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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
140+ gluten-free recipes for adding quinoa to every meal and snack Touted as "the gold of the Incas", quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) has many health benefits. It is high in both protein and fiber, gluten-free, and has been known to help those with cardiovascular health problems, as well as people who suffer from migraine headaches. Research also shows that the nutritional composition of quinoa is important in fighting breast cancer, especially in post-menopausal women. It is a great gluten alternative, and provides complete protein in vegetarian or vegan dishes. Not only does it have all of these phenomenal health qualities, quinoa is also delicious and extremely versatile! Quinoa can be made into a breakfast porridge, stuffed into a wrap for lunch, combined with vegetables for a hearty salad, rolled with spices and breadcrumbs to make a delicious burger, and added to an assortment of cakes and breads for an extra protein punch. Cooking with Quinoa for Dummies shows you how you can easily incorporate quinoa into each and every one of your meals and snacks. * Offers over 140 gluten-free recipes for incorporating quinoa into breakfasts, lunches, snacks, dinners, and desserts * Explains the health benefits and disease-fighting power of this superfood * Provides the 4-1-1 on how quinoa can help you lose those unwanted pounds * Includes a 16 page color insert with beautiful photos of gluten-free quinoa-packed meals Cooking with Quinoa For Dummies shows you how to use this hot new superfood in all your favourite dishes!
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Seitenzahl: 439
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012
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Cooking with Quinoa For Dummies®
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Table of Contents
For Canadians For Dummies®
by Cheryl Forberg, RD
Cooking with Quinoa For Dummies®
Published byJohn Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.6045 Freemont Blvd.Mississauga, ON L5R 4J3www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this book, including interior design, cover design, and icons, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd., 6045 Freemont Blvd., Mississauga, ON L5R 4J3, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. For authorization to photocopy items for corporate, personal, or educational use, please contact in writing The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For more information, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free, 1-800-893-5777.
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data
Forberg, Cheryl Cooking with quinoa for dummies / Cheryl Forberg.
Includes index. ISBN: 978-1-118-44780-2
1. Cooking (Quinoa). 2. Cookbooks. I. Title.
TX809.Q55F67 2013 641.6’31 C2012-906672-9
Printed in the United States
1 2 3 4 5 RRD 17 16 15 14 13
About the Author
Cheryl Forberg, RD, is a James Beard award-winning chef, a New York Times bestselling author, and the nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser. In 2011, she was named one of America’s 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness.
Cheryl received her culinary education at the California Culinary Academy (CCA) in San Francisco. After graduating from the CCA, she embarked on a European apprenticeship journey, which culminated in stints at top French restaurants from Champagne to Strasbourg. Upon returning to the United States, Ms. Forberg was chosen for the opening team of Postrio, Wolfgang Puck’s first venture in northern California.
Cheryl’s passionate interest in healthy cooking led to an exodus from restaurant kitchens and an entrée to some of the most prestigious households in America. During this period, she held the coveted position of Private Chef for Lucasfilm, Ltd., in northern California. She went on to earn a degree in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics and an RD (registered dietitian) credential from the University of California at Berkeley. As a former research dietitian at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, she had the opportunity to integrate her scientific background into recipe creation for a variety of dietary protocols. This distinctive skill set enabled her to extend her culinary expertise beyond celebrated restaurant kitchens into the creation of inspired recipes that are also healthful. She has developed a clear and concise recipe format, easily understood by novice students.
In 2004, Cheryl was selected as the nutritionist for the NBC hit show, The Biggest Loser, where her role was to help overweight contestants transform their bodies, health, and ultimately, their lives. She co-wrote the eating plan for the show and has shared cooking and nutrition tips with the contestants for 13 seasons. Additionally, Cheryl has written or contributed to all of the books in the New York Times bestselling Biggest Loser series, including The Biggest Loser: 6 Weeks to a Healthier You, which was named Best Diabetes Diet and ranked second as Best Weight Loss Diet by US News and World Report.
Along with her contributions to the Biggest Loser book series, Cheryl has authored or co-authored other books, including Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You; the James Beard Award-winning New Mayo Clinic Cookbook; and her most recent work, Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes. Cheryl’s writing and recipes have appeared in mainstream culinary and health publications, including Sunset, Health, and Prevention magazines as well as the Washington Post. She is a blogger for the Huffington Post and a columnist for The Saturday Evening Post. She lives in Napa, California, with her boyfriend, nine chickens, and one dog.
Dedication
To Mom: For your love, support, encouragement — and for always being there.
