Quinoa

Have any of you ever tried quinoa? I first heard of it right after S and I got married. A friend's mother found she was allergic to gluten and had to go on a gluten-free diet. She (the friend) brought leftover quinoa to work one day. It's a grain very high in protein and perfect for those who have wheat or gluten allergies. I bought some a while back and decided to try it at home.

It's easy to prepare, pretty much like cooking rice. You can do a lot with it, too, even substituting it for rice in some cases. It has a much nuttier flavor than rice, almost an earthy feel with its golden wheat color. I fixed it last night with some cheese to appease the children, praying they would be open to trying something new.

Believe it or not, they loved it. Even H wanted seconds. I slightly overcooked it and it had just a slightly rougher texture than grits. Since H loves grits with cheese, he loved it and fussed until I got more in his mouth. The girls ate it, too, although not as willingly. L was the most timid and usually is about trying new things. In the end, she ate all that was put on her plate and not a grain more.

You really can do a lot with it and there are even some recipes in the box just waiting to be tried. I encourage you to try something new, some new food that you've never had before. You may end up really liking it!