Figuring out how to cook quinoa, which is used as a grain much like barley, is easy once you figure out what it is. Like barley, it's best to soak quinoa overnight in water , which will soften it and remove saponins, a phytochemical that makes it bitter. A good quinoa recipe can make the difference between seccuess and disaster, no matter how your main dish tastes. Here's my favorite recipe:
You will need the following ingredients:
- One cup of quinoa
- One and a half cups of chicken broth
- A bunch of flat leaf parsley
- A bunch of snipped chives
- A tbsp of sweet butter and sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Boil the quinoa in the broth for about twenty minutes till the stock is absorbed. Then place the quinoa in a bowl. Chop and set aside about half a cup of the parsley. Puree the rest of the parsley with one cup of water, then placed in a cheesecloth over a small bowl. Ring the liquid from the puree and discard the solids. Add the chives, butter, parsley juice and chopped parsley to the quinoa, mix well and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Quinoa is a highly nutritious food , and is considered a complete protein. It's also rich in fiber, carbohydrates, the B vitamins, zinc, Vitamin E, iron, and magnesium. As it's a good breakfast food , a good drink to go with it would be tea or milk. It's often served with fruit or in pilafs, with vegetables and spices. Tomatoes and zucchini are my personal favorites!