived from the leaves of the Latin American herb stevia. The leaves contain a substance that is hundreds of times more potent than sugar, and what makes it so great is that it is the first true natural competitor to artificial sweeteners - it has zero calories, zero carbs, and zero chance of spiking blood sugar levels (which can sometimes happen even with artificial sweeteners). And unlike artificial sweeteners, stevia, as a natural substance, has benefits that go beyond taste and effective sugar replacement. For centuries, tribes from many Latin American countries have used the sweetener in medicinal teas for treating heartburn and other ailments. It is also widely used in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin American countries. Plus, medical research has shown a great effect in the treatment of obesity and high blood pressure, and it helps enhance glucose tolerance, making it attractive to those with diabetes. However, it appears that these positive medical benefits may occur only in high dosages of stevia (meaning, you have to ingest a lot more stevia than a couple of sweetener packets - e.g. a dietary supplement).

So you might be wondering - if tribes have been using it for centuries and it has been widely used in places like Japan for years, why are we just starting to hear about this little herb? First, there are various ways to process the stevia plant. For a long time, there was a bitter licorice aftertaste that accompanied stevia dietary supplements and sweeteners. Thus, it wasn't all that marketable within the U.S. Second, during the 1960s there were some animal studies that suggested stevia might cause cancerous mutations or reproductive problems. The evidence from these studies was widely criticized due to questionable methodologies and the fact that stevia had a great safety record in places like Japan where it was widely used. In 1991, the US banned imports of stevia, though many contend that this was less about public safety and more about pleasing the artificial sweetener lobby. This theory gained even more legitimacy when in 1994, the FDA approved stevia for use as a dietary supplement but refused to sign off on its use as an additive in foods or drinks. The FDA claimed that they wanted to ensure the safety of stevia as an additive before people started widely consuming it.

Stevia as a food additive or natural sweetener has only come on the market within the past two years. And actually, the FDA still has only approved Rebaudioside A, the least bitter part of the stevia plant, as a food additive. There are two main products you have to choose from - at least at the mainstream grocery store. Truvia is produced by Cargill, in collaboration with Coca-Cola, and was approved in December 2008. PepsiCo with Whole Earth Sweetner Co. produces the other option - PureVia - which was approved by the FDA in early 2009.

My local grocery store had Truvia, so that is what I went with. One downfall is that Truvia (and I am sure PureVia also) is more expensive than artificial sweeteners, but it lasts such a long time, that I can sort of put that issue aside. And I assume that once the stevia sweetener gains momentum in the market, the price will come down. Coca Cola and Pepsi both plan to market sodas and other beverages with the natural sweetener. Another downfall of using stevia as a sweetener (as opposed to the artificial kind) is that if you want to truly quit artificial sweeteners, you're going to have to bring it with you when you eat out because no restaurants (as far as I know) carry it. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't note that both Truvia and PureVia contain Erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol found in grapes and melons, which add 3 carbs per packet of Truvia and 2 carbs per packet of PureVia.

Now onto the important question: How does it taste? My first true test was my Monday morning cup of coffee. I usually use three packets of Splenda in my coffee, so this time I used three packets of Truvia. And it really wasn't bad. It was a little less sweet, but it was still pretty sweet, and in all likelihood, I could probably add a fourth packet to equal the flavor of Splenda. But after sticking with three packets of Truvia for a few days I don't even think about going back to Splenda.

I would be lying if I said I have completely come off artificial sweeteners. Frankly, it is harder then one might think. But I am proud to say that I have definitely cut back. I also cut out the diet coke and other diet sodas or beverages that use artificial sweeteners. Frankly, there are a lot of other issues with diet soda that go beyond its use of artificial sweeteners (things like dental health come to mind). Plus, I've noticed that without drinking artificially sweetened beverages, I drink a lot more water. And if you're looking for a fast track to healthy living, there aren't much better things to have than water.

Some fun facts about artificial sweeteners and Stevia:

1. Saccharin, the first of many artificial sweeteners to hit the market, was discovered in 1879 by a researcher from Johns Hopkins University when he accidentally spilled a derivative of coal tar on his hand and after tasting it noticed a sweet flavor. 
2. Despite the FDA's relatively recent lift of the stevia ban, it remains banned in every country within the European Union (except France), Singapore and Hong Kong. The European Food Standards Agency is conducting a safety review and is expected to permit the use of stevia in the EU member states in 2010.
3. The leaves of the stevia plant have 30-45 times the sweetness of sucruose (table sugar).
4. The Japanese began using stevia in the 1970s. They use it in many of their food products, including their version of Coca Cola, and the country currently consumes more of the plant than any other country (Stevia comprises 40% of Japan's sweetener market).

