Quinoa is not as well-known as other grains. It is a native of the Andes in South America, and it isn’t even really a grain! It is considered a pseudo grain, a member of the same plant family as spinach and Swiss chard. Pseudo grains are similar in nutrition and culinary use to true grains.
Quinoa is a very diverse plant, making it adaptable to a wide range of cultivation environments. It grows best, though, in cooler high-altitude environments. A major crop in the time of the Incas and an important food for poor communities up to the present century, quinoa is now mainly produced by small farmers and growing associations in Peru and Bolivia. The UN declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa to celebrate recognition of its potential to improve worldwide health.
Quinoa is a tall plant; it can become up to nine feet (almost 3 meters) tall! The seeds of quinoa come in a variety of colors, including white, red, and black. Since the seeds mature at different rates, harvesting is done by hand, a labor-intensive process. Mechanized harvesting of quinoa is difficult. During processing before packaging, quinoa seeds are rinsed to remove the bitter-tasting saponincoating that protects the plant from insect pests.
Quinoa is one of few plant foods that provides complete protein. It offers all nine essential amino acids. It is rich in antioxidants and helps you feel fuller for a longer time. Quinoa also has a very high ratio of protein to carbohydrate in its germ; protein is about sixty percent of the germ in quinoa, while only about three percent in wheat. And quinoa is gluten-free, a boon for people with celiac disease.
Quinoa seeds are generally washed in a sieve before being boiled. Each cup of raw quinoa seeds will turn into about 3 cups when boiled for 12-15 minutes. Cooked quinoa is chewy, and has a slightly nutty flavor. It is often used as the base for both warm and cold salads, and is common in Latin American recipes.
