Quinoa

phizzimum

I'm glad I'm not the only one with quinoa lurking in the cupboard!

I've putting a handful into the pan whenever I cook rice and no-one in the family
has noticed yet. The other day I put quite a lot in a risotto as I was cooking for a vegetarian friend and thought the extra protein might be useful. It took longer to cook but tasted fine.

Gillian McKeith has a lot to answer for!

spaghetti_monster

Thanks to her I've also got some seaweed to deal with as well!
But this I quite liked so I think a miso soup might be on the menu this week!

galenvanbrok

I had a pack of holland and Barratt quinoa in the cupboard for months before finally giving in one day. I boiled it up and then added vegetable stock powder and a hand full of whitworth dried vegetables. It was delicious. Spot of soy sauce also.

I ran out this weekend, couldnt find any in Tescos, was so gutted.

Gingham_Ribbon

I love quinoa. My husband is reluctant but he likes this one:

Fried onion and garlic, chopped cauldron tofu sausages, mushrooms, veg, passata and add quinoa to the mix at the end, boiled till fairly soft. Grate parmasan over. We use the cauldron sausages that are quite peppery. They seem to give the sauce a lot of flavour without needing to add much. Maybe some fresh herbs at the end. Also good put in oven to toast off with some mozzarella on top.

I always boil it on its own, never cook it in with a stew, but usually add it to the sauce rather than use it like rice.

I don't like hemp seeds so I'll pass on that one, but they may be nice sprouted?

Mrs_Bear

Red quinoa seeds need to be dry fried before boiling them, otherwise they do take ages to get ready. White quinoa seems OK just boiled. Once I have my boiled quinoa, I add it to salad - chopped celery, some nuts, raw veg - spring onions, raw sweetcorn kernels, some oil ( ginger infused oil I bought in a chinese supermarket was very nice) and some soy sauce. I have scattered over some feta cheese as well, before now.

I don't really like the healthy options very often (can't stand brown rice, for example!) but this can be very tasty! I just put in whatever I can find that is raw and cut it into small bits. Even out and out junk food loving friends will eat it.

Ria

I read somewhere that hemp seeds should be ground otherwise they pass straight through you without a much benefit. I use a coffee grinder to fine grind seeds to a powder then mix a tablespoon or so with yoghurt for breakfast. The powder can also be added to casseroles or used in baking.

Macnab

I like quinoa too, was introduced to it in Peru as its one of their staples in the peruvian diet, very high in protien. However it does look a bit like (and if you're squeamish don't read this next bit) thread worms once its cooked properly. Ok you can look again now. I sneak it into soups but the family look at it a tad worried. I also use it as a rice/cous cous substitute, ground as a breadcrumb substitute to cover chicken fillets, fish etc. Carol Vorderman has some good recipes for it in her detox book.

Never tried hemp seeds sorry!

Btw bought my quinoa from country food products online

spaghetti_monster

Thanks for all the ideas! The sausage/passata sauce sounds great, the salad too!
Wasn't aware there was more than one type of quinoa, but I think I have the white stuff.....
Now I think I'll try grinding the hemp seeds and adding them to my porridge mix.

Thanks!
Alex

otterspasm

Hi there,
I'm trying some new foods but don't know how to cook them! I'm hoping someone out there has some ideas/recipe suggestions for me...thanks a bunch!

x x x

Dr.Lou

I normally our over some vegetable stock (instead of the required amount of water) to give it more flavour and add chopped pepper, courgette, cucumber, tomato and onion.