The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook: Quinoa Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to use sprouted quinoa? ›

You can eat them raw once they've sprouted. Use quinoa sprouts as a gluten-free alternative to grains such as couscous and rice. Sprouted quinoa is perfect for making healthy salads, taco's, pilaf's, sushi and soups. You can stuff vegetables with it and much more.

That weird little string coming out of quinoa is normal.

When quinoa is cooked, the “germ” comes out of each seed. It looks like a string and it is nothing to be afraid of.

I find that some of the best seasonings for quinoa are cumin, dried bay leaf, turmeric, and salt, and black pepper. I also love to flavor it with fresh garlic and herbs such as parsley, dill, and cilantro. You can add the seasonings of your choice into the pot at the same time with the liquid and cook it as directed.

You can't see it in its dry form, but the seed's or kernel's germ or bran (or tail, whatever) comes out right about the time your boiled/steamed quinoa is finished cooking. The little sprout is actually the plant's endosperm, the food that feeds the seedling while it's growing, and boy is it nutritious.

Sprouting quinoa allows it to be eaten raw. it also makes it more digestible as it breaks down complex carbs. Sprouted quinoa contains all the nutrients of cooked quinoa such as high levels of iron, potassium, and magnesium, as well as added benefits due to the germination process.

It's important to rinse the quinoa this often to prevent it from souring. Allow the quinoa to spout over 24-36 hours total, or until sprouts appear to your liking. Flavor of the quinoa is best within a 36 hour period, going longer can give the sprouts a slight lemon or tart flavor.

Quinoa is rich in both fiber and protein, contains a much higher amount of other nutrients, and has a similar fluffy texture to the rice. A cup of quinoa contains twice more protein and about 5 g more fiber than white rice. Quinoa contains fewer calories and carbohydrates than white rice.

Quinoa is considered a carbohydrate because it contains many carbs per serving. Although it contains some protein, the macronutrient distribution is closer to what you find in other grains and starches.

Quinoa is considered a whole grain, which is better for you than refined grains like white flour. Quinoa has a glycemic index of 53, which is a measure of how quickly it will raise your blood sugar levels. That score puts quinoa in the middle range of “good” vs. “bad” carbs.

Strong flavors like onions or spices work too. In a soup, you can add spices and other flavors like celery, carrot, etc. We make an amazing fried quinoa recipe that includes lots of green and white onions, which covers up the flavor of the quinoa. It tastes much better than if we'd cooked it in plain water.

What should I season quinoa with? ›

If you're serving it as a simple side, season it first. At the very least, toss it with salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice, and a drizzle of olive oil. To kick it up another notch, stir in chopped herbs, minced garlic, toasted nuts, or crumbled feta cheese, or use it in one of the quinoa recipes below!

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is the seed of the Chenopodium quinoa plant. Botanically speaking, it's not a grain. However, it's often called a “pseudograin” because it's similar in nutrients and eaten the same way as cereal grains ( 1 ). Quinoa was first grown for food 7,000 years ago in the Andes.

High-fiber foods that are largely indigestible include: Beans Whole grains, such as quinoa Peas, nuts, such as sunflower seeds, flaxseeds or sesame seeds Shells of various types Vegetables, such as bell peppers or tomatoes. Corn is a particularly common culprit for undigested food left over in the stool.

When you cook quinoa, the cooking process releases what looks like a little curly tail coming from the seed. That's just the germ of the seed, which separates slightly when the quinoa is fully cooked.

That is, until I discovered that quinoa seeds can be sprouted and eaten as raw, live food in salads and wraps. Turns out, it sprouts almost as quickly as it cooks.

Sprouting quinoa aids in digestibility and reduces bitterness (saponin), resulting in a lighter, more subtle flavour.

Quinoa has more protein than any cereal or grain and contains all nine amino acids. Sprouting makes these nutrients more available by activating enzymes in the seeds that break down phytic acid, which binds to minerals and other nutrients, making them unavailable to your body.