Quiona: The Other Whole Grain

When you think of grains, you probably think things like wheat, oats, barely, corn, etc.  But what about other grains--such as quinoa?

What is quiona, you ask?  Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is a whole grain that has a lot going for it.  For starters, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning that it has all the essential amino acid's needed by the human body and provides 6g of protein per serving.  This makes quinoa a great option for vegetarians and vegans.  Quinoa, since it is a whole grain, also adds fiber to your diet.  Fiber can help make you feel full and can also help reduce cholesterol levels.  Additionally, quinoa is gluten free; so if you suffer from Celiac's disease or prefer not to eat gluten, quinoa is a great choice!

Quinoa is versatile and can be used as a side dish or part of a main dish.  I recently made Quinoa Stuffed Green Peppers and they were delicious.  I can't post the exact recipe I used but there was a very similar one on the back of the box my quinoa came in:

1 cup Traditional Quinoa
2 cups Water
4 large or 6 medium  Green Peppers
1 medium Onion, diced
1/2 lb. fresh Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 - 28 oz can Tomatoes, coarsely diced (reserve juice)
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 - 12 oz jar Mexican Salsa
2 Tbs. Dry Sherry
10 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven to 325° F. Cook traditional quinoa following basic directions (add 1 cup quinoa to 1 1/2 cups boiling water, return to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes). Steam 4 large or 6 medium green peppers until soft but not limp. In a large skillet, saute the onion and mushrooms in butter. Add the diced tomatoes (reserve the juice). Add the crushed garlic and Mexican salsa. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer 10 more minutes. Fold in quinoa. Place peppers in baking dish and fill with quinoa mixture. This will take about half the mixture. Thin remainder with reserved juice and pour around peppers.

Here are the slight differences:  I sauteed my vegetables in olive oil, not butter; I used a can of diced tomatoes in place of the salsa and didn't add sherry.  I also added zucchini to the vegetable mixture and served topped with marinara sauce. Also, add some water to the baking dish so that the peppers don't dry out while baking.  Bake the peppers until the tops are crunchy, about 30 minutes.  

I served them with marinara sauce and they were delicious!