Quinoa can be substituted for rice.
Quinoa is native to South America. Although, it may have a nutty flavor, it is actually a seed from the chard family. It is high in protein and iron. Quinoa is ideal for people diagnosed with celiac disease, a gluten allergy, because it's gluten free. It is most recognizable in its off white seed-like form. However, quinoa flour, flakes, and pasta have been growing in popularity. They can be added to salads, soups or used as breakfast cereal.
Traditional Quinoa
The traditional form of quinoa found in the health foods sections of your grocery store can be added to soups as a substitute for rice. It may also replace pilaf in recipes. To make quinoa you must first rinse it off two or three times in cold water. This will remove some of the bitterness often associated with quinoa. Add it to boiling water along with olive oil and salt. Let it cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. You can serve it as a side dish or add it to other recipes.
Quinoa Flour
Quinoa can be ground into flour and used in bread, cookie and pastry recipes. However, quinoa flour is coarser than wheat flour. Also, since quinoa lacks gluten you will want to add an additional egg or water to bind the ingredients in your recipe. Recipes using quinoa flour will need to be cooked on a lower temperature for a shorter amount of time. It will take multiple tries to find the right balance of time and temperature for your baked goods, but keep trying.
Quinoa Flakes
Cover your chicken or pork with quinoa flakes instead of flour or bread crumbs. You can add hot water to a bowl of flakes to make a hot quinoa cereal. Use fruit to sweeten your hot cereal. The flakes are typically made from quinoa that has been rinsed and boiled to remove the bitter taste associated with the shell of the quinoa. However, it will retain its slightly nutty taste.
Quinoa Pasta
Quinoa flour is made with a blend of ground quinoa and corn flour. This pasta is not only gluten free, but wheat free as well. Quinoa pasta can be added to boiling water with olive oil. However, quinoa pasta cooks faster than traditional pasta. Keep an eye on the pasta to avoid overcooking.
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