I like trying new things, but sometimes, they just don't work the way they should. Don't throw the quinoa away. Make it as a savory side dish. Cook it and then add tasty things like sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, etc.

I agree about not throwing the quinoa away just because one dish did not turn out. Quinoa is great on its own as a side dish, seasoned with your favorite herbs or other flavors. It's also great tossed into a stew or chili for some added body and a nutty taste. Plus, it's quite healthy.

I make quinoa all the time, just using the directions on the package though I substitute chicken broth for the water. I've only ever used it as a savory dish, but never had a problem with it. I make all kinds of toppings for it...ratatouille, stir fry, another dish that has chicken, avocado and nuts among other things. I've never made it as a breakfast dish, and I've never made a recipe where you cook the quinoa with other ingredients. I cook it separate and then use it as a complement underneath or mixed up with something like I would rice or pasta. Sorry it didn't pan out but please don't give up on quinoa!

Never heard of this quinoa either. I must be living under a rock.

I use quinoa for salads, or as a side dish or as something to put stir-fry on top. I also put it in soups.

Don't give up on it.

Yes, just cook it according to package directions.

Add anything that you'd put in a salad: cherry tomatoes, green onions, peppers, cucumbers, herbs, etc.

It's very good and good for you.

I liked it mixed in with oatmeal but could not eat it as a side dish in a pilaf. Trashed the leftovers.

Before you throw it,, google some recipes. All the salads I have tried have been fabulous. I have to say nothing about your original recipe sounded tempting to me..If you already have oatmeal why would you need more starch? Just my thought on the matter. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!!

I cook with quinoa all the time. Think of it as a more healthful-for-you substitute for rice. It's what you add to it, like rice, that makes the dish. And, like rice, it can be overlooked and turned into a unsavory mush if you're not careful! In fact, now that I think about it, I always cook my quinoa by itself first, and then add it to a dish.

To use it in place of oatmeal for breakfast, cook it by itself, perhaps adding a bit of vanilla, cinnamon and/or nutmeg to the water. I then top ours with almond milk and fruit, either fresh or sautéed a bit first. I've never cooked any fruit or veggies in the water (or broth) with my quinoa. I'm sure that, like you, I wouldn't like the results!

Lynn

I agree with everyone else- don't toss your quinoa! I tend to use it savory- and like a lot of others, cook it like rice before adding other stuff. Quinoa can be even easier than rice to cook too since you can stir it while it's cooking.

A favorite around here is to use it as a stuffing for squash. Cook it on it's own and add some cooked up ground sausage or hamburger or even canned beans (dry kind not green kind), corn, and herbs and seasonings- and stuff winter squash with it. This is also great for stuffing peppers and tomatoes too. Or mixed with asparagus, mushrooms, and fresh tomatoes to stuff summer squash- or stuffing green peppers or tomatoes.

A mexican style flavored quinoa is a great replacement for spanish rice as a side or wrapped into tortillias too. And there's tons of sides and salads that can be made with it. Or as a couscous replacement- anything that uses couscous you can use cooked quinoa instead.

Where did you get the recipe? I am very choosy about whose recipes I use. I used to think that a failed dish was my fault, but I have since learned that many times published recipes are not good, or worse, yet, have errors, and sometimes, were never even tested by anyone at all! Especially in printed cookbooks, some cooks boast about testing every recipes, which means not all of them do. They just need to fill the pages after a while, and not every single recipe will be a favorite, they admit. This kind of shocked me.

My number one choice for a good recipe is a trusted friend. After that, epicurious, where you can read the reviews and see what people did and didn't like about a recipe, and how they may have altered it. I also trust the NY Times recipes. After that, I am pretty choosy. Nothing worse than investing a lot of time and effort into a recipe and being disappointed.

I do want to say, though, that oatmeal is a great breakfast in and of itself. Especially the steel cut/Irish oats. Very healthful for you.

Have you tried the Panera Lentil Quinoa Bowl? It's pretty darn good and hearty. It only has 380 calories and 19g of protein. I had it the other day for an early lunch and it kept me satisfied all day.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will try a savory quinoa again - this time with rinsing before cooking! I think the problem with the recently-tried recipe (Good Housekeeping triple tested at the GH Institute!) was the oatmeal. I hate oatmeal. Really. I hate oatmeal. Except as a cookie. I always think of the Shirley Temple movie where she was living in an orphanage or those Victorian novels in which the female protagonist suffered from chilblains. Gruel. Glooey gruel.

LOL, Java!