So, what is quinoa and what are its benefits?
Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is one of those foods that many of us had never heard of just a few years ago but now, we see it everywhere! In talking to people, I find there are many who aren't sure what to do with quinoa or how to cook it.
Quinoa is very versatile, easy to prepare, and delicious
It can be eaten either hot or cold. You can use quinoa to make a hot cereal dish in the morning, use it as a side dish, use it in soups or salads, or make it the base of stews or chili. One of the big benefits of quinoa is that it cooks a lot quicker than other whole grains like brown rice, so it can be a great choice for those time-crunched days.
Quinoa is native to South America and is a seed, although we generally use it like a grain in cooking. Quinoa is a good source of fibre, folate, protein, phosphorus, copper, iron, magnesium, and manganese. Quinoa comes in white, red, and black varieties and the cooking time varies slightly between the varieties. It has a slightly nutty taste but is overall mild. I love quinoa for its ease of cooking and use it regularly!
Try this quinoa recipe to make a tasty side dish. Leftovers can easily be stored in the fridge for a couple days. They also freeze well for use later.
Quinoa with Peas
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp butter/margarine
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 tbsp parsley
Instructions:
- Melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the quinoa and cook 2 minutes until toasted.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the onion, garlic, thyme and pepper. Cover and let come to a boil.
- Once boiling, add in the frozen peas. Re-cover; reduce heat to medium-low.
- Continue simmering until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed the chicken stock, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley and enjoy.
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