Author’s Acknowledgments
I have been a great fan and advocate of quinoa for many years, using it in many recipes and convincing friends, colleagues, and clients to try it, but, as I found out over the course of writing this book, I still had a great deal to learn about the whole grain super food. And all books are the result of countless and often overlooked collaborators and friends who contribute valuable insights, share their expertise, and simply lend their support and enthusiasm.
Of course, this book would not have been possible without the tireless and thorough work of the whole Wiley team, starting with acquisitions editor Anam Ahmed, who first called me to discuss writing about quinoa and developing new recipes. Tracy Barr, my editor, provided valuable feedback all along the way and brought a preternatural eye for detail while never losing sight of the big picture. As well, recipe tester Emily Nolan and technical reviewer (and dear friend) Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, made certain that everything in this book was precise and accurate. Finally, thanks to Wiley publicist Erika Zupko and marketing manager Denise Koch for ensuring that the wonders of cooking with quinoa reach as many people as possible.
I am indebted to my agent and good friend, Jim Molesky, for his support and belief in this project and all of my work.
Thanks also to co-conspirators John Capone, who helped shape and co-write the original draft, and research dietitian Cheryl Kurowski, to whom I am as indebted for her research chops as I am for her friendship.
The supportive community of registered dietitians continues to inform and inspire me. My friends and colleagues at the American Dietetic Association, especially the Food & Culinary Professionals group, have provided invaluable guidance to me throughout my career.
The beautiful photos of the recipes in this book are the fine work of talented photographer Alan Bartl, assisted by the gorgeous food stylings of Claudia Sansone Hampton, with Amelia Hollabaugh working with me in the kitchen to prepare all the dishes at a breakneck pace during a hectic day-long photo shoot.
Without recipes, there would be no book, and my appreciation goes out to the many companies and individuals who provided technical and product support for the many recipes that went into this book. Chief among these are Fisher & Paykel Appliances, who provided the gorgeous media kitchen in which all the recipes were developed; Le Creuset for the beautiful and sturdy dishes and cookware we used; Zwilling J.A. Henckels for cutlery and nonstick pans; Zeroll scoopers; Mexican Haas Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) for my favorite fruit; and Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery, who provided delicious goat’s milk cheese and yogurt kefir. A special thanks also goes out to Debra Cohen and Melissa’s Specialty Produce, who supplied much of the produce used during recipe development.
And what is a quinoa recipe without quinoa? Ancient Harvest (also known as The Quinoa Corporation) provided all of the quinoa products for this book. I’d like to thank Jennifer Schnorr of Ancient Harvest for offering this generous support, as well as providing the benefit of her own wisdom, expertise, and experience.
My personal trainer, Ines Donnelly, of NapaFit kept me active, de-stressed, and in shape while I tested and sampled these recipes.
And, when we had quinoa coming out of our ears, my many friends offered their constant support, kindness, and humor, and, perhaps most importantly, their palates for impromptu quinoa tasting. Thanks to Dowl, Amelia, and Taylor Hollabaugh, Dawn King, Chris Pollastrini, and Stephanie and Tom Snyder — the Coombsville Clan — for being my recipe guinea pigs. Karen and Steve Price, Paula and John Beritzhoff, Patricia Treible, and Paul Skittone kept me sane throughout the process and patiently endured and tasted enough quinoa to feed an army.
Finally, I thank all of my private clients as well as the contestants on The Biggest Loser — past and present. I wish I could list each of you by name. You were with me in spirit as I wrote this — especially the recipes. I cannot thank you enough for letting me be a part of your transformation and life’s journey. You have each inspired me personally, and for that, you have inspired this book.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Vertical Websites
Acquisition Editor: Anam Ahmed
Project Editor: Tracy L. Barr
Production Editor: Lindsay Humphreys
Editorial Assistant: Kathy Deady
Technical Editor: Susan Bowerman, MS, RD
Cover photos: © Harald Walker / Getty Images; Alan Bartl Photography; John D. Capone
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Sr. Project Coordinator: Kristie Rees
Layout and Graphics: Jennifer Creasey, Joyce Haughey
Proofreader: Melissa D. Buddendeck
Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC
Recipe Tester: Emily Nolan
Nutritional Analyst: Patricia Santelli
Photographer: Alan Bartl
Food Stylist: Claudia Sansone Hampton
John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Deborah Barton, Vice President and Director of Operations
Jennifer Smith, Publisher, Professional & Trade Division
Alison Maclean, Managing Editor, Professional & Trade Division
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Kathleen Nebenhaus, Vice President and Executive Publisher
David Palmer, Associate Publisher
Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Introduction
As a professional chef who is also a nutritionist, I look at quinoa as what some might call manna from heaven. It checks all the boxes:
A versatile ingredient that adds depth and complexity to whatever dish it is used in? Yep.
