Cooking quinoa with kids is fun and easy. Use as a main dish and add vegetables. It's the perfect high-protein, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free superfood!
I love quinoa. It’s easy to prepare, super high in protein and vitamins, and is great for a main dish.
I lugged some quinoa with us to Buenos Aires for a high-protein staple, although I’m finding that it’s readily available in most supermarkets and special health food stores here, called Dieteticas.
Quinoa is a grain with edible seeds from the Andean region of South America. It has been cultivated there for more than 6,000 years by the native peoples, and the Incas considered it sacred. The word quinoa comes from the Quecha language kinwa.
Quinoa is considered a super food. It’s a complete protein, something rare in the plant kingdom, making it ideal for vegetarians or vegans. Its protein content is around 12-18 percent, and it’s high in essential amino acids. Containing lots of iron, phosphorus, and dietary fiber, quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest. No wonder it was such an important nutritional food for the ancient peoples, second only to the potato.
Try quinoa in your kitchen to cook with your kids. It’s important that kids have the skills to prepare basic foods for their health and to save money. Cooking at home adds prana to your food, provides meaning and a relationship to your food. It’s also a great way to connect to your children and spend quality time. You can use quinoa as an entrée with vegetables, or put it in soups and salads that call for whole grains. It’s easy to prepare.
MAKING QUINOA: Add two cups of water and one cup of quinoa to a pan and put on high heat. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cover. Cook for 12 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all the water. Remove from heat, fluff, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 4 cups.
I throw in veggies to cook with the quinoa – parsley, green onions, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, anything you wish.
RECIPE FOR QUINOA TABOULE
2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
1 cup chopped parsley
½ cup chopped scallions
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 garlic clove, minced and pressed
1 Tbs. minced fresh basil
½ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp white pepper.
Bring together all ingredients. Chill for one hour or more to allow flavors to blend. Makes 6 servings.
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