Sources:

1. cancer.gov - Artificial Sweeteners
2. webmdcom - Are artificial sweeteners safe?
3. US News & World Report - The Zero-Calories Sweetener Stevia
4. wikipedia - Stevia

Milk - It actually DOES do a body good!

Counting calories had its benefits - it led to me losing more than 100 pounds! But it also led to the development of some bad habits, including cutting out things that may have been good for me but contain a lot of calories. Drinking calories was simply not an option.

I would like to say that milk was one of those things to go, but it was never really part of my diet to begin with. And given the whole not-drinking-calories thing, I certainly wasn't going to add it into my diet. It's not that I don't like milk, I'm just not in love with it. In addition, at some point in my life, I diagnosed myself as lactose intolerant. In retrospect, my self-diagnosis wasn't correct. With my old eating habits (both before and after the calorie-counting), I ALWAYS had stomach issues. Said stomach issues would present themselves almost always after eating ice cream - my drug of choice. Same thing with pasta or any other food with a lot of cheese. I thought it was IBS or lactose intolerance - but in retrospect, this was just my body telling me that I wasn't eating the right foods.

Since embarking on this new adventure with food, stomach issues are GONE! I'm eating food that I process in a completely different way, and a way that no longer has lasting implications beyond the bathroom. So I decided to give milk another shot. I have to admit that there is something about an ice cold glass of milk that you just don't get from any other food or drink. And we all know the benefits of milk - Loads of calcium (which comes in a form that is easy for your body to absorb), vitamin D, and phosphorous which are critical for bone strength. I remember a few years ago sitting at a stop light on my way home from the grocery store. While sitting at the stop light, the image of an elderly woman crossing the street caught my eye. Now, most the time in my own little world - thinking about what I bought at the store, what I need to do when I get home, or what I am going to do at work tomorrow. But the image of the woman was striking because she was bent over LITERALLY at a 90-degree angle. I instantly craved a tall glass of cold milk. This woman clearly had osteoporosis and my first thought was holy crap, I get no calcium or vitamin D. The image of that woman is still crisp in my mind, and I resolve from this day forward to make one focus of diet increasing my calcium and vitamin D intake. I REFUSE to be a hunchback!

And the impact of milk on bone strength is also not the only value of drinking milk. Milk contains loads of other vitamins, including Vitamin A and Vitamin B12, as well as nutrients such as niacin and potassium. PLUS: There is actually quite a bit of protein, considering the calorie count (10 grams of protein for 130 calories), and it has low-GI carbohydrates. This makes it a good in-between meal snack. Milk is also good for your teeth because it reduces oral acidity and stimulates saliva flow - which reduces tooth erosion and plaque formation. 

And interestingly enough, there are studies that seem to support milk's role in weight loss and its effect on stemming weight gain - results that are not replicated in subjects who get nutrients found in milk through supplements. 

So for the past few weeks, I have made sure to drink a glass of milk with dinner, and low and behold - no lactose intolerance. I also feel great. Plus, milk can taste really good. I have been buying some low-fat 1% organic milk at Costco, and not only is it cheaper than the organic milk at the store, it is GREAT! It tastes amazing and is a bit more creamy than most milk I've had. It tastes great, and I can be assured that even though I may still be deficient in my calcium and vitamin D intake (because most women are), I am nowhere near as deficient as I was before.

Some fun facts about milk:

1. As I already stated - milk provides a good source of Vitamin D. It has been found that 85-95 percent of women are deficient in vitamin D. Isn't that crazy? I'm probably even more deficient because I never go outside, where vitamin D can be absorbed from the sun. So all the more reason to drink up!
2. Milk has become part of the human diet fairly recently, in large part because people were lactose intolerant and could not drink it. It is still mostly popular in Western civilizations, and some cultures (including most Asian cultures) get little to no dairy and never drink milk. Interestingly, the intake of milk has drastically increased in China in recent years - in large part due to the strengthening of the Chinese economy.
3. In addition to helping in weight loss, milk can assist in reducing insulin resistance (type-2 diabetes), lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. 
4. Milk contains lactose, which is a sugar that must be broken down by the enzyme lactase. As we mature, we become more lactose intolerant. It is estimated that 30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. So if you are lactose intolerant, looks like you're getting your calcium from elsewhere, but you certainly won't be alone!

Sources:

1. Women to Women - Vitamin D
2. Wikipedia - Milk
3. 101 Healthiest Foods: A quick and easy guide to the fruits, vegetables, carbs and proteins that can save your life, Dr. Joanna McMillan Price and Judy Davie (2009).

