Showing posts with label quinoa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quinoa. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Sprouted Quinoa The Mother Grain
I fell in love with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) the first time I ever tried it in Ecuador. Its a staple food of the Quechua, the indigenous people of the South American Andes. The ancient Incas called quinoa the "mother grain" and revered it as sacred.Technically, quinoa isnt a grain at all, but the seed of the Goosefoot plant. Grain. Seed. Whatever. I just love its delicate, slightly nutty flavor and the fact that its gluten-free. Its also considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. Grains like barley, wheat, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa.
The seeds cook very quickly and always provided a nice, fluffy texture to my stews and soups. The thought of giving up my beloved little grain when I transitioned to a raw foods diet made me very sad. That is, until I discovered that quinoa seeds can be sprouted and eaten as raw, live food in salads and wraps. Turns out, it sprouts almost as quickly as it cooks. Well, not quite, but in 8-12 hours you have little baby quinoa sprouts. Hallelujah for the living mother grain!
For easy directions on sprouting quinoa, check out these Sprouting Instructions from the Sproutpeople®. And, from the basic to fancy schmancy, check out this assortment of sprouting kits.
Heres a couple of my favorite ways of enjoying quinoa in the raw.
Marinated Quinoa Salad3 C sprouted quinoa
1/4 C olive oil
1 Tbsp tamari
juice of one lemon
juice of 1/2 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful of fresh mint, rough chopped
10 grape tomatoes, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cucumber, chopped
1/2 C red bell pepper, chopped
handful of goji berries
Marinate sprouted quinoa for 20 minutes in olive oil, tamari, citrus juices and garlic. Add mint, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, goji berries and toss. Serve on a bed of red and green leaf lettuce.
Quinoa Raisin Cookies
yields two dozen
1 C quinoa, soaked overnight and rinsed well
1 C almond meal **
1/2 C local raw honey or agave nectar
1 C raisins, soaked
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
Place quinoa, almond meal, honey, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and process until dough-like. Transfer dough to a large bowl and hand mix in the raisins.
Using a spoon for scooping, place small dollops on a dehydrator tray lined with a Teflex sheet. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to gently flatten. Tip: Wipe the bottom of the glass between cookies to prevent sticking.
Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 4 hours. Remove the Teflex sheet. Dehydrate another 4 hours. Climate, temperature and humidity all affect dehydrating time. The cookies should be crispy on the outside and still moist inside.
**Almond meal is raw, whole almonds that have been finely ground. I like Trader Joes brand and you cant beat the price.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Kalyns Kitchen Picks Tru Roots Organic Quinoa from Costco and 25 Healthy Recipes Using Quinoa
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| This 4-pound bag of quinoa is a real bargain at my Costco, and I've become a quinoa fan! |
How do you feel about Quinoa? First of all, it's pronounced keen-wah, just in case you're not that familiar with this little seed that's cooked like rice and eaten as a grain. Quinoa has become increasingly popular over the last few years, partly because it's high in protein and gluten-free and partly because it's tasty and can be used in a variety of ways.
I confess, I was a little slow to embrace Quinoa, and it was only when my Costco started carrying this huge bag of True Roots Organic Quinoa and I suddenly had 4 pounds of quinoa in the freezer that I started experimenting with it regularly. Since then I've come to love quinoa as a side dish or the base for a salad, and I've gone through several of these big bags since I first bought one. When I bought another one recently (for $9.99; what a bargain!) I decided it was time to add this product to my list of Kalyn's Kitchen Picks, where I spotlight things I love and happily buy over and over. If I've convinced you to try quinoa, or just to eat it more often, keep reading to see some of my personal favorite recipes using it, plus more quinoa recipes from my food blogging friends.
Click to continue readingSunday, March 8, 2015
Vegan Curried Quinoa With Fresh English Peas
| Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK ! |
Did you Plant your Peas?
The growing season in Northern California always catches me by surprise. One minute its really cold and the next minute its hot and Ill be walking down the street noticing my neighbors 3 foot tall peas growing next to their 2 foot chard! And every year I wonder why I waited so long to start my garden. Well I did it again but luckily I found some beautiful English peas in the grocery store.
