You may or may not have heard of a whole grain called Quinoa. It is getting popular these days, so much so that you can find it at Costco and at most grocery stores. It’s a remarkable grain that is technically a “complete protein.” It’s extremely versatile and can be enjoyed eaten cold or warm, as a salad or instead of pasta. And it doesn’t take long to cook.

However, as with most great things, there is a slight catch. Quinoa comes from the Andes and has been a staple grain there for a good long time. With its increasing popularity in the US and other countries an increased demand for this product has put pressure on the people who grow it and has messed with their buying and selling prices such that the people whose lives have depended on this grain for centuries are no longer able to afford it.

You can read more about it on-line through this informative National Geographic Geography in the News: Quinoa link.

Qunioa is one of those food topics where I get to “wear two hats,” so they say. As a nutritionist and whole food proponent I support and encourage the consumption of quinoa for its nutritional benefits, flavor and cooking ease. But I also have a strong regard for the livelihood of people in other countries affected by your eating habits/choices, and from this perspective I encourage people to make informed decisions about their quinoa purchases and consider purchasing it locally or from other countries (besides Bolivia and Peru) whenever possible.

Never burn your quinoa again! For those of you who are going to keep cooking and eating quinoa, may I suggest a more or less fool proof way to prepare it? 

A while back I discovered that if you bring your quinoa to a rapid boil (it’s a 2:1 ratio of water:quinoa) for a minute or so and then put a tight fitting lid on it and turn the heat off you can come back to it in about 20 minutes and it will be perfectly cooked and fluffy.  Occasionally, if your ratio is off a bit or you don’t leave it long enough, the quinoa can be a bit soggy/damp at the end of the 20 minutes. But this, to me, is a small price to pay for not having to worry about burning my quinoa! Usually it’s not too damp and the quinoa will soak the remaining liquid up if you give it some time.