Quinoa: The Underappreciated Superfood

Once upon a time, back when I was a rower on the CU crew team, every member of the team was required to pitch in $40 so we could hire a nutritionist/"life coach". Our team captain insisted that he was awesome; he would teach us how to eat healthy on a college student-friendly budget in order to improve our athletic performance. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the guy turned out to be almost completely useless. He served up a bunch of super expensive "health food" that I'm sure was never intended for human consumption and blathered on and on about his various unsubstantiated food conspiracy theories. He claimed that American corporations are on a mission to make us fat and slowly poison us with non-organic food. Apparently, all bread sold in grocery stores is made from old wheat that will slowly kill you. Your only hope is to buy wheat and grind it into flour yourself to make your own bread. I think he may have even said something about the government injecting cows with hormones to try to control our minds, but after ten minutes or so I tuned him out and started brainstorming ways to get my $40 back.

However, between the $50-for-a-tiny-bag berries that tasted like dog food and the soggy vegetables that I watched him prepare in a rather unhygienic manner, Crazy Hippie Nutritionist did introduce us to one worthwhile food: quinoa. With its mild, slightly nutty flavor and somewhat crunchy texture, quinoa was quite inoffensive compared everything else Crazy Hippie Nutritionist was trying to make us eat. Yet despite its unpretentious flavor and appearance, quinoa comes packed with nutritional benefits. Not only is it an excellent source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, phosphorus, and B vitamins, quinoa is also high in protein. The protein found in quinoa contains all eight of the essential amino acids humans require, making quinoa one of the most complete plant proteins in the world.




Quinoa is native to South America. It was first cultivated by the Incas, and it was a central part of their culture. Quinoa is considered a "pseudocereal" because although it has grain-like characteristics, it comes from a plant related to leafy green vegetables like spinach rather than a grass.


Quinoa is still uncommon in most kitchens in the United States, so finding it can be a little tricky. Any health food store should carry quinoa, but shopping in such locales runs the inherent risk of encountering people like Crazy Hippie Nutritionist. But, don't worry, there's still hope for those of us who find Crazy Hippie Nutritionist distasteful (if not downright frightening)! Many large supermarkets are beginning to carry quinoa, so you can now purchase it while shopping amongst normal people! Look for quinoa either in the "natural foods" section of your favorite grocery store or on the same aisle as rice. Quinoa is a versatile side dish that can be an interesting alternative to other grains like rice and couscous. Here's a basic quinoa recipe to get you started:

Sunflower Seed Quinoa

Yield: 6 servings
Prep/Cook Time: About 20 minutes

Ingredients:

A) 2 cups uncooked quinoa

B) 2 tablespoons oil (I used canola oil)
C) 1/4 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds

D) 2 1/4 cups water

E) salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium pan, combine the quinoa, oil, and sunflower seeds and heat over medium heat. This will toast the quinoa and bring out it's nutty flavor. Keep stirring the quinoa while it's heating to ensure that it's toasted evenly. Once the pan heats up, the quinoa will start to sizzle and pop. Keep stirring for a couple minutes once the popping starts, and let the grains brown a little.

Once the quinoa is nice and toasty, pour in the water and bring the quinoa to a boil.

Cover the pot, and reduce the heat. Allow the quinoa to simmer for eleven minutes, and then remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for five minutes (make sure the lid stays on the entire time).

Once the five minutes are up, stir the quinoa to fluff it up and add however much salt and pepper you want. That's all there is to it!

Quinoa is a fast, easy, and nutritious addition to almost any meal, so it's unfortunate that this tasty pseudograin continues to suffer from a lack of popularity. Give this underappreciated superfood a try the next time you're in the mood for something new, and see for yourself that quinoa is suitable for enjoyment by everyone, not just the Crazy Hippie Nutritionists out there.