Guest Editor: Stone Soup on Quinoa

I adore cooking, and love to experiment with new ingredients. Or ingredients that aren't old at all... Over the weekend I made the most delicious Parsnip & Celery Soup (died and gone to heaven - it is so freakin' good!) and last night I made a slightly less inspiring Beetroot Risotto with Goat's Cheese and Walnuts. The key thing with cooking is trying new things, being open-minded to new flavours or old flavours you think you hate (still can't eat pumpkin though - deep seated childhood issues!), and - in my opinion, the key to cooking success and the removal of half-arsed attempts and/or giving up - cooking for others.


One of my more recent New-Recipe attempts included as a key ingredient the latest "superfood" (like blueberries, green tea and even chocolate) - quinoa. It was delicious. So I was pleased to see stonesoup make some comments on it.

1. it’s delicious
No matter how ‘good for you’ a food is, I don’t include it in my diet unless it passes the taste test. Puffed quinoa won’t be starring on stonesoup anytime soon but the whole grains definitely make it. Slightly nutty and grainy, they’re something I could keep eating and eating.

2. it has a funny pronunciation
I always feel a tiny bit pretentious when I correct people but apparently it likes to be referred to as ‘keen-wah’.

3. it’s high in protein
A big positive for vegetarians as I’ve learned recently. It’s also pretty good on iron and fibre, which gets the nutritionists excited.

4. it’s gluten free
With my Dad being gluten intolerant, I’m always appreciative of new options to cook for him. He’s pretty keen on the rolled quinoa flakes for breakfast as well.

5. it needs washing before use
I read somewhere that the surface of quinoa contains a chemical called saponin that has a bitter soapy taste. Most commercial quinoa will already be washed and have the saponin removed but it’s a good idea to rinse it just before you use it in case there are residues.

6. it comes in different colours
Just like grapes, quinoa comes in different varieties. The most common is white, but there are also red and black. I’ve only ever come across the white variety.

7. it comes in different forms
Just like corn, it can be puffed or rolled into flakes or you can buy it whole.

8. it looks like a grain but is actually a seed

9. it has an interesting texture
The thing I love about quinoa is it’s texture. Something a little like barley with its chewiness, it also has a light fluffiness akin to well prepared couscous.

10. it’s better if you cook it
One of my first experiment with quinoa I just rinsed it in boiling water, tossed it in dressing and used it in a salad. It was edible but a little weird.

11. you can also eat the leaves
I’m yet to find a souce of fresh quinoa or it’s leaves but if you do apparently the leaves are edible. Something like chard or silverbeet.

12. it’s becoming more readily available
In Australia it’s even available in the ‘health food’ section of our supermarkets. Am sure any health food store worth its lentils would either already stock quinoa or be able to source it for you.

See http://thestonesoup.com/blog/