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| Peas are so perfect - so beautiful! |
Frozen vs. Fresh
Without a doubt, frozen peas are more convenient, less expensive and nutritionally equal. After all, they are frozen at the peak of their goodness. But theres just something about shucking peas thats calming and it certainly connects you to nature more than ripping the top off a plastic bag full of frozen peas. They are really fun to grow, especially when you have kids. They grow so quickly, its almost like magic!
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| 1 cup of raw peas provides: 117 calories 8 g protein 7 g dietary fiber 0 saturated fat and cholesterol 97% RDA vitamin C 45% RDA vitamin K 30% RDA manganese 26% RDA thiamin 24% RDA folate 22% RDA vitamin A |
Try them Raw!
Raw peas, whether they are fresh or frozen, make a good base to thicken raw soups. And eating them raw preserves their high vitamin C content. Try Raw Vegan Split Pea Soup or blend them with other vegetables as in Creamy Raw Vegan Zucchini Soup with Crushed Pistachios.
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| Peas are used to thicken this raw creamy zucchini soup with crushed pistachios |
Vegan Curried Quinoa with Fresh English Peas
[4 servings]
1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, (1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping tablespoon sweet curry
1 teaspoon hot curry, or to taste
2 cups veggie broth (can use vegan bouillon cube and water)
1 pound fresh English peas, shucked (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
Soak quinoa for 15 minutes. Drain in a fine strainer and rinse in cold water for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat and sauté onions for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute.
Add quinoa, sweet and hot curry and stir until well coated.
Add broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook covered on a high simmer for 5 minutes.
Place fresh peas on top of simmering quinoa in a single layer but dont stir in. Cook another 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
Remove from heat and let sit covered for another 5 minutes.
Stir in fresh cilantro. Salt to taste and serve immediately.
Per serving: 256.8 calories, 6.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9.4 g protein, 41.0 g carbohydrates and 6.4 g dietary fiber.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Millet Brown Rice And Quinoa Excellent Gluten Free Alternatives To Wheat But How Do They Compare Nutritionally
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| Millet, rice and quinoa are wonderful alternatives for those avoiding wheat. Which one is best? Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest. Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen. |
Gluten Free Eating
Many people today avoid wheat and other grains that contain gluten. About 1% of Americans have celiac disease and many more suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity. For these people, eating even the slightest amount of gluten can have severe consequences. Others may give up gluten temporarily during a cleanse or food-elimation diet just to see if they feel better. Luckily, there are other wonderful grains (and seeds) available to choose from, making gluten-free eating easier than its ever been. Here are three easy-to-find alternatives and how they stack up nutritionally.
MILLET
Millet is a grass seed, grown mostly in Asia and Africa. Although it is a staple in these countries and has been grown for 10,000 years in East Asia, it has not been a significant crop in the U.S. In fact, the type of millet grown in the U.S. is sold mostly as bird seed. But lately, millet has been popping up on more and more menus as well as food blogs, perhaps driven by the demand for gluten-free cuisine. I must admit, I had never cooked with it before last week so I was excited to try it.
The first way I prepared it was as a whole-grain side dish. It has a delicious, nutty flavor.
To prepare, mix one cup of dry millet with 2 1/2 cups of water or broth in a 2-quart saucepan with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of Earth Balance buttery spread. Many of the recipes Ive seen use only 2 cups of water but I found that to be too dry.
Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, at a low simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for another 10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and its ready to serve.
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| Millet |
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| Fluff up the cooked millet with a fork and serve. |
One cup of dry millet yields about 3 1/2 cups of cooked millet.
I used some of the cooked millet in a delicious kale bowl that I will blog later this week. But I had a bunch left over. So the next morning, I put the leftover millet in a small saucepan with almond milk, cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, and some sweetener and cooked it until it turned into a wonderful porridge. With these seasonings, it had the taste and texture of rice pudding and made a delicious breakfast.
If you want to make this from scratch, and not from leftovers, try this:
If you want to make this from scratch, and not from leftovers, try this:
Creamy Millet
[makes 2 servings]
1/2 cup millet
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup almond milk plus some for topping
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon Earth Balance buttery spread
Sweetener to taste (optional)
2 teaspoons cold pressed flax oil
Combine millet, water, 1 cup of almond milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, raisins, and Earth Balance in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes. After that, start stirring occasionally and cook, covered, until it reaches the desired porridge-like consistency, another 10 minutes. Add additional milk if it gets too dry or cook uncovered if it is too wet.