Extraordinarily healthy? Check.
Requires little to no processing? You betcha.
Is 100-percent gluten-free? Absolutely.
What more could either of my two professional halves ask for? You’ll find all the details outlining quinoa’s health benefits, its place at your table, and much more in this book.
But there’s one more thing that I love about quinoa: the role it can play in transforming your diet, your health, and your life.
When I work with people as a personal nutritionist or with contestants on The Biggest Loser, one of the very first things I tell them to do is to cut out the white stuff — processed flours, white pasta, white rice, and so on — and switch to whole grains. And quinoa is a very easy whole grain to love. Though, it’s not technically a grain (more on that later in the book).
Quinoa is so versatile that it can replace an extremely wide variety of grains. White flour, white rice, and white pasta are all great sources of calories — but that’s about it. Whole grains provide more valuable calories. With quinoa, you are also getting valuable nutrients, fiber, and protein. And texture and flavor to boot!
The fact that quinoa is gluten-free is the icing on a very delicious cake (one that you would be able to enjoy even if you were gluten-intolerant — I have a recipe for a flourless chocolate cake in Chapter 17). If you must follow a gluten-free diet because of gluten allergies or celiac disease, this book will be your best friend. In addition to focusing on a fabulous gluten-free ingredient, it doesn’t use gluten in any of the recipes.
Of course, people with gluten allergies and sensitivities aren’t the only ones who should consider cutting out or reducing the gluten out of their diets. We can all benefit from eating this way. And with quinoa, you don’t even need to think about it. With a whole book of scrumptious recipes in your hands, the only decision you need to make is what to try next.
About This Book
A whole book about quinoa? When I began working on the book, more than one person asked me whether the subject merited such lengthy coverage. I could only smile. First, there’s so much to learn and so much of interest about this marvelous little super food with the funny name. Second, I couldn’t wait to share these recipes with you. They were fun to work on, sparked creativity, and, of course, tasted scrumptious. Over the course of my work on this book, the cupboard at our farmhouse in Napa, California, was even more full of quinoa than usual. And dish after dish featuring and starring quinoa came out of the kitchen. Nobody here was complaining. And most days, we had quinoa for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
While I don’t expect most of you will do that — though I do recommend giving it a try just for fun — I’ve made it easy for you by organizing the recipe chapters so that you can easily find the kind of dish you’re looking for: appetizers, salads, breakfast dishes, and so on.
This book gives you an overview of quinoa (what it is and why it’s highly touted as a wonderfully nutritious grain); basic how-to info for preparing it and incorporating it into your diet overall; and, most importantly, lots and lots of quinoa recipes for you to make and try.
Conventions Used in This Book
All For Dummies books have some basic guidelines they follow:
Bold is used to highlight key words or phrases and the key instructions in a series of steps. I italicize new terms that need definition and for emphasis. Web addresses appear in monofont.
All the recipes have been tested by a professional recipe checker, and nutritional facts accompany each recipe. These facts are based on the ingredients as specified in the recipe, so if you make substitutions, the nutrition facts will differ from those listed.
I use a little tomato icon to designate recipes as vegetarian.
Many of the recipes can be easily converted to vegetarian dishes; at times, these simple substitutions are indicated in the Vary It! notes.
I’ve also included a few conventions that relate specifically to the recipe ingredients:
Unless otherwise specified, onions and tomatoes are medium sized.
Eggs are large.
Milk is fat free.
All temperatures are Fahrenheit.
Pepper is freshly ground black pepper, unless otherwise specified.
What You’re Not to Read
You’ve gotten this far, and congratulations for that. Some people would have just dived right in and started cooking one of the recipes. Oh. You did that already and now have flipped back? Well, no matter. There are things you can skip in this book and still have a pretty well-rounded understanding of quinoa.
Sidebars: The sidebars, indicated by the shaded boxes throughout the chapters, while tremendously entertaining and edifying, are not exactly required. So go ahead and skip them if you are in a big fat rush.
Paragraphs accompanying a Technical Stuff icon: These paragraphs offer interesting but nonessential information about quinoa, so you can move right on by them without a backward glance. Doing so won’t impair your ability to use, cook, or enjoy quinoa.
The Introduction: There’s nothing in here that you absolutely need to know to cook with quinoa, but you might as well finish it if you’ve come this far.
