Quinoa has been mentioned as one of the top power foods recently, and it is good, too!

Find a store that sells bulk so you can pick up just a small amount. I've seen MANY great looking recipes, but have only eaten it plain (always watching calories!), and would say perhaps it's nutty? The shape is interesting after cooked!

I guess I'd say Quinoa is sorta / kinda in-between rice & couscous...well, at least it's worth trying!!!

We eat it regularly, and love it! We all enjoy it a lot more than rice, and it's much more nutritious. High in fiber, protein (it's a complete protein), a bunch of other nutrients and it's very tasty! You can also get quinoa flour (haven't used it) and puffed quinoa to eat as cereal (yuck). :)

I cook it a few minutes less than recommended to make sure it's not mushy - I like it to almost have a slight crunch.

I just picked up a big bag at Costco recently - much cheaper than I had been paying at the grocery store.

If you're interested, I have a recipe for a quinoa salad that has become one of our favourite foods around here.

Nicole, I would like that salad recipe.

I think it is not really like rice or couscous. If you over cook rice it is just soft and sticky, but if you over cook quinoa it gets mushy and I have a hard time eating it. I prefer to have that slight crunch to it. It is a stronger flavor than rice, couscous or pasta. With all the fiber and other nutrients it is good to through a little into things you cook. It doesn't increase in volume as much as rice does.

Don't like it. Don't intend to eat it. I eat plenty of red meat so I don't have to worry about it. I suppose it is a good thing to add some protein to your diet if you are vegetarian or vegan.

I went to a luncheon recently, and a green salad was served, all kinds of mixed greens, and sprinkled throughout was quinoa. It was good. I've seen quinoa chips at Trader Joes, and they were ok too.

I eat lots of meat too, but I wanted to increase my protein intake as much as I could, because I had hair falling out. I found some info on the connection and the increase in protein seems to make a difference. In fact my hair seems quite healthy now, although it has not all filled in. I'm still hopeing!

My advice uis to try a small package of the stuff in case you don't like it. We hated it. And we like rice and couscous and other grains. But we did NOT like quinoa in any way. A waste.

I like quinoa, but my family does not. My favorite way to cook it is to first rinse it (important - otherwise it can be bitter), then toast it in a saute pan until it is golden brown and begins to crackle, then just boil it in water with a pinch of salt added. Add a pat of butter and some sugar and it is my favorite breakfast cereal. I love the little "pops" when I chew, which is exactly why DH hates it. Reminds him of caviar, which he also hates and I love.

I so agree with Donna,,,please wash it first, even if it says it's been prewashed. It looks like you've added soap to the water when you do it. Here's the way I do mine:

1 c rinsed quinoa
1 1/2 c water or chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt

Add salt to broth, bring to a boil. Add quinoa, but do not let it become a rolling boil, just simmer boil it for 14 minutes. If not done yet and broth not all absorbed, let cook for another 3 minutes. It's like hayjud said, do not overcook or it's mushy, and that can happen quickly.

I sometimes saute onions, mushrooms, peppers to add to the quinoa when done. Makes a nice side dish.

Shirley

Here's a recipe that the guy on Everyday Exotic made. It looked so darn good, I had to get the recipe.

Orange-Scented Quinoa with Spiced Carrots

1 c quinoa (will yield roughly 2 c cooked)
1 c water
2 medium carrots, diced
1/4 small, sweet white onion, diced
Juice & zest of 1 orange
1/8 t cinnamon
1/8 t cumin
1/8 t curry powder
1/4 t balsamic vinegar
1/2 t honey
Dash of salt
1 T olive oil
1/4 c raisins
Small handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Combine cinnamon, curry powder, cumin, balsamic vinegar, honey, and a small dash of salt in a bowl and whisk together until well combined. Add the diced carrots and stir until well-coated. Allow to sit for a few minutes so that the carrots absorb the flavors of the spices.

Rinse the quinoa very well and cook in 1 c water and about 1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice (if you have any remaining juice, set aside for later) along with a 1" piece of orange peel. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the onion & cilantro and set aside. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is thoroughly heated, add the spiced carrots and cook quickly until carrots just become tender. They should still have plenty of crunchy texture and not be mushy at all.

When quinoas are finished cooking, drain any excess liquid (if any) and remove the orange peel. Add the rest of the orange zest and spiced carrots with their juices. Next, add the diced onion, raisins, and finely chopped cilantro. Mix together until everything is uniformly combined. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. If quinoa seems a bit dry, add any remaining juice. Serve by itself or as a side with some flavourful curried chicken, and enjoy!

Went thru a Greek market, yesterday, after lunch. They had a grain I had not seen, then lo and behold, Giada cooked with it, on Food Network.

Noticed how expensive it was, $9.99 a pound.

Just did a search: FARRO "From a cross-country reading of the culinary winds, it appears that farro, an ancient grain believed to have sustained the Roman legions, has finally made it to the New World. Used in soups, salads and desserts, the little light brown grain is an intriguing alternative to pasta and rice.

Gal made a casserole with it yesterday, with lots of cheeses. She had to cook it first. Looked like oatmeal when she took it out of the pan to mix with the assorments of cheeses.

I love quinoa. It has a good flavor and an interesting consistency. Much better for you than white rice. I also like it alot better than couscous. I've made a quinoa salad that has quinoa, cucumber, basil, tomato tossed together. Really delicious!

I love Quinoa! In a salad or as a rice substitute. I do chicken in the crock pot with tomatoes and serve it over Quinoa with fresh Basil. Yummmmmmmmmmmm!

We make quinoa (is it pronounced "keen-wa"?). I'm never sure....

I roast red and yellow peppers and onion (sometimes zucchini and/or yellow squash, too) (all cut up) in a 425 oven for about 25 minutes with olive oil drizzled and salt/pepper.

I toss it with cooked quinoa, then flavor with red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Add feta...and viola!! SUPER yummy both served hot and cold the next day for left overs :)

I meant to add that I like the red kind even better than the white.