The Best Way to Cook Quinoa
+ Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Quinoa and Herbs
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When quinoa had its first trendy moment (2010-2013-ish?) I admit, I avoided it.
First of all, what was with the illogical pronunciation (keen-wah)? That felt awkward. I know, it was touted as a super food. You’d think as a totally earthy-crunchy girl I would welcome quinoa with open arms. After all, I wrote a vegetarian cookbook, and it was full of grains and vegetables. (I should note that it was also loaded with butter, eggs, cheese and cream and all the stuff that makes life worth living. It may have been a vegetarian cookbook, but by God, it was not health food!)
Now that I’m older and wiser, I eat less of “the good stuff” and more and more vegetables and healthy grains. But back then, my family would not brook all vegetables all the time, so I’d become an equal opportunity cook. I did insist on serving up plates of whole-wheat pasta with a mess o’ veggies from time to time, but there was quite a lot of roast chicken on my table along with the tofu. But quinoa? No.
My early resistance began when I wanted to learn what all the fuss was about so I ordered a quinoa salad at a restaurant. The quinoa had the misfortune of being presented on a plain white plate in a neat little cylinder. Like an annoying car alarm, it screamed ‘Empty tuna can! Empty tuna can!’ I tried to make it stop, but I couldn’t.
The quinoa was embellished with a micro amount of (wilted) micro greens and a murky streak of something dark brown, presumably the champagne vinaigrette that was in the menu description, but it really resembled balsamic vinegar. That didn’t help.
We were getting off to a bad start, quinoa and I. But I was very, very hungry, so I took a bite. It was, to my surprise, quite tasty. But I simply could not get past the beige cylinder. Beige does not get the juices flowing.
Back home, I resolved to do better. Where did it come from? I’m on familiar ground with French or Italian, but South America? I’d been to Ecuador once, but nothing jumped out at me. Thinking about a Latin American twist gave me ideas like squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, chili powder, limes, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. That was just a starting point. The salad in the restaurant had candied pecans. Lots more to contemplate, like contrasting tastes and textures: salty goat cheese or creamy feta, all kinds of beans for added protein, crunchy toasted things like pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and a little sweet/tart punch from pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries. You can take it from there and create your own combinations. If you’re stumped, though, you can start with this recipe.
The Best Way to Cook Quinoa (IMHO)
Quinoa, it turns out, is a seed, not a grain, from an annual flowering plant in the amaranth family, most closely related to spinach. In case you didn’t know already, its cultivation originated in the Andes region of South America, but it is now grown throughout the world. Short cooking time, mineral-rich content, and protein value (8 grams per cooked cup) makes it an interesting alternative to other grains. Quinoa is also gluten-free, another reason for its popularity.
The seeds are covered with saponin, a soapy, bitter substance that must be rinsed away before cooking. Because it is a seed, quinoa absorbs water differently than other grains. To make it fluffy, cook it uncovered at a low simmer. Once it’s tender and no water remains in the bottom of the pot, cover it and let it steam with the lid on to finish absorbing any excess the water. Some water evaporates while cooking with the pot uncovered, so the cooked quinoa does not get soggy or clumpy.
Tips and Tweaks
• Leftover cooked quinoa stored in an airtight container will last up to five days in the refrigerator and two months in the freezer.
• Reheat leftovers in the microwave to serve with an array of roasted vegetables.
• Pretend it’s oatmeal and slurp it for breakfast with milk or plant-based milk, honey, raisins, the works.
• Add cooked quinoa to soup instead of rice or pasta
• Stir spinach or other soft greens into hot quinoa and toss it with your favorite vinaigrette for a quick lunch. Leftover chicken or tofu are also invited. A soft-boiled egg would be welcome too.
• Stir in an array of dressings like lemon vinaigrette, pesto, soy sauce with sesame oil, or tahini to flavor the quinoa. It will absorb the dressing flavors best if the quinoa is hot.
This recipe for sweet potatoes and quinoa is a blueprint open to improvisation. We’re on the cusp of spring (yay equinox!) but the temps are still downright bone-chilling around here. I don’t mind turning on the oven for this ‘salad’, which I’m happy to eat warm. I’ll chill it when the weather cooperates .
How do you feel about quinoa? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Never heard of it? Can't find it? Tell all--inquiring minds want to know!
Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Quinoa and Herbs
Serves 4 | Prep time: 15 minutes |Cook time: 30 minutes
