I love the light flavor of quinoa! It is easy to digest, and is not sticky or heavy like grains, making it a wonderful grain-like food for summer.
It is more than just a tasty food. Quinoa has many powerful health benefits:
- Quinoa is a high quality protein food with the nine essential amino acids; the protein balance is similar to milk with 8 grams of protein per cup in each. This is great for vegetarians.
- It is not fattening. Only 223 calories for 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
- Smart Carb: It is a complex carbohydrate with a low glycemic index, so it won’t spike your blood sugar.
Also, it is part of another major food trend of today: gluten-free eating. It is not even a grain; it is a seed. Seeds contain mostly the embryo part of the plant, while grains contain mostly the fruit part of the plant and comes from the grass family.
For more about the many health benefits read: 8 Health Benefits of Quinoa
How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly
Before Cooking:
- Always Rinse Quinoa, although highly nutritious, it is actually coated with the toxic chemical saponin; you must rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Saponins can be challenging to the immune system and stomach. Commercial processing methods remove much of the bitter soapy saponins coating quinoa seeds, but it is best to rinse again to remove any of the powdery saponins that may remain on the seeds.
- Place quinoa in a strainer, then run cold water over it until the entire soapy residue has been washed away. You can taste-test a few seeds; if they still have a bitter taste, run more cold water over them. Rub the seeds while rinsing with water for extra removal.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- Pinch of Himalayan salt or sea salt
Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa and drain.
2. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil.
3. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Fluff with a fork and serve.
I usually just serve quinoa in the same way I do with rice with vegetables. I have been known to eat a bowl full all by itself because it tastes so good.
How often to eat quinoa?
Like all good foods, we need variety. It’s best not to eat quinoa, or any food, every day. A few times a week is good enough.
Please do not cook a huge pot of quinoa or any other grain to last you all week. Refrigerating cooked grains imparts a waxy texture and washes out their subtle flavors. Freshly prepared foods satiate and energize; stale and leftover foods make us feel stale and leftover.
Yummy Quinoa Recipes
Quinoa Coconut Almond Porridge – Sugarless. Nutritious and delicious!
Try Sprouting Quinoa for your salads.
This article was originally published on www.Care2.com. Read the original here.
