Quinoa: The Mother of All Grains

the healthy table

Quinoa: The Mother of All Grains

Quinoa ("keen-wa") is a whole grain that's a complete protein, fiber-rich and chock-full of vitamins and minerals. Use it as you would couscous and rice. Here are two great recipes with quinoa.

Quinoa, Spinach and Walnut Stir-Fry

Always a hit with Health Barn kids, quinoa (“keen-wa”) is a whole grain that’s a complete protein, fiber-rich and chock-full of vitamins and minerals. Substitute couscous if you can’t find quinoa. Toast the walnuts in the oven for 5 minutes, as they impart a lot of flavor to this dish.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup walnut pieces, toasted
½ cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
Basil leaves



Instructions
1. Place quinoa in small bowl, add water to cover, and swish to rinse. Pour into fine mesh strainer and drain well.
2. Heat oil in large skillet. Add quinoa. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add salt and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook over medium-low until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
3. Add spinach and tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until spinach is almost wilted and tomatoes are warmed, about 1 minute. Stir in walnuts and cheese. Garnish with basil leaves. Serves 4.

Recipe courtesy of Health Barn USA, Relish Cooking with kids, April 2008.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 360 calories, 19g fat, 37mg chol, 13g prot., 37g carbs., 6g fiber, 510mg sodium

Shrimp, Sausage and Quinoa Jambalaya

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cups (12 ounces) quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound smoked turkey kielbasa, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 cup spicy V-8 juice
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup grape tomato halves
Instructions
1. Combine 4 cups chicken broth and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet and add kielbasa, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add remaining broth and V-8 juice; bring to simmer. Add shrimp and simmer 5 minutes or until done. Add peas, tomatoes and cooked quinoa and toss. Serves 8.

"Relish the Healthy Table," April 2007.
Tips from the Test Kitchen
Quinoa stands in for rice in this easy Creole dish.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 320 calories, 8g fat, 26g prot., 38g carbs, 5g fiber, 550mg sodium.

Related Stories

If you enjoyed reading this story, Quinoa: The Mother of All Grains, then you might enjoy these other stories.
Share This Story With Others:


Discuss this Article

There are no current discussions for this article. Why not be the first?

discuss this article Post your comments on this article

Recipes

Search for recipes. Enter an ingredient or keyword.

 

My Recipe Box

Sign up to be a Relish Recipe Tester!

Your Email Address:
Full Name:


where to find relish

Relish magazine is distributed monthly through newspapers across the country. If you local paper does not carry Relish, ask them why not?