Monday, July 25, 2011

Quinoa "The Mother Grain"


Quinoa was a staple of the ancient Incas who called it "the mother grain". Actually, Quinoa (keen-wa) is not a grain or a member of the grass family. Though it looks, tastes and cooks like a grain, it is the dried fruit from an herb native to Bolivia and Peru. It is a pseudo-cereal rather than a true cereal, or grain. Quinoa is closely related to species such as spinach, tumbleweeds and beets; In the States, it is grown in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado (Climate and terrain similar to the Andes).

Quinoa is rich in all eight essential amino acids (unlike traditional grains) that compose a complete protein. The only other foods that contain these essential amino acid are red meat, eggs and dairy products. Consider Quinoa instead. It is much lower in calories and fat and is abundant in fiber: 1/2 cup= 129 cal/2 grams fat/4.6 grams dietary fiber. This "mother grain" is an excellent source of potassium and iron, and a good source of various B vitamins as well as zinc. It cooks in about 10-15 minutes and has a mild flavor.

Grow your own quinoa. The website I linked to considers quinoa a grain.
Quinoa recipes
All about Quinoa

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