Keen-what??

"Quinoa."

"Keen – what??"

Repeat.

Most people have not heard of the whole grain, quinoa, pronounced “keen wah.”  And the above is basically how that conversation goes.  Attempting to spell it doesn’t really help much either.  People look at me like I am speaking kung fu. 

Some people are more health savvy and this is old hat, especially Pacific North Westerners.  I’ve yet to meet someone here who has not heard of quinoa; although in all fairness, most of the quinoa we get in the US is grown west of the Rockies; it was only really introduced to North America in the early 1980s.  However for many of us, this glorious grain is still quite new to our palates.  

Just 4 years ago, I had never heard of it and now, we make it practically every week; it's one of the darlings of my kitchen.

Now that I think back, the first time I had ever heard of this legendary whole grain goes a little like this: 

I was visiting family on Long Island, NY.  I was with my grandma…who by the way is quite the catch… a salsa dancer, lover of red wine, cycles centuries, beautiful…she likes to go on bike rides and jogs with her kids and grandkids so we can eat her dust. I’m not lying, ask any one of us.  And she does indeed have rocking calves, which you can’t help but notice while choking on pebbles and dodging the pavement she is kicking up… Ok, I’m with my hot grandma, with two of her wonderful friends, out on a boat on a gorgeous summer day in Massapequa; her friends have a friend who was visiting from Florida… He was a super neat guy who left Wallstreet to pursue his passions of being a cycling instructor and a chef in a Latin Fusion restaurant in Miami.  I remember asking him what his favorite thing to cook was (because for some reason, I always ask people what their favorite things are… why do I do this??)  He says, “Quinoa.”  I say: “keen – what??”  And repeat.  I had never heard of this food this guy was talking about. In fact, I wasn’t even convinced it existed.  I smiled like wow… and thought this dude is making this up.  Or he lives on the edge eating this fancy food that probably no one else has heard of.  This was only 2007.  (My, I’ve come a long way.)

History

Native to Peru, quinoa has been around for thousands of years.  It’s an ancient grain, held sacred and cherished first by the Incan Indians; it was their “mother grain," affectionately known as “chisaya mama.”   For the record, it’s actually a seed, but it makes all our lives easier just to call it a grain since we use it like one, so let’s go with it.

I am always fascinated by foods that are strong and durable, able to grow in any conditions.  Quinoa is like that; it can grow in poor soil, high altitudes, cold air and in the heat of the sun.  Energetically, I believe that imparts a similar strength to us, making it an even richer food source then just its nutrient offering.  It’s drying and warming, which is another reason I can see why it’s a beloved grain of North Westerners during our cold, rainy seasons.

Here’s what it looks like growing… beautiful isn't it?

Photo via

Here's what it looks like uncooked

Photo via

And, here's what it looks like cooked; it fluffs up 3x its size and shoots out these little curlicues

Photo via

Where can I buy it?

Definitely natural markets, however, most grocery stores are carrying it these days.  I find it’s much cheaper and fresher in the bulk bins so always look for it there.  You may even run across black or red quinoa.  Those are just as nutritious and have a slightly different flavor.  Go crazy.

How do I store it?

Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.  It will keep for up to 3-6 months.  I keep mine in a mason jar in my pantry.  Actually, there is a picture of my exact mason jar filled with quinoa on the top left, the "home" jar.

Here are several reasons to meet quinoa and make it a part of your weekly menu or appreciate it all the more if you already eat it:

·         It’s convenient --- in 15 minutes, you have a tasty and healthful whole grain ready to go

·         It’s a complete protein containing all essential amino acids; no other grain can tout that profile

·         It’s especially high in lysine, an essential amino acid that helps with tissue growth and repair

·         It's a budget-friendly way to make a balanced meal with a vegetarian protein source

·         It’s also a good protein to prepare in advance and pack for backpacking and camping trips

·         It’s also high in iron and calcium (two seriously lacking nutrients in the American diet), as  well as B vitamins and other nutrients

·         It’s easy to digest

·         It’s an excellent addition to an anti-inflammatory diet

·         It’s gluten-free and should especially be a staple in the diets of those who can’t have  wheat gluten or who are celiacs

·      It's very versatile and can be used in savory or sweet dishes

·         It has a fabulous taste and distinct texture

How do I cook it?  

Oh, glad you asked.  A simple recipe is below, which you’ll soon commit to memory… and then you’ll be making it like a pro in no time! 

P.s. 

It’s a good habit to rinse the quinoa before cooking in case there are any bitter saponins left on it.

I’ll post more quinoa recipes in the future, but for now, I wanted to get the basic recipe out.  Be creative with it and use it however you like.  Feel free to drop a comment and share what’s your favorite way to have quinoa.  (See, here I go wanting to know your favorites. I can’t help myself.)

Simple Quinoa

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This ancient Incan grain is a must-have in every home pantry. It’s gluten-free, easy to digest, a complete protein, has a fabulous texture and delightfully nutty, earthy flavor. You can cook it in water, stock or any other infused liquid of your choice.  This versatile grain is ready to go in 20 minutes and serves well by itself as a side, in soups, salads, casseroles, under stir fries, eggs, you name it.

