How to make quinoa

I get asked this question a lot and it makes me smile because quinoa is a wonderful food. It’s so beneficial to our health. Quinoa (pronounced /keen-wa/) is a complete protein which is very rare in foods that are not meat. Many people assume it is a grain but it’s actually a seed from a flowering plant. When cooked, it’s a delicious staple to many meals including salads, side dishes, dinners and even breakfast with some fresh fruit and agave or 100% pure maple syrup.

Here are my tips on preparing quinoa:

•Always rinse quinoa before you cook it. I use a strainer and rinse the quinoa under warm water. This washes the dustiness off of the quinoa.
•Always use a 2:1 ratio when preparing quinoa. (Ex.: 2 cups of water, 1 cup of quinoa)
•I always use a pot to cook quinoa because it plumps up and expands a lot.
•Boil the water and once it has come up to boil, dump in the rinsed quinoa. Be careful not to splash yourself!
•Stir the quinoa and put a lid on the pot. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let it cook for around 15 minutes. I like to use a clear lid so I check on the quinoa without opening it and letting the steam out.
•When the quinoa is done cooking, it should look plump and you should see little white strands that have come out of the seed. Use a fork to stir it up. It’s kind of like rice or couscous- there should be no liquid remaining in the pot and it should not be sticky.
•I prefer to make a big batch of quinoa every week to last me all week so I can throw it in salads, etc.

You can make quinoa dishes sweet or savory! Add walnuts or almonds with agave nectar and berries to make a filling breakfast! :) It’s a great food that is very nutritious and filling!

Enjoy!