Quinoa, what are you supposed to do with it?

[PeterL]

I cooked some and added it to my oatmeal. It dosen't taste good at all. Are you supposed to do anything to it besides cooking it in water or chicken stock?

[lexpatti]

I've been doing a lot with quinoa recently. I made a nice pilaf once with sauteed vegies, raisins, almonds. I just bought the red inca yesterday and after it cooked mixed with sauteed mushrooms and red onions and then made calzones with shredded motz cheese. I've been wanting to do a quinoa stuffed portobello, or stuffed pepper or stuffed zuchinni - next! I love it as a cold salad, mixed with whatever with a lemon/lime citrus dressing.

I'm also going to sprouts some - but after I eat all the alfalfa ones - bet they'll be great in a sandwich.

[LPhila]

How did you cook it? When first trying to make it, I read two methods--rice style, by adding just a little water and cooking until that was all absorbed, and pasta style, where you dump it into a big pot of water and then drain it when it's done. I like it WAY better when made the pasta way. It comes out much fluffier, whereas with the other method it was kind of gummy. Just a thought. I find it to be delicious with anything you might put it in a cold bulghur wheat or couscous salad. I like olive oil, parsley, chopped tomotoes, feta and pine nuts for example. I've never had it in a sweet or breakfast style preparation, but I could see it working.

[ediecooks]

I make a salad with it, olive oil, S/P, fresh parseley, corn and red peppers cut up. keep it in the fridge and eat as a side with lunch and dinner.

[Val]

Yes, a salad is what I've always done with it...can't imagine adding it to oats, quite redundant! Peter, keep at it ... quinoa is great!

[xavi1979]

i have recently been using it in place of rice. very nutty and delicious, and very high in protein! cooking it in stock instead of water adds wonderful flavor.

[pikawicca]

There are, perhaps, a million quinoa recipes on the web. Try one using it as a salad base.

[nemo]

You may not have rinsed it enough to get rid of the bitter saponins. Here's a discussion on rinsing and cooking.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5195...

Use it like a grain -- as a salad base, in stuffed cabbage, in soups, as a side with butter and herbs. Although, it's not really a grain, is it? I think it's a seed.

[PeterL]

OK I missed the rinsing part. Will try again.

[globalgourmand]

Mmm, I love quinoa. I think of it like whole-grain caviar.

I agree on the washing. Rinse, rinse, rinse!

A favorite dish I made was a quinoa-grapefruit salad. Let me see if I can remember... Cooked quinoa, segmented ruby red grapefruit, chopped dried apricot, diced candied ginger, toasted hazelnut, sprouted lentils, macadamia nut oil, pepper, an herbal salt blend with lavender.... I think that was it.... I can't remember. I only remember it being SO delicious!!

Also, made a petite pea and toasted almond pilaf once. Use stock.

Made quinoa and diced veg. patties once. Just mix with an egg. They get toasty crisp and golden, its pretty nice.

I imagine it'd make good use for tabouleh. Aha! My dinner idea for tonight!

nemo, yes it is a seed. Offering protein, fiber, and amino acids among many other vitamins and minerals.

I like ediecooks' idea. Yummy!