Foolish Assumptions
For the sake of everyone’s sanity, authors, when they sit down to write a book, make some very basic and some not-so-basic assumptions about the person on the other side of the page, the one who will be eventually reading the book. Here are some assumptions I’ve made about you:
You are not a dummy.
You have at least some interest in quinoa and have, at the very least, heard of it, even if you don’t know how to pronounce it (“KEEN-wah”).
You might know very little about quinoa or you might know a great deal and are looking for some new ways to enjoy it. Either way, you’ll find what you need here.
You are interested in cooking, though not necessarily a master (or even a tremendously confident) chef.
You are probably most interested in the recipes. I don’t blame you. They are really good.
You’ve probably made some equally broad assumptions about me. You haven’t? Go ahead.
I have a deep background in nutrition that I just touch on in the book, but it informs everything I do — from advice I give to recipes I create.
I am a professional chef. I’ve worked in restaurants and as a private chef for the likes of the Saudi royal family and George Lucas’s Lucasfilm.
I’ve introduced more than a couple of people, including contestants on The Biggest Loser, to the wonders of quinoa.
How This Book Is Organized
If you started at the beginning of this book and read through to the end, you would get a pretty complete picture of quinoa, both from a nutritional and culinary perspective. But the book is also designed so you can skip around if you see fit and read only the parts that interest you. I start with a nutritional overview (and try to settle that seed versus grain debate) and help you set up your kitchen so that you have what you need for the rest of the book and the recipes to follow. And I finish off with fun and informative lists of quinoa facts and a couple of helpful appendixes. Read on for the details.
Part I: From the Ancient Andes to the Modern Kitchen: Quinoa Basics
I start with the basics. In this section, you find a detailed rundown of the nutritional profile and benefits of quinoa before moving on to the fun stuff: how quinoa fits into recipes. I talk about flavor components, ways to use quinoa, and basic preparation techniques. I also go through the basics of everything you’ll want to have on hand and why.
Part II: Let’s Get It Started! Appetizers, Soups, and Salads
In Part II, you get to dig right in, fork first, and start cooking smaller dishes such as appetizers, salads, and soups.
Part III: Mouthwatering Main Courses
This part is where things get really interesting. Here, quinoa moves from the sidelines and into the spotlight, at least in terms of your table. Breakfast, brunch, and lunch all get recipes. Then I move on to a treasure trove of main dishes that combine quinoa with other proteins (seafood, chicken, and red meat). I also devote a chapter to quinoa dishes that little tykes will love and conclude this part with a substantial chapter on vegetarian and vegan recipes that will appeal to everyone.
Part IV: Snacks, Desserts, and More
In Part IV, you find lots of quick snack fixes, perfect for an afterschool treat or an energizer before a morning run. Did you know you could make beverages from quinoa? You can, and I tell you how in this part and include some traditional drinks from quinoa’s homeland, South America. I finish where many good meals do: with desserts and baked goods.
Part V: The Part of Tens
All For Dummies books include the Part of Tens. The fans demand it. It’s tradition. And where else are you going to find ten things you didn’t know about quinoa, a quick list of ten of its greatest nutritional benefits, and ten quick swaps you can use to start transforming your diet right away?
Icons Used in This Book
All books in the For Dummies series include icons that help point the way to particular kinds of information or that give you a heads-up when you need it.
This is where you leave a little something for your server. Wait, wrong kind of tip. This Tip is more like the “here’s a shortcut (or a trick) I learned that’ll make things go easier for you” sort of tip.
This icon highlights the “always look both ways” kind of information, pointing out things you may want to file away in your noggin for later or things you might want to be aware of before you get too far into a recipe. I include them to help you navigate the recipes and other subjects in the book.
The technical information in the book can technically be skipped, but you may find the information especially constructive or interesting. It is not necessary to the recipe or the point being made in the text, though.
Do you see that bomb? These are items that are called out to keep you out of trouble. Heed them.
Where to Go From Here
Where you go from here is entirely up to you. If you like the academic approach and want to learn everything you can about quinoa before you ever lift a spatula, start at Chapter 1 and keep reading until you’ve absorbed all the information you can and then go back and find recipes to try. Or maybe you subscribe to the leap-first school: If so, try your hand at a recipe and then read up later. I don’t know about you, but I’ve already flipped to the Part of Tens.
Bottom line? You can go wherever you want. This book is designed to make whatever topic or recipe interests you easy to find.
Part I
From the Ancient Andes to the Modern Kitchen: Quinoa Basics
In this part . . .
Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? What is quinoa and where does it come from? How do you pronounce that word? Why should you eat it? Read on to discover all that and more, get some basic background on the nutritional value of quinoa (hint: it’s very high), set your kitchen up, and learn basic quinoa preparations.
