{"id":29830,"date":"2015-08-11T16:20:00","date_gmt":"2015-08-11T20:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=29830"},"modified":"2015-08-14T11:17:40","modified_gmt":"2015-08-14T15:17:40","slug":"taste-passport-quinoa-facts-recipes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/it\/journal\/taste-passport-quinoa-facts-recipes\/","title":{"rendered":"Quinoa: Sacred, Super, and Why You Should Rinse It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love the\u00a0quinoa recipe below? You might also like Healthy Summer Jicama Salad<\/a>, 6 Unexpected Toppings To Try On Ice Cream<\/a>, and more from The Fresh Blog<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Thousands of years ago, before food blogs and five-star vegan restaurants, natives of the Andes Mountains<\/a> gathered quinoa as a main ingredient\u00a0for meals that would provide them with strength, endurance, and nourishment. In addition to the generous nutritional\u00a0profile\u00a0of quinoa, the plant was considered sacred, nicknamed la chiyasa mama<\/i>, or the mother grain, and celebrate for its spiritually enhancing qualities.<\/p>\n

Flash forward and quinoa has quickly become one of today\u2019s most-talked about superfoods. Whether you\u2019re stirring it up into a hot salad, or simply attempting the correct pronunciation (it\u2019s keen-wah, by the way), you\u2019ve likely had some experience with this ancient grain.<\/p>\n

Except, surprise! It\u2019s not actually a grain.<\/strong> Humans eat the seeds of the quinoa plant, which are those little round doodads we soak, boil, and steam. The origins of quinoa are rooted in South America, specifically the mountains of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. As mentioned earlier, the food was considered sacred, and celebrated for its ability to survive in a variety of growing conditions.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to see why; quinoa packs such a nutritional whammy that we\u2019re wondering how we just recently\u00a0came to see its potential. It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.<\/strong> And don\u2019t even get us started on fiber. On average, there are about 17\u201327 grams of fiber per cup<\/strong>, which is more than twice as many\u00a0as you would get from a more common grain. And while most of the fiber is insoluble, there is still a hefty portion of soluble fiber that can help increase fullness, lower cholesterol, and reduce blood sugar.<\/p>\n

The magic continues. Quinoa on its own provides a plethora of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron<\/strong>. But take note: because quinoa also contains a substance called phytic acid (which can unfortunately reduce the absorption of these minerals), it must be rinsed before consumption<\/strong>. This helps to remove\u00a0some of the phytic acid from the seeds<\/strong>, and allows you to get the most out of your meal. In short, quinoa helps you feel full for longer and gives you a sweet handful of some essential minerals. Not bad at all.<\/p>\n

But what\u2019s also\u00a0impressive is the diversity of la chiyasa mama<\/i>. Not only can it be used an arsenal of delicious recipes, but quinoa comes in over 120 varieties<\/strong>. Most of these are categorized into red, black, and white quinoa. White quinoa is the variety most often found in grocery stores, while red quinoa is a bit more firm (making it ideal for salads), and black quinoa provides an earthy, sweet flavor<\/strong> that works as a stellar base for a cold mango salad.<\/p>\n

Which leads us to the treasure chest of quinoa recipes. Not only is quinoa a lovely base for cold and hot salads, but it can also be used to create a multitude of gluten-free and vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Some stellar recipes include:<\/p>\n