One day last year as I was chatting and catching up with my friend Rachel Ferguson, she mentioned that she was vegan. I told her the problem I had with being vegetarian (oh-so-many-years-ago) was that I could not seem to get enough protein. She told me about Quinoa. It has a relatively high portion of protien for a grain. The next time I was in the supermarket, I noticed a box of it in the asile with rice,so I bought it it try it out.
I made Toasted Quinoa Salad with Scallops & Snow Peas from the EatingWell.com website last week. I quite liked it. I liked the fact that the warm quinoa half-cooked the snow peas and red pepper. It gave an interesting warm salad texture. I also used wine vinegar instead of rice vinegar and it worked more than fine. I am sure you can substitute chicken, turkey, tofu or any fish for the scallops and it would be just as good.
I think it will become part of my standard menu portfolio.
Quinoa is the supergrain of the future. We’re gluten-free over here, so I use it in tabbouleh. YUM. Much better than wheat.
I use leftover Quinoa in bread that I make using the bread machine.In fact, I use almost any leftovers in the bread, just ask your parents. Not going to eat that potato? Consider it mine! You’ll enjoy it in your breakfast bread tomorrow.
In the following recipe for Light Oat Bread – I substitute cooked Quinoa for the 1/2 cup of oatmeal that is called for in the following recipe: http://tinyurl.com/46v5efh
I cook Quinoa in chicken or beef broth sometimes, add a bit of ham and brocolli and imagine that I’m having chicken fried rice, without the chicken or the rice. It is yummy. P loves it. B hates it. My kids are messy so it gets all over the floor. I have to let it dry overnight before I sweep up in the morning. Otherwise, the little bally Quinoa bits get stuck to my broom.