Make your quinoa fantastically fluffy and flavorful
Table of Contents
It’s theorized that quinoa has been cultivated for consumption in the southern Americas for over 5000 years, making it an ancient food even referred to by the Inca as “the mother of all grains”. Quinoa has been in mankind’s diet for as long as agriculture has allowed it to be harvested, so significant to the culture of the natives of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile that the emperor would plant the first seed of quinoa in an annual ceremony. That storied history, however, doesn’t stop quinoa from stumping us with its preparation even now!
In modern times, we sometimes still struggle to get the perfect cook for excellent and fluffy quinoa. Undercook it and your quinoa comes out al dente with more of its original graininess than desired. Overcooked it and you’ve got unappealing mush. If the ancients could manage to make delicious quinoa (so delicious that it would turn into such a significant staple food that we’re still eating it to this day!), then so too can we!
Quinoa, when properly cooked, is a fluffy and refreshing texture, light and airy while distinct! Perfectly cooked quinoa makes an excellent medium for the foundation of delicious bowls and keto meals, providing fiber and flavor in every fluffy spoonful! We’ll show you how to make the perfect quinoa every time so you, too, can DEVOUR a truly age-old favorite!
Is Quinoa Healthy?
Quinoa is an excellent source of fiber and protein that fits into the needs of any diet! Keto-friendly and vegan, quinoa adds zinc, magnesium, iron, and other essential minerals to any nutritious meal! Next time you’re considering dinner, try swapping out your rice or pasta with perfectly cooked quinoa! If you’re worried about making breakfast even better for you, swap out rolled oats for delicious quinoa!
What can I Eat with Quinoa?
As the “mother of all grains”, quinoa sounds like it might be more fanciful than it is! There’s no limit to the combinations of dishes quinoa benefits! Almost any grain can be replaced with quinoa in any recipe calling for rice, pasta, or oats! Just try our recipes for quinoa fried rice, quinoa casserole, or even our gluten-free quinoa protein muffins! The better question is “what can’t you eat with quinoa?”!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 3/4 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine
Start by mixing the quinoa and water in a pot.
Simmer
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer to cook the quinoa. Do not remove your cover!
Steam
After cooking, let the quinoa steam off of the heat (still covered) to finish.
Fluff
Remove your cover and fluff up the quinoa with a fork. It’s ready to DEVOUR!
Serve
Serve the fluffy quinoa as a delicious base for your meals.
FAQs & Tips
Quinoa is super easy to make, so it must be super easy to store! A good batch of quinoa can last in your fridge for up to 4 days and, in the meantime, you can reheat your quinoa in the microwave as needed to serve as a fluffy foundation for any food dishes you’ve got planned!
Much like any grain, eating uncooked quinoa could cause digestive issues. However, if you’re not looking for a fluffy and moist base for your meals, you can try puffing your quinoa in a hot pan for 1-2 minutes for a crunchy finish!
The overcooked mash that quinoa turns into can serve as a smooth base for dishes that would otherwise require mashed starches. This can turn these meals keto-friendly! Additionally, you can get all the perks of quinoa by adding it to smoothies – for which overcooked is the way to go!
Serving Suggestions
Quinoa goes with so much, there’s no end in sight to how you can serve it up! From breakfast dishes to superfood lunches, quinoa can serve as the perfect stand-in for any grain! Try it basic, like quinoa and roasted vegetables, or get funky with a roasted acorn squash and quinoa salad! All we’re saying is, if you add quinoa to your meal, you’re gonna have a good time!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1 3/4 cups water
Instructions
- Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a medium-sized pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, still covered, for an additional 10 minutes to steam the quinoa.
- Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork to separate the grains and serve.
- DEVOUR!
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
Leave a Comment