Chapter 1
Keen on Quinoa: An Introduction to Your New Favorite Food
In This Chapter
Defining quinoa
Differentiating between quinoa and whole grains
Quinoa as part of a healthier (or even gluten-free) diet
Choosing between the types of quinoa
From fields high atop the Andes Mountains where it fed ancient Incan warriors preparing for battle to your modern grocery shelf, quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah”) has taken an amazing journey, one worthy of a super food. As we learn more and more about healthy eating and whole grains, foods like quinoa that offer superior nutrition with minimal processing have become increasingly popular. And with good reason. Quinoa possesses a rare nutrition profile, is a snap to prepare, and is a multitasker, good in all sorts of dishes from breakfast to dinner to salads to stews to burgers. In addition, you can easily fit it into your daily diet just by making a few easy swaps.
The world of whole grains isn’t always as simple as it appears. And in a somewhat confusing landscape, which only gets more confusing when you start to consider gluten, it’s nice to know that you can count on quinoa — your friendly neighborhood super food. In this chapter, you discover what quinoa is, where it comes from, and why on earth you would want to eat something with such a funny name.
An Amazing Grain with Amazing Nutrition
Quinoa has a pretty amazing story to tell, and the small kernels hold so much history and power, much of which relates directly to quinoa’s superior nutritional values.
Ancient Incan warriors ate quinoa in many forms to give them strength and energy in battle. This was not magic or superstition. Quinoa is an excellent source of readily used protein and nutrition. It’s also easy to digest (after all, the last thing you want when you are marching into battle is a bellyache).
Recognizing its importance, the Incas referred to quinoa, in their native Quecha, as chisiiya mama, or “Mother Grain,” and indeed, quinoa held a sacred place in their society. The Incan king would start off each growing season with a ceremony and cast the first soil of the planting with a golden shovel — by which I mean a shovel actually made of gold.
In the 1500s, quinoa nearly disappeared entirely. A Spanish explorer destroyed all the quinoa fields he could in an effort to break the morale of the Incas. Incredibly, quinoa survived only in extremely isolated pockets at high altitudes and was not “discovered” again until the 1970s. Quinoa and quinoa products — everything from puffed quinoa cereals to beverages — became widely available throughout South America. More recently, they have become increasingly popular on store shelves in the United States. Think about that the next time you peruse the rainbow of quinoa in the bulk food aisle!
Uncovering what quinoa is
Quinoa is the seed of a species of the goosefoot plant called Chenopodium quinoa.
So, that clears things right up, correct? No? You probably have more questions (like “What sort of a dance is ‘the goosefoot’ and is it hard to learn?”) than answers. Maybe the following explanation can help.
The goosefoot plant (so named because the leaves on some species resemble the foot of a goose) is in the amaranth family. The plant itself can grow to several feet in height with a stout stalk and lots of leafy, dark green foliage. Although the leaves can be eaten like spinach or beet greens (two plants it’s related to), the smell is, frankly, quite unpleasant.
Head held high
The tall goosefoot plant thrives at high altitudes where the climate is warm in the day and cool at night. If summer nights are warm, as they are in much of the United States, the plants won’t do well or produce many seeds.
The cultural and historic home of quinoa is the Andes Mountains: specifically Altiplano, spreading across Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Some of the world’s most sought-after quinoa comes from this region where the average altitude is more than 12,000 feet.
In addition to altitude, quinoa also thrives on adversity. Harsh conditions with little rainfall are what quinoa likes best.
Much of the quinoa produced in the United States comes from San Luis Valley of Colorado, which sits at about 7,000 feet. Although not as high the Altiplano, this region mimics the harsh conditions in which quinoa grows best.
The plant produces large, full seed heads prodigiously. And these seed heads are the real prize. The colorful heads — the deep colors vary from green and yellow to red, orange, and purple — are harvested, dried, and shaken, and the seeds collected. This is quinoa.
Discovering why you want to eat it
Quinoa is a lean, mean nutrition machine. Incorporating quinoa into your diet in a significant way is one of the best things you can do for your body and overall health. Replacing processed flours and grains with quinoa does more than just eliminate some empty calories; it also replaces them with a super-charged super food.
You may already know that quinoa is a gluten-free food, and maybe that’s what attracted you to finding out more about it. The fact that it is both gluten-free and can be used in so many ways (as a flour, flake, sprout, whole grain, and so on) makes quinoa ideal for people with gluten allergies or sensitivities, but quinoa has so much nutritive brawn that a compelling argument can be made for why everyone should incorporate quinoa into their diets. Here, in a nutshell, are the nutrition facts (for a complete discussion, head to Chapter 2):
It’s a fabulous source of protein. In fact, it’s one of the best plant-based sources of protein, and is what’s known as a “complete protein” (more on that later).
It’s high in fatty acids, both omega-3 and omega-6. You may have heard recently that these are the kinds of fatty acids your body absolutely needs (and doesn’t make on its own), or maybe you even take supplements. I take a close look at the fatty acids in quinoa in Chapter 2.
It contains a whole host of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Quinoa is especially rich in B vitamins (containing high amounts of four of these very beneficial vitamins), and vital minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and iron.
All that is in those impossibly tiny little orbs!
The Whole (Grain) Story
Here’s a point I want get out of the way right now. Quinoa is not a whole grain. In fact, it’s not a grain at all. Grains and cereals are the seeds of grasses cultivated for food. Quinoa is the seed of a plant unrelated to grasses. While not a grain at all technically, it nevertheless is a seed that you use like a whole grain. Like a whole grain, quinoa is made up of an outer bran, an endosperm, and a germ (see Figure 1-1).
Figure 1-1: The parts of a quinoa kernel.
Illustration by Wiley, Composition Services Graphics
If you aren’t the type to get hung up on labels, you probably won’t have any trouble wrapping your brain around the fact that quinoa, despite being used and treated like a whole grain, isn’t one. If you are the type to get hung up on labels, you can just call it a whole grain, or if you like being precise, you can use the real technical term, pseudo-cereal.
Other popular gluten-free whole grains
Quinoa has been gaining popularity among those who have realized the benefits of eating whole grains and among those who, for one reason or another, have adopted a gluten-free diet. However, it’s not the only gluten-free pseudo-cereal.
The following is a list of popular gluten-free whole grains you are likely to find in your local store or available online (this list includes both true grains and pseudo-cereals):
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Corn
Millet
Oats (sometimes)
Quinoa
Unmilled rice and wild rice (not white rice)
Sorghum
Teff
One caveat about oats: Oats are inherently gluten-free, but many brands are packaged near gluten-containing products and, therefore, often become contaminated. Check the packaging for a gluten-free marking or contact the manufacturer if you are unsure.
Using it as a substitute for white stuff
I have said many times to many different clients, friends, and even contestants on The Biggest Loser during the 12 seasons I was the show’s nutritionist: Cut out the white stuff! Cut out processed flour, white rice, processed grains, and sugar. Quinoa is a capable — in fact, a stupendous — substitute for any of the other white stuff, with the exception of sugar.
Cutting these things out of your diet will help you to feel better overall and can be very helpful if you’re trying to lose any amount of weight.
Many of the recipes in this book use quinoa in the place of wheat flour, white rice, pasta, and more, but you can make this substitution on your own, without a recipe. Chapter 3 tells you a variety of ways you can incorporate quinoa in place of other, less-healthy ingredients, and Chapter 5 explains how to cook it in its many forms.
Comparing whole grains, refined grains, and quinoa
Refined grains are grains that have been milled. Milling is a variety of processes, but generally speaking, milling strips off the bran and takes out the germ. These processed grains may have a longer life on supermarket shelves and in products like breads and pastries, but they are missing many of the nutrients of whole grains, which have been left intact.
Quinoa, even when ground into flour or pressed into flakes, still has all of its nutritional components. This is why it’s classified as a whole grain pseudo-cereal.
Don’t be confused by “enriched grain” flours. These are flours made from grains that have been milled and stripped and then had some nutrients added back in to boost their nutritional content.
Looking at whole grain product labels
A whole grain, for the purposes of package labeling, is a grain or psuedo-cereal that contains all the essential parts and naturally occurring nutrients of the original seed. In other words, all parts of the original seed — bran, germ, and endosperm (refer to Figure 1-1) — must still be there. Even grains that have been minimally processed (crushed, cracked, rolled, ground, and so on) can still be considered whole grains if they contain these three parts and the nutrients (as long as they are natural and not added back in).
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it is “recommended” that products whose labels claim “100 percent whole grain” not contain any grain ingredients that are not whole grain (whole grain ingredients include whole grain flours). In Canada, products labeled “whole wheat flour” must contain at least 95 percent of the original kernel; however, a product labeled “whole grain whole wheat flour” must contain 100 percent of the original grain. In the U.S., no such distinction is made.
All whole grain products have a better nutritional profile than their processed counterparts. Still, products labeled “whole grain” are not necessarily gluten-free. Some whole grains do contain gluten. If you follow a gluten-free diet, keep this in mind. You can read more about gluten and gluten-free quinoa in the next section.