Papaya

When it comes to eating healthy, one of the first categories of food I gravitate toward is fruit. I am sure this fact is likely the result of fruit being sweet - fruit satisfies my sweet tooth in obvious ways that other healthy foods don't. So I have to admit that as you read this blog, you are not going to see many fruits on here that I haven't embraced or at least tried. As a side note, I have been getting a lot of flak from my mom because she says I'm making her look bad by talking about the food I was raised on. So, I have to give props to mom because she always had fruit in the house when I was young. This entry, however, is a limited exception to the general nature of my exposure with fruit. Papaya is one of those fruits that I never experienced growing up, and up until a couple days ago, I had never even tried it. And really, it's not all that surprising. First, papaya has always seemed like a "luxury" fruit, like mangoes or pomegranates - expensive and difficult to find. Second, because it is a "luxury" fruit, you don't really encounter it in social situations and it can be more difficult to find good quality specimens of it.

So on Friday night, we were at Costco, and I wanted to get some mango. Mango is a food that I have only been acquainted with over the past year, and I will probably address the fine qualities of this five star fruit in an entry of its own in the future. I usually buy the pre-cut mango because let's face it - it is WAY easier to make fruit or vegetables part of your life if everything is already done for you. The only problem was that Costco had two packages of the pre-cut mango left, and the mango slices in both didn't seem very ripe. Next to the two packages of pre-cut mango, however, were loads of pre-cut and packaged papaya. I asked Bo what papaya tasted like, and he said that it tasted like mango. So I figured, what the heck, and decided to opt for papaya as my fruit for the week. Now it took some time, but we managed to find a package that looked fairly ripe.

So when we got back to the house, I tried a slice of the papaya. I just wanted a taste, as we were about to eat something else for dinner, and my papaya had to last me for the week. My first impression was that Bo was wrong. Apparently, he doesn't eat papaya much either because it didn't taste anything like mango. In fact, there really wasn't much of a taste to the papaya at all. It was definitely ripe, but it just wasn't sweet like a mango. But, I resolved to try again later. So today I brought papaya for my mid-morning snack. It has a soft and some-what mushy texture. It has a lot of juice, with a consistency similar to watermelon and an appearance similar to cantaloupe. It has a much subtler sweet taste when compared to say a ripe mango or ripe strawberry. It seems to have a higher water content, but that is pure speculation on my part. I have to admit that it is definitely not a favorite fruit of mine. But, I wouldn't describe it as unpalatable either. It sort of reminds me of my experience with mushrooms - it has no taste, but the nutrients it offers are impossible to pass up.

So speaking of, what are the nutritional benefits of papaya? Like mango, papaya is a five star fruit. One of the biggest benefits of the orange-colored papaya is the presence of carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are great for eye health. The fruit also has the antioxidant beta-crytoxanthin, which has been shown to reduce the risk of lung and colon cancers. This antioxidant has also been shown to reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, which runs in my family. Papaya is a good source of Vitamin C and has a good amount of fiber for good digestion and lower blood cholesterol. Papayas are the only natural source of papain, which is an effective digestive aid because it breaks down protein and can serve as a digestive cleanser. The papain combined with the high amount of fiber makes this a great food to eat for digestive health.

In light of such great nutritional benefits, I am not giving up so quickly on this wonderful fruit. I'm also not prepared to write off the taste of papaya either. I am sure it is a fruit that can benefit from integration with other fruits in, say, a fruit salad or something of that nature. Plus, word on the street is that the taste of papaya is greatly improved by squeezing lime juice onto it. I'm going to try that, and will update this entry with my findings tomorrow.

Some fun facts about Papaya:

1. The papaya plant is really an overgrown herb that resembles a tree, and although it is now grown worldwide, it is believed to have originated in Mexico and Central America. 
2. The center of the papaya is packed with small, round, black seeds that are edible. They have a peppery flavor, which can make them a great addition to salad or salsa or blended into sauces or salad dressings.
3. Papaya is not only valuable as a food source; it can used for medicinal purposes as well. It is marketed as a tablet to treat digestive problems, and fermented papaya flesh can be applied topically for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Apparently, Harrison Ford was treated for a ruptured disk he incurred while filming Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with papain injections.

Sources:

1. 101 Healthiest Foods: A quick and easy guide to the fruits, vegetables, carbs and proteins that can save your life, Dr. Joanna McMillan Price and Judy Davie (2009).
2. Wikipedia - Papaya
3. Harrison Ford & Papaya
4. Papaya Nutrition Facts

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa)

So have you ever noticed that you can go for years without hearing about something, and then all of a sudden it is everywhere? You know. Like that song you haven't heard since the ninth grade and then all of a sudden it's on every five minutes? Well, I went for practically my whole life without ever hearing of quinoa. Then, all of a sudden it was the new hot food. It seems to be featured in just about every health, fitness, or food magazine I pick up these days and it makes appearances in the health food books I've been reading. So what's all the fuss about? WHOLE GRAINS BABY.

