quintessential quinoa... Around two years ago, a South American grain caught my eye. It had a funky to say name of quinoa. It seems everyone I know that has actually heard of the grain, has a slightly different way of pronouncing it. But I was very pleased to get acquainted and make quinoa a pantry staple. Here's a fun fact on this nutty, delicious grain... it is actually a complete protein source. It is also gluten-free. When I feel like changing it up a bit, I just use it in place of rice or couscous. You cook it just like you would rice... 2 cups of water (or I use stock or bouillon) to 1 cup of quinoa. Simmer on low for 15-18 minutes.
image on right courtesy of www.incaorganics.com
One day I'd like to be able to grow and mill my own wheat, but until then, how cool is it that you can grow your own quinoa? I was flipping through Botanical Interests catalog when I came across their seed package for Quinoa Brightest Brilliant. The plumes resemble that of an astilbe. Come late summer-fall, you can harvest the grains when the seed heads start to fall off easily. Shake the heads into a bag or bucket. Dry completely and then store in a sealed container. Be sure to remove the bitter seed coating called saponin, prior to cooking. It should come off relatively easy when you are rinsing the grains.
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