I’m always a little suspicious of anything that gets touted as a ‘superfood’. Which is why it took me a while to get around to trying quinoa.
My first encounter was with puffed quinoa as part of an exploration of new breakfast cereals. Not very inspiring unless you come from the school of thought that cereal should resemble styrofoam and be useful as a packing material.
But with my Dad’s gluten intolerance I decided to give the whole grains another chance. And I’m glad I did.
12 things you should know about quinoa
1. it’s delicious
No matter how ‘good for you’ a food is, I don’t include it in my diet unless it passes the taste test. Puffed quinoa won’t be starring on stonesoup anytime soon but the whole grains definitely make it. Slightly nutty and grainy, they’re something I could keep eating and eating.
2. it has a funny pronunciation
I always feel a tiny bit pretentious when I correct people but apparently it likes to be referred to as ‘keen-wah’.
3. it’s high in protein
A big positive for vegetarians as I’ve learned recently. It’s also pretty good on iron and fibre, which gets the nutritionists excited.
4. it’s gluten free
With my Dad being gluten intolerant, I’m always appreciative of new options to cook for him. He’s pretty keen on the rolled quinoa flakes for breakfast as well.
5. it needs washing before use
I read somewhere that the surface of quinoa contains a chemical called saponin that has a bitter soapy taste. Most commercial quinoa will already be washed and have the saponin removed but it’s a good idea to rinse it just before you use it in case there are residues.
6. it comes in different colours
Just like grapes, quinoa comes in different varieties. The most common is white, but there are also red and black. I’ve only ever come across the white variety.
7. it comes in different forms
Just like corn, it can be puffed or rolled into flakes or you can buy it whole.
8. it looks like a grain but is actually a seed
9. it has an interesting texture
The thing I love about quinoa is it’s texture. Something a little like barley with its chewiness, it also has a light fluffiness akin to well prepared couscous.
10. it’s better if you cook it
One of my first experiment with quinoa I just rinsed it in boiling water, tossed it in dressing and used it in a salad. It was edible but a little weird.
11. you can also eat the leaves
I’m yet to find a souce of fresh quinoa or it’s leaves but if you do apparently the leaves are edible. Something like chard or silverbeet.
12. it’s becoming more readily available
In Australia it’s even available in the ‘health food’ section of our supermarkets. Am sure any health food store worth its lentils would either already stock quinoa or be able to source it for you.
[5 ingredients]
warm salad of roast cauliflower & quinoa
serves 2
Inspired by Cath Claringbold in the Good Weekend.
You could use all sorts of soft cheese in this recipe. Ricotta or goats curd would be lovely but I had some bocconcini that needed eating up and I really enjoyed it’s slightly chewy texture to contrast the cauliflower & quinoa. If you were wanting to go cheese free some roasted almonds would be a great substitution.
Wonderfully satisfying as a main course salad on it’s own, it would also work well without the cheese as a side dish to fish or roast chook.
I used tomato paste to flavour and slightly colour the quinoa but you could ditch it and replace the water with vegetable or chicken stock if you liked.
If you can’t find quinoa, you could substitute in your favourite cooked grain such as couscous, barley or brown rice. You’ll need to adjust the amount of water and cooking times though.
1/2 large cauliflower (approx 350g / 12oz)
1/2 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
large handful bocconcini, torn into bight size pieces
Preheat oven to 200C. Cut cauliflower into bight size little trees. Place in a roasting dish, drizzle with some olive oil, season and roast, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is golden on the edges and cooked through.
Rinse quinoa well and place in a medium saucepan with 1 cup water and the tomato paste. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed. Season.
Divide cauliflower between two warm plates, scatter over quinoa, cheese and chives.
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Thank you Jules. Love your site! and your great recipes!
This looks amazing. The roasted cauliflower topped with chives will really bring out the flavor. Thanks for sharing!
I have just bought my first packet of Quinoa and am looking forward to trying it. I like the sound of your recipe with cauliflower so will try it – just one little comment though you spelt ‘bite’ wrong!!!!!!
I have never tried quinoa before. While in QLD, we bought from a health food shop some quinoa which looks like wheat germ or rolled oatmeal like small flakes. Do I still need to rinse it? I was planning to just cook it with rice. Since it is flaked, can it be eaten as is?
nauree
good question… if it’s flaked it means it’s been cooked and rolled so I probably wouldn’t bother to wash it first.
No offense Shelley, but if you’re going to try and correct someone on their grammar, at least spell “spelled” correctly! :D
Regardless, amazing post Jules! I’ll have to give this a go the next time I make quinoa.
