I just love Quinoa (Keen wah) and my husband Kevin does too. We eat it often. Tonight we had it with red sauce instead of pasta. Quinoa is an ancient grain from Andes and is becoming more popular in North America. Not just because it tastes so good but also because it is one of the higher protein grains. It reminds me of couscous in shape and color but the grain is a bit larger.
When we eat protein our body breaks them down into amino acids. We need 20 amino acids, 9 of which are essential. Essential means we have to get these proteins from food and our body makes the rest of them most of the time.
Quinoa is packed full of protein containing 10 amino acids and 8 of them are essential.
Protein is needed not just for our muscles but for every cell in our body. Many people think they need to eat lots of protein or take in extra protein through supplements or protein shakes to build muscles. However, this is a misconception. To build our muscles they need physical activity plus good nutrition, not just protein. If we take in more protein than our bodies need we just eliminate it and this can make the kidneys work harder than they need too. Protein needs for most healthy people is 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weighed 140 lbs you would need 51 grams of protein per day.
1 cup uncooked quinoa has 22 grams of protein.
1/3 cup is one serving of a carbohydrate and about 80 calories
Rinse the Quinoa in a strainer to remove the coating of saponins.
Boil 1 1/4 cup water and add 1 cup Quinoa. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
In a sauce pan
2Tbsp Olive Oil
1 small onion
garlic cloves as many as you like
2 to 3 Portobello mushrooms sliced in long strips
1 Red Pepper sliced
1 Green Pepper sliced
Toss with your favorite red sauce.
I like to add Nutritional Yeast Flakes on top in place of grated cheese for a little extra B12.
Quinoa comes in red and black but white is the most common.
It makes a great breakfast alternative too. Just add some fruit and honey or maple syrup.
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