Quinoa: Not just for keeners

You won't find many kitchens that stock it. You may not find many folk who can pronounce it. (For the record, it's keen-WAH.)

But I predict you'll soon be seeing more and more of this grain-like goodie. And not just because of its pleasant, nutty flavour or fluffy texture.

Long a staple in the Andes, quinoa is gaining recognition as a smart choice, nutritionally speaking. Indeed, in their recent book, Lieberman and O'Connor identified it as one of "The 10 things you need to eat".

High in minerals, high in fibre, high in protein (complete protein at that).  Low in fat.  All in all, a great scorecard.

Heck, NASA's even researching quinoa's potential for use in long-distance space missions. How can you go wrong?

Sarah's quinoa  

Ingredients

• 2 cups veggie broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• white wine
• cooking sherry
• olive oil (cold-pressed is best)
• parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring broth to boil in medium pot. Add quinoa, simmering (covered) for 12 minutes. Then, extinguish heat and let rest (covered) for 15 minutes.
2. Simultaneously, saute onions in oiled saucepan. Add wine and sherry as needed to keep onions from sticking. Add garlic after about 15 minutes.
3. Add quinoa to onions and garlic. Stir. 
4. Serve hot, with olive oil, ground pepper and freshly grated parmesan. 

But, you might be asking, is this a snack?

Well, for us it is. The dish is certainly tasty enough to enjoy on its own. And Fred, never one to get hung up on presentation, will keep a bowlful in the fridge, spooning some up whenever he so feels.

For the most part, though, quinoa would be considered a sidedish, as you would serve brown rice or couscous, alongside a main course. It goes great with vegetables and, of course, white wine.