teach me how to cook quinoa

[SeekingSimplicity]

I don't know how to cook this and make it taste good. And we all find the texture strange. But I have a bunch of it and would like to use it. We eat so much rice, it would be nice to have something else in the rotation.

How do you cook it? Do you have any good recipes?

[Denisemomof4]

I made a marinaded salad with mine. I chopped up red and green bell pepper, purple onion, cucumber, grape tomato, added corn, then tossed with cooked, cooled quinoa, and made my own dressing with olive oil, flaxseed oil, water, apple cider vinegar, chopped fresh garlic, basil, salt, pepper and stevia. I make the salad dressing to taste. My family GOBBLED it down and asked me to make it a couple of days later to snack on while on a day trip.:001_smile:

[NancyNellen]

Quinoa and Black Bean Chili

 

You can adjust the spice in the above as needed.

 

Quinoa and Black Beans

 

Quinoa Salad w/ Chicken, Grapes and Almonds

 

Here are some of our favorite ways to eat quinoa. I find cooking it in chicken broth gives it a little more flavor.

 

I also use it in soups in place of rice or couscous.

 

HTH,

[m0mmaBuck]

I find it tastes like dirt. I may have to try one of these recipes to cover that up.

 

Of course I also don't like whole grain anything because I think it tastes like dirt...

[Karen in CO]

My favorite was is to mix it into veggie burgers. This is what wehad last night:

http://cupcakepunk.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/sweet-potato-and-black-bean-burger/

[But by Grace]

I like to add it to soups. It kinds of thickens them up and adds lots of good protein. My favorite is a jar of salsa (red or green), a can or two of beans (red, back or white), chicken broth, 1 lb. chicken or ground beef. Once on the table, we might add white cheese or plain yogurt and serve with blue corn chips.

[Denise in Florida]

You have to rinse it well before you cook it. You can find lots of good recipes online but it will always be bitter and gritty if you don't rinse well in warm water before starting.

 

Quinoa has a natural coating of saponin which keeps birds and insects from eating it.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Our favorite way is to cook it in chicken broth instead of water and then top it with carmelized onions! Delicious!

 

You can also add coconut milk, cinnamon, ginger, and honey to it for a yummy breakfast cereal.

[Belacqua]

You have to rinse it well before you cook it. You can find lots of good recipes online but it will always be bitter and gritty if you don't rinse well in warm water before starting.

 

Quinoa has a natural coating of saponin which keeps birds and insects from eating it.

 

A thousand times yes. The first time I made quinoa, I didn't know this and it tasted like petroleum. Now that I know better and rinse the heck out of it, I like it quite a lot.

[Karen in CO]

I buy a kind that is rinsed already. Save me a step and reduces the risk of my hubby messing it up

[angela in ohio]

I saute onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the quinoa and some chicken stock and/or water. When it's cooked, I sometimes toss in some steamed vegetables, too. I top it with some chopped parsley and/or a bit of grated parmesan.

 

I also like to do the same thing, but add sliced mushrooms with the garlic and onion, and then add some shredded chicken with the vegetables. (No one eats mushrooms but me, so this is my lunch.) It's good cold the next day, too.

 

I think it tastes like corn. :001_smile:

[tadah]

I love this recipe:

 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/orange-quinoa-salad-10000001206153/

 

I use the method described in this recipe to rub the bitter coating off the quinoa, although I must say I've done fine with skipping the toasting part. Even the kind of quinoa that says "pre-rinsed" is a lot better if you do this.

 

I also make cook quinoa in advance to reheat with milk, etc., as a breakfast porridge.

 

Enjoy!

[Beth in OH]

 

Quinoa Salad w/ Chicken, Grapes and Almonds

 

 

 

I had all of these ingredients, so I made this one for dinner. Yummy!

[Classical Country Mama]

I always have quinoa pilaf in the fridge--it's one of my go-to snacks/meals. I sautee onion and a ton of veggies (whatever I have, but that's at least green peppers, carrots, broccoli, garlic) in a teeny bit of oil; then add the quinoa and mix it all up. Then chicken broth, and let it all simmer until the broth is totally absorbed.

 

So good! So good!

[sheryl]

I've been getting into quinoa....and started a thread or two this year or last year.

 

Here's what I do.

 

Rinse and drain using a "fine" strainer b/c quinoa grain is so tiny

Place quinoa in a skillet with 1 T olive oil and do so for about 510 minutes (it may "start to look brown, but should not be black...which is hard for me to tell b/c I use red, white and black quinoa as a tri-color mix together)

Next you will add water (maybe double + of water of what you had for grain)

Let it simmer....this may take 30 minutes or more.

IMPORTANT: the grains need to "pop out" to indicate it's done and water absorbed. If water is absorbed and they haven't popped out yet, then add more water and continue until they pop.

Add your mix ins: I try a variety

 

Mix Ins:

Feta Cheese

Chopped Asparagus

Dried Cranberries

Pecans OR sliced almonds

2 T honey

Mix

Cool for 1-2 hours

 

I've tried another recipe and I don't remember what it is. I'll keep playing around with it. Different nut, cheese, veggie combos. I would like some awesome fruit combos. Anyone?