Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a nutty, gluten-free, protein packed alternative to rice, cous-cous and even oatmeal. It’s also high in fiber, folate, magnesium and potassium among other nutritious daily minerals.

Fluffy red and white quinoa are the most common varieties you will see in restaurants and stores.  I typically have cooked white quinoa on hand but you can use red or black, if you want to add a little more color or texture to your meals.

Yield: 3 cups of cooked quinoa

Cook Time: 15 minutes

The ratio for making the perfect, fluffy quinoa is typically 1:2 or 1 cup of dried quinoa to 2 cups of liquid (water, broth, coconut milk etc.)

• Rinse 1 cup of dried quinoa in a sieve. Add it to a small pot.
• Add 2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. About 15 minutes for white quinoa and 20 minutes for black.
• Fluff quinoa with a fork and allow to cool before serving.
• Store leftover quinoa in an air tight container in the fridge to re-use later.

Once cooked, you can store quinoa for about 3-5 days in your fridge.

Header image source: overcast.ca