COLUMN: Discover the health benefits of quinoa
Lately there’s been a lot of hype in the food world about something called quinoa. You might be wondering what on earth it is. I was, too, so I did some research.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a seed that’s grown in South America. Why are people making such a big deal about it? It’s probably got something to do with its high protein level, eight amino acids, high fiber and low fat content. These qualities make it friendly to vegetarians and people who are on gluten-free diets.
When cooking quinoa, one of the most important things you can do is rinse it thoroughly. There is a layer saponin on the outside of the seeds, and it tastes extremely bitter. I recommend soaking the quinoa for a few minutes and then draining it to make sure that you get the layer off.
To cook quinoa you can use a ratio of 1-to-2, quinoa to water. Just add the quinoa and water to a pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft. One cup of raw quinoa will yield about 2 cups cooked.
Once you’ve cooked the quinoa the ways it can be used are endless. You can eat it as a breakfast cereal with brown sugar, nuts and fruit or you can substitute it for rice or pasta in many dishes. You can add it to things like bread, muffins and pancakes. I tried it in these two recipes, a curry salad and quinoa muffins.
QUINOA MUFFINS
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and 2 cups of the cooked quinoa.
In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup whisk together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Divide batter evenly into the cups of a greased muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds of the way full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 12-18 minutes.
Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: these muffins have a great texture and subtle flavor from the quinoa, but they’re kind of plain. Try adding cinnamon, a handful of chocolate chips, raisins, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, diced apple, toasted pecans, maple extract or anything else you can think of to the batter. If you decide to keep them plain try topping them with honey butter, jam or sliced fruit.
QUINOA SALAD WITH SWEET POTATOES, APPLES AND LEMON CURRY DRESSING
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 medium sweet potato (about 12 ounces)
1 gala apple, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 green onions, diced
big handful of cilantro, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon honey
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then add the quinoa and return to boiling.
Turn the heat down, cover and let simmer until the quinoa is tender but still chewy, 12-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato and chop it into bite sized pieces.
Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a few dashes of salt.
Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 425 F until tender, about 15 minutes.
Place the cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, apple, green onions, almonds and cilantro in a bowl and stir together.
In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper, and curry powder.
Add the oil, whisking constantly, until emulsified.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Garnish with more cilantro and almonds.
– Jennelle Clark is a senior psychology major who writes the online food blog foodislikeart.blogspot.com. She loves making, eating and sharing her food. Send comments to jenn.wilson@aggiemail.usu.edu