This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Do you know about Quinoa?
Have you ever cooked with it, or even heard of it? The stuff is popping up all the place these days! I see it in my grocery store deli case made into a beautiful salads, I read about it online and MyHandsomeHusband keeps putting it in all kinds of things.
Because the man can not live on Cinnamon Roll Cake alone.
And neither can his wife.
Quinoa is pronounced “Keen-wah”. It is considered a whole grain but is actually a seed that grows in a plant similar to spinach. Not only is it packed with vitamins and nutrients, but also provides the full spectrum of nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein. It has a texture similar to brown rice, but is light and fluffy with a bit of a nutty flavor. You can cook Quinoa in about 10-15 minutes, which is much less than the time it takes to cook brown rice. It can be used in salads, to thicken soups, as a side dish or as a replacement for rice.
“Why would I make this instead of rice?” you are thinking.
“Why is Jamie Cooks It Up using ingredients I’ve never heard of!?!?!?! My kids will never eat this. For. The. Love.”
Hang in there with me. I’ve got all kinds of family friendly food waiting in the wings here for you. And who knows, maybe your kiddos will like Quinoa. You never know. Stranger things have happened.
Quinoa can be purchased in most grocery stores, but is a little bit expensive. It’s most budget friendly if purchased at Costco. This 4 pound bag of Quinoa costs around $10.
I have a wonderful salad recipe using Quinoa that I plan to post tomorrow. But for today, let me show you just how easy this little protein packed grain can be to cook.
1. Pour 1 1/2 C quinoa into a medium sized sauce pan.
Thanks so much for dropping by today. Look for a yummy salad recipe using Quinoa tomorrow. Have a great day, everyone!
Great suggestion. there are a ton of healthy food websites out there. Why don't we just let them be and just stick to the yummy “real” foods we've come to know and expect from you?Just sayin'?
Hi Donna,
Thanks for your suggestion. I am always interested in what my readers want to see. Have a good one!
~Jamie
I love that you are sharing new and great things! You have an amazing talent of making difficult things look easy and yummy-thank you!!!
Yay! I bought some about 6 months ago but then didn't know what to do with it. Looking forward to some recipes for it.
We just started using Quinoa about 6 months ago–we love it. In fact, I just tried homemade chili and added quinoa to it last night. Turned out great! I'm excited to try the recipes you have using it. We love trying new grains and such that are not the ordinary things we use.
I have wanted to try quinoa and just never really known much about it. I love your recipes and your blog and I am excited to see what you come up with using it!! Because of what “we've come to expect from you”, I'm sure it will be fantastic! Thanks!! – Katie
I'm not a health nut, but I do like to feed my family nutritious food, so I am happy for you to teach us how to cook with quinoa. I also bought a bag a few months ago and have never opened it. So, maybe this will give me the courage to actually do something with it!!
I've been eating this all week mixed with some black beans, corn and cilantro. It saves really well, and makes one tasty and easy to warm up lunch! It's also great cold. Can't wait to see what you've got!
I am excited about this! My 11 month old is allergic to wheat and dairy and is getting a little burned out with rice and oatmeal. Can't wait to try this with him!
We love quinoa! I use it to bulk up pretty much anything that I used to use rice in. We also found an awesome recipe for Coconut & Quinoa cookies…they are a hot item at our house!
can you share that cookie recipe! sounds yummy and nutritious!
Jamie, i love quinoa. I sometimes eat it for breakfast with brown sugar and peaches. I cook mine in my rice cooker using the white rice instructions. It turns out perfect every time.