Sorry Patrick but broaden your horizons…. spelt, dreamt, learnt are all UK English versions of spelled, dreamed, learned and totally legitimate in literate parts of the world.
wow tariba..
thx for sharing!
dear jules u r an angel in 5mts a novice like me learnt a lot keep it up all the best ciyer yours sincerely
patrick
thanks for coming to my defense.. spelling and spelt aren’t really my forte :)
thanks chitra
Sounds yummy, Jul!
I’m a bit obsessed with quinoa at the moment and it seems to have been the addition to my lunch salads. Can not wait to give this one a go as a warm salad sounds good with this crazy cold weather!
Luv u xoxo
Ps. Who cares about the spelling! It’s all about the food :)
Glad you’re loving the quinoa Nai Nai!
Love you xx
I always rinse my quinoa, regardless of what the package says. I also like to dry pan toast it slightly on the stove top before cooking. It enhances the flavor quite a bit, gives it a ‘nuttier’ taste. Well worth the effort flavorwise.
Oxfam at Broadway, Sydney, and throughout Australia including online sells different varities of rice and quinoa, including red quinoa. Worth giving them a try as you then also help support fair trade agriculture.
Trying my first bowl of quinoa flakes right now. Tastes kind of weird to me. If I didn’t know what quinoa was, and I came across a plant while lost in the wilderness, I would’ve assumed it was poisonous. Not too bad with with agave though…
@Patrick – “Spelled” is used in America, whereas “Spelt” is used in most other English speaking countries. “Color” vs “Colour”, “Aluminum” vs “Aluminium”, “Organize” vs “Organise”, etc etc…
Just cooked up some quinoa for the first time. I did it rather like a pilaf, dry-frying some onion and garlic, adding the quinoa stirring til slightly toasted, then adding vegie stock (twice the volume of the quinoa), simmering covered for 15 minutes, then resting covered for 5. I now have a new favourite carb to add to the list of bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Just delicious.
Now then, as an American living in Australia with an interest in language and grammar, I have to provide a definitive quote on the spell/spelt controversy:
“…Some of these verbs are irregular in British or American English only; in many cases, such as spell (spelt vs. spelled), learn (learnt vs. learned), and spill (spilt vs. spilled), American English uses the regular form, while British English tends to favor the irregular. In other cases, the opposite is true (dived and sneaked in Britain, also dove and snuck in America); Australian English, New Zealand English, and South African English tend to follow the British practice, while Canadian English often sides with the American usage.”
When I moved here 40 years ago, Australians invariably used “spelt”; now they go about 50/50 spelt/spelled.
Very interesting, a 1st time for me, will it be available in S.A ?? would love to use it in a recipe which I saw on Pinterest.
Hello there, found you through Pinterest…Love your blog. Here in the USA a great way to purchase Quinoa is at Costco ( wholesale warehouse-membership required). It is much less expensive and by having the bulk I use it more frequently. Our family love’s it hot,cold,savory,sweet,added to green salads very versatile product.
Hi- I’m in the US, too, and have found white quinoa at BJs, another warehouse-membership club. Last year we planted quinoa from a seed supplier (www.territorialseed.com) not knowing what to expect. The plants we got resembled the edible weed we call goosefoot or lambs quarters. For several weeks we thought our seeds had not germinated because the bed was so weedy. Eventually it occurred to us these ‘weeds’ were our crop. By the time we figured it out, they were quite large so we never did try eating the leaves.
what a great idea to add tomato paste into the cooking quinoa – im going to try this :0 thank you!
great post- I’m a big fan of the red quinoa. Sooooo yummy when I soak it overnight in water and a dash of lemon juice, then add a dash of soy sauce and lemon juice after it’s cooked. really yum. yay, quinoa! I’m thinking the red is imported from really far away, like South America- probably why you’re having trouble finding it in Oz.
I looooove quinoa. It’s really good with stir fries, curry or grilled meats with a light sauce. Me and my mother try to work quinoa into as many meals as possible for the protein. (It’s a complete protein, so it replaces meat perfectly. We rarely eat meat).
My daughter and I love quinoa, we have quinoa salads, quinoa risotto, quinoa porridge and we use it instead of rice with curries. You can now buy black quinoa in Woolworths FYI.
Drienie: It is available in South Africa. I’ve seen it in health stores (both in CPT and PTA) and even in Pick ‘n Pay and Spar sometimes in the health section.
Can’t wait to get me some more quinoa! Thanks for the great recipe, Jules!
Have just had my first experience with quinoa and found it to be rather delicious. I am so looking forward to now experimenting with all the different ways of cooking it. Your recipe Jules will be the next one on my list.
Thankyou.
I eat it with everything. Mix it with Mustard seed and Millet.
