Do you eat quinoa?

[maslex]

If so, what's it like? A rice? Pasta? Mix of both? Neither?

I found a recipe that I'd like to try (garlic mushroom quinoa). I also don't even know where to look for it in the stores. (pasta aisle)?

 

[Southernmiss]

If so, what's it like? A rice? Pasta? Mix of both? Neither?

I found a recipe that I'd like to try (garlic mushroom quinoa). I also don't even know where to look for it in the stores. (pasta aisle)?

It's a grain more similar to rice than pasta. Has a nutty flavor and texture to me. But not really either rice or pasta. Found with the rices in our store. I love it. Dh not so much.

 

[klacey1]

I do eat quinoa. I find it just okay, though, honestly and just eat it because I know it's healthy.
I've made a quinoa mac and cheese that was decent-- although due to the number of eggs in the dish, tasted more like a custard/quiche than true mac and cheese.

 

[ronandannette]

I don't think that either rice or pasta is a good comparison to quinoa. It is a small, round grain that is much lighter than rice. When cooked properly it is soft with just a little bit of "bite" and very fluffy. I believe it's gluten-free so there isn't really much starchiness to it. Mild in flavour, it takes on whatever it's cooked or served with. I love it as a cold dish (sort of a salad I guess) tossed with cooked vegetables and salad dressing. I actually eat quite a lot of it whenever I'm in a low-carb phase; it's pretty satisfying.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Closest to cous cous...but it isn't.

I find the flavor nutty and though it isn't crunchy, I can't think of another word to describe the texture.

I enjoy it. Haven't gotten my family on board.

 

[Cindy B]

It reminds me of couscous if that helps.

We are in the land of grocery stores -- so quinoa can be in different aisles.

Some stores it is in the vegan/gluten free aisle, sometimes the rice aisle (but in the specialty area near the risotto, jasmine and rice blends)

Some places it is in bulk bins

 

[kimmar067]

....technically, quinoa is more of a seed....we love it here, especially since my DH has Celiac's Disease. I mix it with brown rice. Or, you can chill it and mix it into a tossed salad (I usually mix mine into my oriental salad, made with dried cranberries, grilled and sliced chicken breast, slivered almonds, and mandarin orange segments)...

 

[mombrontrent]

We eat it here quite a lot. I buy it in big bag at Costco. You also buy it there mixed with other grains. The one I have know has millet, red quinoa and some other grains. It is as easy to cook as rice, I actually cook mine in the rice cooker quite often.

We eat it as hot cereal in the a.m., in cold salads, as a side dish, in soups ect. It is very versatile.

 

[kimmar067]

We eat it here quite a lot. I buy it in big bag at Costco. You also buy it there mixed with other grains. The one I have know has millet, red quinoa and some other grains. It is as easy to cook as rice, I actually cook mine in the rice cooker quite often.

We eat it as hot cereal in the a.m., in cold salads, as a side dish, in soups ect. It is very versatile.

....yes it is...

 

[mamacatnv]

We eat it a lot - hard to describe, the person who said it is like a soft seed is probably the closest I can compare in texture. I too buy the big bag at Costco, just remember to rinse as it has a bitterness that if not rinsed stays with it.

I like it with a bit of butter and sea salt

I also buy it in rice mixes at Trader Joes or the grocery store, it adds a nice texture component to some of the firmer chewier rices

It has a high protein content which makes it a better choice than just a plain rice

 

[LJSquishy]

I love quinoa! I eat it as I would rice, and it also makes an awesome breakfast cereal. I cook it with almond milk and cinnamon...super healthy hot cereal.

 

[jsal318]

It reminds me of very small barley.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

All the above re: taste/texture.

Just an FYI. You need to rinse it and rinse it for a while. Mix/change the water at least once. Make sure to mix with something not just let it sit.

DO NOT SKIP ON THE RINSE: Quinoa is coated in a natural compound that can make your quinoa taste bitter if you fail to wash it off first. No one wants bitter quinoa – yuck!

 

[diznygirl]

We tried adding it to our diet, but our son had a reaction to it. He's allergic to tree nuts and seeds. So, FYI.

 

[kimmar067]

I love quinoa! I eat it as I would rice, and it also makes an awesome breakfast cereal. I cook it with almond milk and cinnamon...super healthy hot cereal.

....oh, we do that too, but I add a little bit of maple syrup to mine.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

We usually think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually the seed of a plant that is a goosefoot found in the Andes , its scientific name Chenopodium quinoa reflects, is related to beets, chard and spinach.

If you have reactions to those food families, I would avoid it.

Most important as I stated is rinsing. It has a weird coating that many have reactions to. (mostly digestive).

 

[LBIJim]

Nope. Tried it once; didn't care for it.

But the reason I don't buy it because the cost of it has skyrocketed in Bolivia and Peru since it became trendy in North America and Europe. Many Andes people can no longer afford this vital staple.

 

[Cupcakey78]

I make a cold salad out of it. I make it plain with chicken broth and then just add a bunch of veggies. Tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, radish. Whatever I have in the fridge. I also add a bunch of freshly chopped parsley and dress it with good olive oil and red wine or champagne vinegar or lemon juice.

 

[tvguy]

A lot of the health nuts I work with swear by it.

It has a lot of good stuff in it. The bad thing, it has twice as many carbohydrates in it as rice (109 vs 49). My Doctor already has put rice off limits because of carbs, so not a good option for me.

 

[JanaDee]

No, we don't. We tried it once and none of us liked it, so the rest got thrown away.