Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) was eaten by the Incan tribes in the Andes Mountains of South America for more than 5,000 years. Today, its mostly grown in South America. Quinoa is rich in iron, B vitamins, and its gluten-free. Of all the grains, it has the highest amount of protein. It is known as one of the world’s super foods.

Before cooking the quinoa you’ll need to rinse it (it may have a coating on it). Place the quinoa in a fine strainer and hold it under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well. To prepare it, use 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa and cook it like you would cook rice. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover it, and cook until the water is absorbed (about 5 minutes).

Even though quinoa can be substituted for rice in most recipes, I like to add ½ part quinoa to 1 part rice in recipes. Quinoa can be found in health stores and at Trader Joe’s. Some examples of recipes with quinoa are: Quinoa Breakfast Cereal, Quinoa Pilaf, Quinoa Corn Chowder, Quinoa Mango Salad, and Quinoa Cookies.

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