Now I already described the amazing benefits of whole grains and why they are so important for us. After my excellent find with the whole grain multi-grain bread, I figured why not try some more of these whole grains. Now when I used to eat dinner, it usually consisted of at least one carb - either bread or white rice. I've already explained how white rice has virtually no nutritional value, so needless to say, it no longer makes it on to my plate. But I do need a healthy, filling carb, and vegetables are just not going to cut it (mind you, I do include vegetables with my dinner, but it is nice to have something a bit more filling to accompany them). Enter quinoa.

People call quinoa a grain, but in reality it is the seed of a leafy plant. It is a tiny high-protein "grain" that has been cultivated for more than 5000 years. Quinoa is pretty much considered a "super" grain of the grains. This is because it is relatively high in protein (7 grams for about a cup cooked) and it contains a lot of an important amino acid lysine, which most grains (and vegetables for that matter) lack. It is a rare complete protein source. Quinoa also has a low GI, and is a GREAT source of iron, potassium and B vitamins. Plus it is relatively high in fiber (3 grams), and since it is gluten free, it is pretty easy to digest.

So quinoa seemed like the perfect addition to my evening meal, but finding it was a challenge. I looked at the two nearby mainstream grocery stores, and they didn't have it. I am sure it is probably available at your local Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc., but unfortunately, I don't really live close to any of those stores. Trust me, it is VERY annoying because I have to really go out of my way if I want to find the really healthy stuff. Surprisingly, though, I actually found quinoa at Costco. As an aside, Costco actually has a really good selection of organic, whole grain, healthy stuff. I buy my yummy bread, the greek yogurt, organic milk, organic whole grain granola, and other stuff there - and it is a heck of a lot cheaper. Anyway, so of course, I had a little trepidation at buying the Costco-sized quinoa package, but after thinking it over for a couple of weeks, I said, what the heck. It really wasn't that expensive, and I would make up the difference in driving to a health food store to find it. BTW: The quinoa at Costco is produced by Bob's Red Mill, which produces many of the other whole grains I intend to try.

So after finally finding the stuff, it sat in my pantry for a couple weeks. I just didn't know what to do with it. I didn't know how to cook it, and I didn't know how to make it taste good. After some sleuthing, I figured out how to make it. You essentially boil water (2 cups), and put 1 cup quinoa into the water, simmer it with a cover on until all the water is absorbed, then take it off the heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes or so covered. Now I would like to say I could tell you how the stuff tastes without any flavor, but I can't be precise because I flavored it with a beef bouillon cube. It definitely has a nutty flavor, but the bouillon cube made the stuff actually really good. In fact, I like it better than white rice. It is also extremely filling. I ate dinner at about 6 p.m. and I still felt full at 10 p.m.

Apparently, you can go for a nuttier taste by toasting the quinoa before cooking it as noted above. There are also a number of uses for quinoa. You can use it as a baking substitute for flour, sugar, and other baking ingredients. And you can flavor it with bouillon cubes, broth, or spices. You can eat it hot as I did last night, or you can chill it and mix with fresh vegetables for a salad. You can make muffins with it or eat it for cereal. It really is a versatile grain. I am really excited about quinoa, and I am looking forward to discovering new ways of incorporating this yummy grain into my diet!

Some fun facts about Quinoa:

1. Quinoa was a staple food of the ancient Incas, and thus was sacred. They called it the "Mother of all grains." Myth has it that Incan armies marched for days on a mixture of quinoa and fat known as "war balls." When it came time to plant the crop, the leader of the Incans would plant the first Quinoa seed with a gold shovel. 
2. So what is the big deal about Lysine? Lysine is an essential amino acid that is a necessary building block for all protein in the body. Lysine helps with calcium absorption, building muscle protein, recovering from surgery or sports injuries, and the body's production of hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. 
3. Quinoa has a very bitter coating called saponins. The bitter coating has an important purpose, however, because it prevents birds from eating the crop. It is thought that Europeans rejected quinoa as a food source upon first encountering it because of the unpalatable taste of the coating. Today, North American commercial producers of Quinoa remove the saponins before selling it, so this isn't anything you really have to worry about. It is suggested, however, that you may want to rinse the quinoa prior to cooking to remove any residual coating. 

Sources:

1. Wikipedia - Lysine 
2. Recipes for Quinoa from Bob's Red Mill
3. 101 Healthiest Foods: A quick and easy guide to the fruits, vegetables, carbs and proteins that can save your life, Dr. Joanna McMillan Price and Judy Davie (2009).
4. The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Jonny Bowden (2007).