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Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yields 3 cups

1 cup quinoa

1¾ cup liquid

½ teaspoon sea salt

If you’d like a nuttier flavor, you can dry toast the quinoa in a skillet over medium-high heat.  It will turn golden, begin to pop a little and give off a nutty smell in about 3 minutes or so.  Shake the pan around to make sure it doesn’t burn.  You can skip this step if you’d like.

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.  As with any grain, do not stir.  To check if the quinoa is ready, tip the pot to the side. If all liquid is gone, it’s ready.  Remove from the heat and remove the lid.  Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and salt to taste.  Serve and enjoy!

Copyright 2010, S. Nester, Original recipe

Millet - it's not just for the birds

My aunt lives in Orlando, Florida and for Christmas, she mailed me some oranges picked right off the tree in her back yard. I was nothing short of ecstatic to get them. For one, I am obsessed with getting snail mail and two, I love food gifts. Inside the box was a sweet handwritten note tucked inside; it wished us a Merry Christmas and sent her love, after she called out that the oranges were pesticide free. Sweet. And seriously, these oranges were blissfully divine tasting; sweet, juicy and you just can't eat them without making noises.


These perfect oranges made their way into our Christmas morning breakfast.

On the menu: orange millet pancakes with maple orange syrup, scrambled eggs with basil and feta, a side of blueberries and French pressed coffee. Sadly, this was the first Christmas for my husband and me to be away from our families, which makes me think this is probably the first time I've ever made breakfast on Christmas.

 

Okay, so I have a slight infatuation with whole grains. I feel they are terribly underappreciated, especially millet. There are many studies that show eating whole grains instead of refined grains will lower the risk of chronic diseases. Amazing... and worth several more posts alone to cover the amazingness.
When I mention millet, people have heard of it, but they often crinkle their faces, tip their heads side ways and say, “Isn’t that bird feed?” Why, yes. Yes it is, but it’s human feed, too.

MILLET

Millet is sweet, mild and fluffy. It’s a fantastic GLUTEN-FREE whole grain that earns its rightful place in the pantry. It’s highly nutritive being rich in iron, protein, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and is a fabulous source of soluble fiber. Millet is cooling and very alkaline making it easy on the gut; being easy to digest makes it a major bonus for those with GI issues. I love that it’s a super inexpensive, budget friendly grain, about $1.29 / lb from the bulk bins. It’s been around for literally a few thousands years and was the staple grain until wheat farming came into the picture. It was commonly used in breads back in the Old Testament days as well. (Ezekial 4:9 & 27:17)

Keep in mind that millet doesn't rise like other flours so works well as cereal or used in flat breads or paired up with whole wheat pastry flour for example.

Also, if you have some arthritic pain, you can make a warm poultice with millet porridge.
Combine millet with water in a small pot and heat until warm; put mixture in a cheese cloth or piece of cotton or flannel fabric and apply to the affected area (not scolding hot of course). Millet has anti-inflammatory properties and stimulates circulation around the painful area.
Make a whole grain baby cereal.

When baby is ready for solid foods (after 6-8 months), toast ¼ cup of millet in a dry skillet and grind in a spice grinder into a flour; add ¼ cup of flour to 1 cup of water and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. If the cereal consistency is too thick, add a little more water or breast milk.

***Note that the freshly ground flour goes rancid pretty quickly so store it whole in an air tight container and ground it as you need it.

You can eat it in your pancakes, feed it to the birds, rub it on your body and make a nutritious cereal for your baby. Are you not sold yet?

Ok, here’s a good place to start…
Orange Millet Pancakes
Pancake batter
1 1/3 cup plus ¼ cup whole millet
2 tablespoons sucanat or rapadura
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons safflower oil

Syrup
1 ½ cup 100% pure maple syrup
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice with pulp


Ground 1 1/3 cup of millet in a grain mill or spice grinder until it's a fine powder. Over medium-high heat, dry toast the remaining ¼ cup of millet in a skillet for about 5 minutes, or until the millet begins to pop and gives off a toasty aroma. Next, quickly pulse the sugar in the spice grinder to make the sugar finer but not into a powder.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Add vanilla, milk, zest and stir to combine. Using a whisk, stir in the oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl and whisk until combined well. Finally, whisk in the ¼ cup of toasted millet.

Heat a cast iron pan or griddle over medium heat and allow to get very hot. Place a little bit of safflower oil (or other high heat oil) in the pan and scoop ¼ cup of batter into skillet. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, once pancake batter begins to bubble and when it turns golden brown. Repeat until batter is used up, but be sure to stir the batter and scoop from the bottom each time as the millet will settle.

Meanwhile, over medium-low heat, combine the maple syrup and orange juice to gently warm it. Drizzle over pancakes and garnish with an orange slice.


Preparation time: 35 minutes
Makes about 10 5 inch pancakes

Copyright 2010, S. Nester, Original Recipe