Quinoa-WOW!

As my fructose malabsorption has given me a food sensitivity to wheat, spelt and kamut, I have been trying to look on it as an opportunity to expand my grain horizons. Quinoa, however, has proved intimidating. Don’t know why really. The local co-op deli usually has some kind of cold quinoa salad that I always end up liking, and my mother has been making tabouli salad with quinoa FOREVER.

Well, last time I was wandering through the health food store I picked up a “brand name” packet of quinoa. I’d always seen it in bulk before with no instructions or guidance. This had the directions of how to cook it on the box and handy-dandy recipe suggestions…..and it just clicked for me!

One cup of quinoa to two cups of water in a pot – cover and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer until all water is gone.

That’s rice.

I can cook rice!!!!

The last two rice dishes I’ve done now – a spicy Spanish Rice thing and rice & chili, I substituted half the rice with quinoa. Just put them in the pot together and cooked them together with salt and pepper and butter in the water.

Came out a DREAM! My sweetie liked it too! YAY!!

If you eat rice, try quinoa – just throw some in with your rice. It cooks at the exact same rate, in the exact same way.

Happy, happy,

AVT