Couldnt resist this. Isnt ‘spelt’ a type of wheat :-) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelt
witch eva way it’s spellt “quinoa” taysts dee lish us.
For Melbourne-ites, “Oasis” the North Rd, Murrembeena mecca of all things middle eastern and a lot of things south american, sells 3-4 types of Quinoa as part of their regular stock – red, white, black and mixed (tri-colour) in 250-500g bags. Much cheaper than health food stores, super-margarets etc.
Murrumbeena – woops!
Being Coeliac is the pits, tried Quinoa Flakes for breakfast and not impressed really bland. Can I use these flakes for Quinoa salads or do you have to buy the grain? I am going to try your cauliflower recipe it looks yum. I am willing to give Quinoa another try…
I make use quinoa for porridge instead of oats and have stewed fruit sweetened with honey and yoghurt on top with a splash of milk. It’s delicious!
I’ve been loving quinoa porridge lately too Tovah.. just with yoghurt and fresh berries.. so good
A friend told me that we shouldn’t eat quinoa as it is only grown in poor South American countries (like Bolivia) and is a dietry staple for the locals. Now that it has gained international popularity the cost has gone up and the locals can no longer afford to use it. Is this true? Does anyone know?
Hi Trevor
Not sure if want you have written is correct, but I do know that we do grow it here in Australia.
My friends Mum grows it in her garden in Australia.. and eats the leaves like spinach..
I’m a recent convert to quinoa, and have gone a bit crazy swapping it for rice, couscous and burghal wheat – it’s a light, tasty revelation when used in Middle Eastern cooking.
When our cauliflowers at home are ripe, I’m going to make this recipe throughout winter.
Cheers for a great website.
Yay for quinoa Jenni!
You’re right.. it’s brilliant in Middle Eastern cooking.
It’s also a really lovely breakfast option instead of porridge or oatmeal
Tried quinoa for the first time this eveniing in a pumpkin & walnut salad & was quite surprised & impressed! So easy to cook, tastes great, & so versatile! I’m supposed to be on a low carb diet though, as I ‘m producing too much insulin & was wondering if the benefits of quinoa would outweigh the carb “thing”?
I bought a 1.81kg bag at Costco in Melbourne a few weeks ago.I remember it was cheaper than the Coles I buy it at but have forgotten the price.
I have to tell the kids that its ancient super rice and they lap it up.
Just had a warm (re-heated!) salad of Quinoa, roasted pine nuts and sunflower kernels, parsley and feta. Dressing of honey, lemon juice, olive oil and paprika….bewdiful (if I do say so myself!)
Oh and by the way…in South Australia, you can buy it in bulk at Foodland Pasadena…..dirt cheap!
Hi ,
Going to try some Quinoa flakes instead of oats (as daughter is anaphylactic to oats) in ANZAC biscuits for tomorrow – hope it works, she’s 8 and hasn’t had an ANZAC biscuit since she was 3 when she became unconscious from one, she’s desperate to try one.
I have heard quinoa makes good scones but have not had a lot of luck
I came on your site when looking for Quinoa recipes. Great, I made porridge this morning.
Jenny
Love your site! New to quinoa so very grateful to stumble across The Stone Soup.
Thanks for sharing… Going to grab my first bag of quinoa tomorrow. Can’t wait to give your recipe a try.
Had a great time over the English lesson… I really “learnt” a lot….
I’ve been experimenting with quinoa for a few weeks, with the flour and have produced pecan and raisin cake, and garlic, chili and olive bread. Am next going to try using the seeds instead of rice to go with the eggplant and tomato curry curry I’ve just made. For the Quinoa, Garlic, Chili and Olive Bread I have used:
1 cup quinoa flour, 1 cup low fat natural yoghurt, 2 eggs, 1/8th cup olive oil, pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 level teaspoon of minced chili, approximately 8 green olives and 8 kalamata olives, sliced or chopped, lots of ground black pepper to taste.
1. Mix first six ingredients together. (It should be moist enough with the yoghurt and eggs and olive oil without need for any other liquid).
2. Fold in remaining ingredients.
3. I only have an “air oven” which means cooking a small loaf, very small, in fact. I used a round 4.5″ spring form pan and the majority of the mixture fitted into the pan.
4. Using the “air oven” preheated, I baked it for 15 minutes at 160 degrees. Tested the centre, and put it back in for another 5 minutes.
I am really looking forward to having a sandwich for lunch tomorrow! No falling asleep from elevated blood sugar levels, no upset digestion from bread.
If you try the above recipe, I hope it works as well for you as it has done for me. Tomorrow I shall try the cauliflower recipe.
Cheers,
Kate
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