Quinoa anyone?

[hsmamainva]

My hubby came home with a 5lb bag of organic quinoa...thrilled to pieces because it said "gluten-free" on the package.

 

Our 7yo is allergic to gluten, soy, and dairy.

 

So, ladies.....what can I do with quinoa? :blink:

 

Thanks!

[Crimson Wife]

I love it hot for breakfast with cranberries, pecans, and a teeny bit of maple syrup to sweeten.

 

My brother uses it as a vegetarian substitute for meat in sloppy joes.

[yslek]

We use it as a side dish on occasion. I think you can use it much in the same way you use rice. I served some to my GF aunt once, and she thought it would make a good couscous substitute. (She had been missing couscous since going GF.)

[ElizabethB]

Have you tried teff flour? It makes a nice pancake and is gluten free. It also makes good cookies.

[LittleIzumi]

You can cook it like rice--same proportions of water and everything. Make sure you rinse it or it is "pre-washed" or it will taste bitter. We just had some this week with veggie bullion in the water so it was nicely flavored. It's a lot like couscous--you have to give it the flavor but it absorbs flavor well. Yum!

[Trixie]

We use it in all the ways already mentioned, primarily as a rice or ground meat substitute. My ds prefers quinoa (esp. the red variety, which he likes the color of :001_smile:) to rice in many dishes. We use it with (or in) stir fries, chili, soups, stews, curries, etc. You can also use it as you'd use couscous in cold salads.

[milovany]

We've made quinoa tacos in the past -- cook the quinoa (like rice, as mentioned) and then mix it with either beans or chicken. Use as a taco filling, adding lettuce, cheese, etc.

[shalom22]

I like quinoa, very tasty. Very good with fish.

 

My kids say that the red variety looks like red ants.:D At least it doesn't taste like red ants, I guess.:confused:

[Matryoshka]

I use it mostly instead of rice. I have a cookbook that suggests a slightly lower ratio water/grain than rice - 1 3/4 c. water to 1 c. quinoa. Simmer for 20 minutes. Don't forget to rinse with warm water first - as someone else said, it will be bitter otherwise.

 

I like quinoa - it has a nice flavor, and since I switched to all whole-grain, it takes much less time to cook than brown rice.

 

I particularly like it as a side dish with fish.

I make a dish with salmon, swiss chard and quinoa that everyone likes. I also have a quinoa chili recipe that's quite yummy.

 

Oh, and speaking of gluten-free, you can also use it in place of bulghur wheat in tabooley!

[Spy Car]

Like rice, as others have mentioned.

 

But also as a salad with edamame and a colorful riot of diced vegetables or vegetable-fruits. Be careful to dress Quinoa very lightly, as you want to keep the light texture, and it's easy to over oil.

 

Quinoa is delicious. Most of what's available in markets is pre-washed to remove a bitter compound, so it isn't really necessary (generally). My wife never bothers (and probably isn't aware that it's a potential "issue").

 

I rinse Quinoa out of habit, and why take chances?

 

Enjoy. It pairs well with bold flavors.

 

A "hot version" of a salad, same type ingredients but stir-fried is also a nice dish.

 

Purple potatoes are a really nice addition to a wildly colorful Quinoa salad BTW. And they are both South American, so it seems "right".

 

Bill

[Laura Corin]

I put it into casseroles as a protein/thickener.

 

Laura

[E_Edgerton]

I love quinoa. In fact I rarely use rice now, which I have never really loved. I prefer the red variety, although there is very little taste difference between the red and white/yellowish variety. I usually cook it in vegetable or chicken stock. Two to one just like rice. I agree it makes a great side, but add in some protein, some chopped veg and you have a great meal. I have also used it in place of rice for casserole like dishes. I think it just has an earthier, more complex flavor...especially if you cook it in stock. Enjoy!

[Devotional Soul]

Quinoa rocks because it is high in protein, and is a complete protein. We alternate it with rice and millet.

[kalanamak]

 

So, ladies.....what can I do with quinoa? :blink:

 

Thanks!

 

When I make veggie/bean chili, I usually add a half a cup of masa flour the last half hour of cooking, but if I don't happen to have any, I mix in a cup of quinoa. It cooks down to little whitish rings, and looks a little unusual, but it is good. My xh especially liked this, much to his surprise.

[6packofun]

I like it as a warm or cold salad. Make the quinoa with vegetable or chicken broth. Steam some veggies (warm) or dice up some cucumber, tomato and throw in a little feta (cold) and make a dressing of lemon juice, garlic and some herbs. Maybe a tiny splash of olive oil.

 

Here is a good recipe: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/01/warm-spinach-salad-with-quinoa-and.html

[LibraryLover]

Think about how you use rice and then substitute the quinoa. I love quinoa. I have used it as a side, in soups, in stews, in salads. It's such a nice quick-cooking grain.

 

The other night I basically made a stir fry with red quinoa and veggies. I cooked the quinoa sep, and in the skillet, I added bell peppers, onions, garlic, baby bella mushrooms, peas...and finished it off with a tikka mssala sauce. I added the cooked quinoa to this and served it with falafel balls. lol. My kids ate it up and the most common comment was "interesting!"

 

I had a terrible falafel craving...I maybe wouldn't recommend this combo together...fusion food. lol But on second thought, the nutty sweetness of the quinoa went fairly well with the spice of the falafel. :001_huh: