First of all, let’s get the pronounciation straight:  “KEEN-wah.” I won’t bother to go into detail how I pronounced it when I first discovered this wonderful super food several years ago at DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine here in the Market. Back then, it was relatively new to the American market, but as more people have found out about its health and nutrition benefits, it’s become more popular. It’s easy to see why.

Grain of the gods. Mother of all grains. Supergrain of the future. All of these terms have been used to herald this grain that actually is not a grain, since it is technically not a grass. It’s actually the seed of the Chenopodium plant, a relative to Swiss chard and spinach. The food world, though, refers to it as a grain since it’s cooked like a grain.       

It was a staple in the diet of ancient Incas, and it’s been cultivated in high-altitude regions of the Andes Mountains of South America for more than 6,000 years. Bolivia is a large exporter of quinoa, but now a variety called “sea level quinoa” can be grown in the U.S. and Canada.

Quinoa was thought by the ancient Incas to extend life, thanks to its high protein content (11 grams per ½ cup), which is higher than any grain. It’s also a complete protein, containing all eight essential amino acids. It’s high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. Plus, it’s a terrific source of potassium, magnesium and iron. Another big plus is it’s gluten-free, perfect for those who have such dietary restrictions.

Quinoa cooks like rice and other grains. Use 1-3/4 cups water for one cup of quinoa. Before cooking, rinse the quinoa in cold water until water is clear. After bringing water to a boil, add quinoa and then lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed water and looks like it’s “popped” open with little curlicues. Fluff with a fork to make sure all water’s been absorbed.

With a mildly nutty taste, much like couscous, quinoa is excellent in salads, pilafs, soups, stews, or as a side dish in place of potatoes or rice. That’s one of the things I love about quinoa—it’s so versatile. A hearty stew of quinoa and kidney beans is a tasty winter comfort food.

Quinoa is also ideal for one-dish dinners.  I’m a big fan of one-dish meals when I cook, and my family can vouch for this, having eaten my colorful Southwestern black bean salad with quinoa many a time. It has everything you need for a delicious meal, and it makes great leftovers. “Day Four” is a running joke at my house.

After you cook the quinoa, set it aside to cool. In a salad bowl, add cooked and rinsed black beans, roasted red peppers cut into small strips, and cooked corn. Also add chopped cilantro. Add the quinoa and mix. For the dressing, start with two tablespoons of lime juice combined with two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add 3 cloves of garlic and a pinch of cayenne to dressing. You can adjust the amount of dressing to your desired quantity of salad. 

Tinker with the quantities of the ingredients to create a salad that matches the desired amount you want. You can add more of a certain ingredient if you want the salad to have more of that taste, such as roasted red peppers.
 
Highfalutin recipe-following? Naw. Highly nutritious and delicious improv?  Yes.

At the Pike Place Market, you can find quinoa at both El Mercado Latino and DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine. In addition to the golden quinoa, DeLaurenti also sells red quinoa. The produce stands have cilantro. Purchase black beans and roasted red peppers at El Mercado Latino. Olive oil is available at a number of Market businesses.

If you’re looking for ready-to-eat quinoa in salads, head to Michou, on Pike Place north of Stewart Street. Get a to-go box for lunch or dinner, or get a larger amount for parties. They feature quinoa salads on a regular basis. The red quinoa salad with lime juice and mandarin oranges is especially sublime (okay, couldn’t help myself on that one).   

If they gave Academy Awards for Favorite Foods, I’d definitely need to nominate quinoa. It richly deserves all the accolades it’s received. 

- Scott Davies