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"Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights." - Wikipedia
Incorporating Quinoa into our diet is one of the healthy changes I am making. You can replace the rice in most of your recipes with quinoa - but rinse it first to remove the bitterness. My kids love it!
Our favorite quinoa recipe so far is from this lovely site I just found, Iowa Girl Eats. Mr Man could not get enough!
Mini Ham & Cheese Quinoa Cups
Makes 28 mini cups
Adapted from So Very Blessed
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced ham
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 green onions, sliced
salt & pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon mixture to the top of each cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cups are golden brown. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the mini muffin tin.
That's all we had for dinner one night + some fresh fruit and we were all full and satisfied, but we didn't feel heavy. I didn't have parsley, so I used spinach instead.
Have any kid friendly quinoa recipes you'd like to pass on? Please do!
The bitterness is removed by first rinsing the quinoa (in a small small strainer) before cooking it.
ReplyDeleteYou may also want to explain how the quinoa is cooked.
Thanks for posting this! I just bought some because I heard how good it was but I didn't' have a recipe. Quinoa is really expensive, where do you get it for cheap?
ReplyDeleteI buy mine in bulk from WinCo - cheaper that way! =) If you find any good recipes pass them along Katie!
ReplyDelete