Quinoa – pronounced “keen-wah” – is a newcomer to our repertoire at S&H. We are usually not heavily into ‘trendy’ or ‘superfood’ ingredients but what we are is curious about anything new that comes across our desks/kitchen counters! Although we were a bit sceptical about the quinoa as we watched it cook, it turns out we LOVE it. It was easy to prepare and surprisingly delicious – chewy and slightly nutty.
Quinoa also happens to be one of the healthiest things you could eat. You can read fascinating facts about its nutritional profile here. Most people – including me – consider quinoa to be a grain but it is actually a (distant) relative of leafy green vegetables (spinach, chard etc), go figure.
Ideas for using quinoa:
- Salads (we tried it with spinach and halloumi- yum)
- Baking
- As a breakfast dish (with milk, honey, berries, nuts)
- In place of rice/cous cous
- Granola bars
- Fritters
- Rice Pudding
- Pancakes
Basic Quinoa Recipe
You’ll need:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any residue.
2. Place the quinoa and the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the quinoa for 10 minutes (uncovered).
3. Cover and continue to simmer for approximately five minutes or until the remaining water is absorbed. You’ll know that the quinoa is done when all the grains have turned transparent and the spiral-like germ has separated.
Have fun experimenting!
– Priya
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