Quinoa (pronounced KEE-no-ah) is the “it” food of the decade. Resembling grains like rice or couscous, quinoa is actually the seed of a plant in the goosefoot family, which also includes spinach, chard, and beets. Quinoa has been a staple of the Andes cultures for thousands of years, but only recently caught on in the U.S. as demand for gluten-free and vegan products have risen. Considered a superfood for its high protein content, dietary fiber, and calcium, as well as magnesium and iron, quinoa is often substituted for meat. The seed has been praised by NASA and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, which declared 2013 the Year of Quinoa.
But the “lost crop” of the Incas is not without controversy. As demand for quinoa has grown, tripling prices in the past six years, fewer people who grow it can afford it. In places like Bolivia, the world’s top producing country, this is leading to an increase in consumption of cheap but nutritionally empty foods like refined wheat products, raising concerns of malnutrition.
However you feel about the golden seed, quinoa is likely to be in a restaurant or grocery store near you for a long time to come. We asked two local eateries, Red Truck and Uncommon Kitchen, for their favorite quinoa recipes so you can discover for yourself what all the fuss is about.
UNCOMMON KITCHEN’S QUINOA TABOULEH
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups quinoa
2 ¼ cups water
½ tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
½ cup mint sprigs, large chop
1 carrot, grated
½ cup green onions, sliced thin
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
1 tomato, seeded, diced
Citrus Vinaigrette
1 cup mixed juices: 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 orange, more as needed
2 tsp cumin, ground, toasted
½ tsp garlic, chopped
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp sesame oil
Juice lemon, limes, and oranges, enough for 1 cup. Mash garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle. Combine all ingredients.
Directions:
Combine quinoa, water, salt, and oil in a pot. Heat to boiling and cover, reduce heat to medium, simmer 25 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and chill. When cool, toss with remaining ingredients. Serve with the citrus vinaigrette, alone or as a side dish with grilled fish or kabobs. Serves four.
RED TRUCK’S CURRIED QUINOA SALAD
Ingredients:
6 cups quinoa,
cooked and cooled
1 cup grapes, cut in half
2 stalks celery, medium dice
½ red onion, small dice
1 cucumber peeled, small dice
1 cup cherries, pitted
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup mint leaves, ruff chop
Vinaigrette
1 shallot, chopped
¼ cup champagne vinegar
2 tbsp yellow curry (homemade is always better)
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)
½ cup olive oil
Directions:
Add first five ingredients for the vinaigrette to a blender and blend at medium high, adding oil slowly. Season with salt and pepper. Mix with salad.