Going gluten-free with quinoa: Should you or shouldn’t you?
Gluten is a naturally occurring protein found in some cereal grains. For gluten diets, this focus on gluten primarily relates to wheat, rye, and barley. Based on the name, you may think of gluten as sort of gelatinous protein; indeed, it’s the component responsible for the elasticity in dough.
Many people are sensitive to gluten and suffer cramps, indigestion, stomach discomfort, and worse when they ingest it. The sensitivities range from low-level allergies all the way up to celiac disease. Because of all of the digestive symptoms associated with gluten sensitivity, gaining or maintaining a normal body weight is very hard.
Quinoa is a highly recommended gluten-free food, making it a perfect staple in gluten-free diets. The question is, should everyone adopt a gluten-free diet? Many people feel that a gluten-free diet is a healthy diet for one and all, not just those who have to strike gluten from their diets out of necessity. You’ve heard me say to “cut out the white stuff,” but why not go the whole nine yards and cut out all wheat, rye, and barley products?
If you suffer from celiac disease, you have little choice. You need to eat a completely gluten-free diet. For others, you have a choice. Before making it, consider these things about gluten-free diets:
They can be very restrictive. You’ll have to skip more than the obvious culprits such as bread, pasta and pastries. Be sure to check product labels because the products on your supermarket shelves may or may not contain gluten. Here are just a few things you may have to go without:
• Beer
• Pickles
• Bouillon cubes
• Malt vinegar
• Twizzlers
• Hot dogs
• Soy sauce
• Pudding
• Instant hot chocolate
• French fries (depending on what else was fried in the oil, which is often something breaded)
• Packaged instant soups
• Blue cheese
They can be tedious. If you do not have issues with sensitivity or allergies to certain foods, why not include as much variety as possible? Many wheat-based foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals and are good for you.
They can be expensive. Gluten-free alternatives to foods you love can be hard to find. And when you do find them, they could cost more than the foods and drinks you are used to.
They may affect you socially. Dining out with others can be difficult for anyone with specialty diet needs, and this is very true of a strict gluten-free diet.
They’re not a magic pill for whatever ails you. A gluten-free diet isn’t everything from a weight-loss solution to cure-all for myriad sicknesses and discomfort. And despite gluten-free menus being en vogue, there is little evidence to suggest that anyone except those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease should adopt a gluten-free diet. Better to lose the “white stuff,” such as white flour, sugar, white potatoes, and highly processed foods, than to go completely gluten-free just because you read about it in a magazine.
Nevertheless, we could probably all do with less wheat. Gluten-containing wheat, whole or not, can be more difficult to digest than other grains and can wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels. In addition, a whole host of other dietary and other problems can be linked to wheat.
The lowdown on celiac disease
Celiac disease is a condition that affects the digestive system. Sufferers experience an immune reaction in their small intestines when they ingest gluten. In general, people with celiac disease have chronic diarrhea; excess gas, bloating, and discomfort; unexplained iron deficiency anemia; skin rashes; and/or even painful mouth sores.
Because so many people experience these symptoms at one time or another, the question is, should we all be tested for celiac disease? Generally speaking, no. The disease is not very common (about 1 in 133 people may have it). But some populations are at higher risk for celiac disease, including those with type 1 diabetes, first and second degree relatives of those who have celiac disease, and people with Turner syndrome (a genetic condition in females only, where one of the X chromosomes is missing or incomplete). These groups should be tested for celiac disease only if they have symptoms.
Doctors can diagnose celiac disease in a number of different ways, including taking a biopsy of your small intestine and/or testing for specific antibodies in your blood. The most accurate test for celiac disease is a small intestinal biopsy, in which the doctor inserts a long, flexible scope through your mouth and into the duodenum (the first part of your small intestine). The doctor can then take some tissue samples from your intestine and view them under a microscope to determine whether the findings are consistent with celiac disease. Several blood tests are also used to test for celiac disease, and these are performed in addition to a small intestinal biopsy. The thing to know is that these diagnostic tests must be done while you are on a diet that contains gluten.
If you have had celiac disease confirmed by your doctor, you’ll need to adopt a gluten-free diet and then adhere religiously to it. You’ll likely schedule several consultations with a registered dietitian (RD), who has up-to-date experience with gluten-free diets and can guide you in how to adjust your diet specifically.
Once properly diagnosed by a doctor and following a strict gluten-free diet, folks with celiac disease find that their symptoms go away completely. So, if following a gluten-free diet is necessary, it’s well worth the effort and cost.