Stir in some sweetener to taste (a packet of stevia or xylitol) if desired.
Divide into two bowls. Top each bowl with a touch of almond milk and a teaspoon of flax oil and serve.
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| Creamy millet breakfast porridge |
Nutrition in Millet
1 cup of cooked millet has 207 calories
Fats
1.7 g total fat
0.3 g saturated, 0.3 monosaturated, and 0.9 polyunsaturated
48.7 mg omega-3 fatty acids, 835 mg omega-6 fatty acids
0 mg cholesterol
Carbohydrates
41.2 g total carbs
2.3 g dietary fiber
0.2 g sugar
Protein
6.1 g protein
Not a complete protein - low in lysine
Vitamins/Minerals
Source of B vitamins - thiamin and niacin
Source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper
* * *
RICE
Rice is the go-to grain for most people on a gluten-free diet. Its cheap, easy to find, and most of us have eaten it all of our lives. I love the nutty flavor of brown rice and feel much better about eating the more wholesome version of this grain. I must confess, however, I have a weakness for white jasmine or basmati when Im in a hurry or Im craving a lighter and creamier texture.
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| Brown rice |
Nutrition in Brown Rice
1 cup of cooked, long grain brown rice has 216 calories
Fats
1.8 g total fat
0.4 g saturated, 0.6 g monosaturated, and 0.6 g polyunsaturated
27.3 mg omega-3 and 603 mg omega-6 fatty acids
0 mg cholesterol
Carbohydrates
44.8 g total carbs
3.5 g dietary fiber
0.7 g sugar
Protein
5 g protein
Not a complete protein - low in lysine but not as low as millet
Vitamins/Minerals
Source of B vitamins - niacin, B6, and thiamin
Source of manganese, selenium, magnesium, and phosphorus
Nutrition in White Rice
1 cup of long grain, enriched, white rice has 205 calories
Fats
0.4 g total fat
0.1 g saturated fat, 0.1 monosaturated fat, and 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat
20.5 mg omega-3 and 98 mg omega-6 fatty acids
0 mg cholesterol
Carbohydrates
44.5 g total carbs
0.6 g dietary fiber (compared to 3.5 g in brown rice)
0.1 g sugar
Protein
4.2 g protein (compared to 5 g in brown rice)
Not a complete protein - low in lysine but not as low as millet
Try my recipe for Brown Rice Sushi with Roasted Eggplant, Peppers, and Shiitake Mushrooms.
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| Brown rice sushi |
* * *
QUINOA (Pronounced, "keen-wah")
Quinoa is a cereal grain (its actually a seed) native to South American, that has become extremely popular in U.S. cuisine. It is pretty easy to find and prepare. It comes in white, black, red, or a combination rainbow.
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| Quinoa |
If you buy "pre-rinsed" quinoa, you can skip the rinsing step. But if you dont, its important to place the quinoa in a small mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for a few minutes to remove the soapy tasting saponins on the outer coating.
Stir a cup of rinsed quinoa into 2 cups of salted, boiling water or broth. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes and serve.
1 cup of dry quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked quinoa.
Quinoa - A Nutritional Superstar
Quinoa has some advantages over rice and millet. It contains more protein and the protein is "complete protein" with the proper balance of all essential amino acids. It also contains the most dietary fiber.
Nutrition in Quinoa
1 cup of cooked quinoa has 222 calories.
Fats
3.6 g total fat
0.4 g saturated fat, 0.9 g monosaturated fat, and 2 g polyunsaturated fat
183 mg omega-3 and 1771 mg omega-6 fatty acids
0 mg cholesterol
Carbohydrates
39.4 g total carbs
5.2 g dietary fiber
0 g sugar
Protein
8.1 g protein complete protein
Vitamins/Minerals
Source of B vitamins - folate, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6
Source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron, and zinc
Try my recipe for Garden Tomatoes Stuffed with Quinoa and Sweet Corn.
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| Quinoa makes a great stuffing |
Although quinoa comes out ahead in certain categories, its always good to mix it up and eat different grains to get the maximum nutritional benefits.
For more recipes and nutritional information, download my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen, available on Amazon and iTunes.
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