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).