What's quinoa like?

[Anonymous]

I see it complained about in reference to school lunches. I figured it's like rice or lentils. Is it that bad?

[Anonymous]

It's good if it's cooked well. I'm guessing in school lunches/mass produced food it isn't tasty.

It's texture is a cross between rice and barley. Slight nutty taste, but most people don't eat it plain.

[Anonymous]

I love rice, but hate quinoa. Maybe I'm not cooking it enough?

[Anonymous]

I love it but it's a hassle to make if you do the whole process (but I'm a lazy cook). You have to rinse a lot and then it cooks for a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I love rice, but hate quinoa. Maybe I'm not cooking it enough?

You need to rinse it really well, otherwise it will be bitter.

[Anonymous]

Get pre-rinsed and cook in chicken broth for 15 min. Done. We eat it at least 3 times a week and either serve it plain with parmesan cheese or toss in sauteed chicken and asparagus (with olive oil and garlic) and scrambled egg for a fried rice flavor, or make a "pasta salad" substituting quinoa. It's delicious and very filling.

[Anonymous]

I hate it. It has a "grainy" texture that I just can't get past.

[Anonymous]

It's gross, at least to me. It has a weird texture, looks kind of like fish roe, and tastes like dirt in my mouth. Yuck. And I like pretty much anything. I do not have a limited palate.

[Anonymous]

It stinks.

[Anonymous]

Is it healthier than other staples like brown rice or wheat or ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it healthier than other staples like brown rice or wheat or ?

Excellent whole grain source of protein.

Toasting b/f you cook it improves flavor.

[Anonymous]

I love it best cooked in a pressure cooker - it gets very fluffy and light. Cooking it in a regular pot tends to be too wet/undercooked or too sticky/mushy. We routinely substitute it for rice.

[Anonymous]

Oh la la. I had some great quinoa with fish at Bistrot du Coin.

[Anonymous]

It's vulgar. Quinoa is definitely vulgar.

[Anonymous]

We eat it daily (make a batch and freeze it with other things in lunch portions). I don't rinse it at all and have never found it bitter. You do have to be careful with the amount of water, similar to rice -- it's gross if too wet.

I don't think it tastes like much, so cooking it in broth or adding something (cheese, pine nuts, etc.) helps it along. But I also feel that way about rice.