Is it a grain? Is it a protein source? Is it both? Yes!
Quinoa is one of the very few plant-based complete proteins. Proteins are responsible for building, maintaining, and healing all of our cells in our bodies, and are composed of chemical compounds called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids that exist. The body itself produces eleven of them, but the remaining nine can only come through food sources. These nine are termed “essential amino acids”, since it is essential that we consume them through our diet. When one food contains all of these nine amino acids, we call it a complete protein, which is most often found in animal products (meat and eggs). We can also obtain amino acids through plant-based foods, but most legumes, grains, and vegetables are incomplete proteins, in that they only contain a portion of the nine essential amino acids. That is why we often have to pair foods (like eating beans and rice, together) to equal a complete protein. When we combine two or more of these plant-based foods together, we can ingest all nine essential amino acids.
Quinoa, an ancient Inca grain-like seed originating from South America, happens to be one of the very rare plant-based protein sources that does contain all nine essential amino acids, and is termed a complete protein all on its own.
Nutritional Information:
One cup of cooked quinoa, at 220 calories, contains approximately 8 grams of protein. It is not as high of an amount of protein that you would find in an animal source, but it also comes with only 3.5 grams of fat. Considered a whole grain, quinoa contains 5 grams of fiber. Additionally, quinoa is considered a rich source (contains at least 20% of the daily recommended value) of several of the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and folate), iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Serving Quinoa:
I appreciate the versatility of quinoa. Similar in look and texture to couscous, you can substitute it in place of rice for most dishes. It can be served warm, or placed in the refrigerator after cooking and used in cold, salad-type dishes for lunch. You can add fruit and cinnamon (and maybe a little almond milk) for a hearty breakfast dish. However, my favorite way to serve quinoa is to cook it, and serve it as a side dish for dinner, spritzed with Braag’s Liquid Aminos (pictured above).
How to Cook Quinoa:
- Rinse 1 cup of quinoa, using a fine-mesh strainer, for at least two minutes under running water (quinoa has a bitter coating, called saponin, that requires a bit of rinsing to get it off).
- Dry and toast the quinoa in a saucepan, over medium heat. Stir continuously while heating, for a few minutes, until all the water is evaporated.
- Add 2 cups of water to the quinoa. Stir and bring to a rolling boil and cover with a lid.
- Reduce heat to lowest setting, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid, and fluff with a fork. It is now ready to serve, or use in another recipe.
- Enjoy!
