Secret Grains

Shhhhhhhhhhh...... I've got a secret. Well maybe not much of one, but fun and delicious nonetheless. You know how there has been a recent proliferation of "gourmet" and "specialty" grains like millet, flax, hominy, sorghum, tapioca, brown rice, red rice, red wheat, &c? All of these grains were staples of different peoples past. Quinoa is such a grain that has recently captured my attention, both because it is supremely good for the human body and also because it is universally and flexibly tasty. It is protein-rich, gluten-free, chock-full of nutrients, and has the taste and texture of a cross between oats, orzo, and arborio rice: nutty, but fresh and clean, and rich without being heavy. It tastes like something grown. Moreover, it is cheap, sold dried in bulk, and easy to prepare.

Here's the secret equation:
1 part quinoa
2 parts water
5-7 mins covered in a microwave
=
delicious.
Mix with anything. I'm trying a quinoa-based risotto next!

If you get raw, unmilled quinoa, you might have to go through a few extra steps of preparation to remove the outer shell of mildly toxic saponins, and the leaves contain oxalic acid, the same poisonous substance in rhubarb leaves, but it is these chemicals that make it naturally pest-resistant. So if that means we work a little, so what? I'll happily carry on knowing that we will be enjoying this food (and benefitting mightily from it) for some time to come. (See Wikipedia for more info.)