How to Cook Quinoa

Now that we know that this little seed is actually a complete gluten free protein,  the one behavior change to make today is to learn how to cook quinoa.

No, it's not exactly like rice.  The proportions are the same, 2 cups of water to 1 cup of quinoa, but there are two tricks to prevent what should be a light and fluffy dish from turning into a bitter mush.

1:  Rinse the quinoa by placing it in a strainer and running it in under cold water and lightly rubbing the seeds.  Take two minutes to this. Even though the box says pre-rinsed, the removal of the seed's natural coating, saponin, also removes the bitter taste.

2:  Toast the quinoa in your saucepan with a drizzle of oil until it is dry.

Proceed with your two cups of water or broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and fluff.




Now that you know how to make quinuoa, here are a few quinoa salad recipes that you can try:
Quinoa with zucchini,  baby greens, and feta
Grilled peaches with quinoa
Quinoa salad with beets
Holiday salad with quinoa