If, out of necessity or choice, you opt for a gluten-free diet, you can still enjoy all sorts of healthy, delicious foods, as the recipes in Parts II through IV prove. Whether it’s time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or whether you’re in the mood for a quick, on-the-go bite or a relaxing repast you can savor, you can find a variety of recipes to meet your needs.
Buying Quinoa
Quinoa grows naturally in an astounding variety of colors. The colorful seed heads burst from the plant like an array of fireworks, their colors ranging from rose and pink to orange and red to green and yellow, all depending on the variety. Although quinoa kernels vary slightly in size, quinoa is most often classified by color.
Types of quinoa: Black, red, and white
Quinoa is commonly available in black, red, and white. So what’s the difference between them? Well, mainly the color. In addition, the darker shades also have twice the fiber. Some people also report slight differences in taste:
White (or yellow): The most bland. Many quinoa brands package a tri-color blend to liven up the classic white.
Red: A slightly nuttier flavor than white.
Black: An even fuller, nuttier, earthier flavor than red.
Generally which type of quinoa you choose is a matter of taste and preference, and, of course, your consideration of the color. Would little black dots look good in a dish? Then by all means use the black quinoa.
Some people say they can’t tell the difference in flavor between the different kinds of quinoa, especially after it’s been mixed in with other ingredients. (Still, the darker quinoa has a stronger presence, which may be due, at least partly, to the perception of the colors. What food looks like affects our perception of taste.)
Some types of quinoa cost more than others. The reason is availability. The white variety is the most widely cultivated and grown, which means there’s more of it and so it has the lowest price. In 2011, a worldwide shortage of red quinoa occurred because many people preferred its nuttier flavor, resulting in a supply too low to meet the demand. Hence, it’s price was higher.
When you’re looking at the price of quinoa, keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way: A cup of uncooked quinoa makes around three cups cooked.
Other quinoa products
Besides the basic quinoa grains in bags, boxes, and bulk bins, you can also find an array of other quinoa products — flours, flakes, powders, and more — available ready-made for your use in the kitchen.
In some stores, you can also find gluten-free pasta made from quinoa and even polenta that incorporates both corn and quinoa. Be sure to check out Appendix A to find out where you can purchase these items.
Chapter 2
Funny Name, Serious Super Food: Nutrition Facts about Quinoa
In This Chapter
Understanding the nutritional composition of quinoa
Eating quinoa as part of a gluten-free diet
Looking at quinoa’s disease-fighting power
Quinoa’s role in a vegetarian or vegan diet
We are all food experts — to some degree — because we eat every day. What many people don’t realize is there is much more to food than the smell, taste, texture, and satisfaction it brings. The nutrients in the foods you eat affect your body in powerful ways — sometimes in ways that are good and sometimes in ways that are, well, not so good. You are what you eat, after all. To look and feel your best, you must fuel your body with the right things, and when it comes to fuel, super foods like quinoa are high-test.
So welcome to team quinoa. You may be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of nutritional bang quinoa packs in such a small package. I give you the details in this chapter.
It’s a Seed! It’s a Grain! It’s Super Food!
You may not even know how to pronounce it, but you’ve seen it popping up on menus, on grocery shelves, on TV, in magazines, and in conversation (with all sorts of pronunciations — for the record, it’s “KEEN-wah”), but you’ve heard that quinoa is the latest so-called super food. Or maybe you’ve just decided to go gluten-free (for health reasons or because you want to cut out processed wheat flour). Or perhaps you are a bored vegetarian. Or maybe, just maybe, you picked up this book because you just love quinoa. Whatever the reason, you’ve made a super choice because quinoa earns its place as a super food through its superior nutritional composition.
In the following sections, I explain what, exactly, quinoa is and why you’ll want to make it a staple of your diet.
Feeling the need for seed
Did you know that quinoa is actually not a grain, but rather what is called a pseudo-cereal? It’s technically a species of Chenopodium (goosefoot), and it’s grown in high elevations for its edible seeds.
Yes, that’s right, quinoa is actually a seed, one that’s closely related to the tumbleweed! Seeds are considered a relatively good source of protein, but generally they’re high in fat. For example, sunflower seeds have about 51⁄2 grams of protein in one serving, but they also provide a whopping 14 grams of fat, most of which is the bad-for-you saturated kind! But not quinoa.
Quinoa has 3 grams or less of fat per serving and 0 grams of the saturated kind, and it provides 6 grams of protein per half-cup serving. So even though quinoa is technically a seed, it looks, acts, and tastes more like a grain. And in terms of your diet, it fulfills the role grains do.
