Keen-WA!

Look, up there on the shelf! Is it rice? Is it pasta? No....it's SUPERGRAIN! Yep, I'm talking about Quinoa. I have loved quinoa since I first encountered it almost 10 years ago. I put it on the menu at my restaurant, and once I convinced people to try it, they became instant converts. Back then, you couldn't just go to any market and find it, it was one of those "specialty items" you had to order. We all jumped on it like it was something new.

New? I think not. Quinoa has been around for a long time. It was first cultivated in South America over 4000 years ago, and is sometimes referred to as "ancient grain" or the "mother of all grains." It didn't gain popularity for a long time. The Spanish Conquistadors actively suppressed the cultivation of quinoa, because it held such a sacred place in Incan culture, and they were pretty busy trying to wipe that culture off the map now, weren't they? They forced the Incans to grow wheat instead. Thank you, South Americans for continuing to grow quinoa so we could have it today. Boy, imagine all the things we wouldn't have today if the Westerners had been successful in their attempt to "Europeanize" the whole world....uh oh, here I go again. Back to quinoa now.

Ok, it's not really a grain. But that's a much easier word to use than chenopod. It is part of the flowering plant family which also contains amaranth, epazote, and even spinach. What we are eating are really the seeds of the plant. Take a look. It's kind of pretty.
And here's the really good part. Not only is it a great source of fiber, phosphorus, calcium and iron, AND gluten free, it's also what is called a "complete protein", which means it has a good amount of all 9 of the essential amino acids that humans need.

It also tastes good. I've made both the regular brownish colored and the red quinoa. I don't think they taste different, it's just a color preference. It's got this cool, nutty flavor, and goes pop in your mouth when you chew it. You can serve it hot, like a pilaf, cold as a salad, or it also makes a great base for a vegan chili.
So now you get a recipe. This is a quinoa salad that has been in my repertoire since my first discovery of it way back when. I asked my sous chef at the time, Tracey Wolfson, to come up with a recipe for a cold salad we could serve with grilled chicken. This is what she invented. By the way, Tracey is the owner of Bacchus Market and Catering in Philadelphia. She has built an amazing business on her little corner of Spruce and 23rd. Her prepared foods are wonderful, and her off premise catering delivers food that is both delicious and beautiful to see. I proudly work parties for her whenever I can. So there is my shout out for the day. Love you, TLW. And now, the recipe:

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well, then cooked in plenty of water until soft but still chewy (the package will probably tell you how long that is)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked corn kernels
3/4 cup diced red and green pepper
2 TB chopped cilantro
Chili-Lime Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. chipotle pepper paste
5 TB lime juice
1 TB red wine vinegar
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
Combine all of the ingredients and dress with the vinaigrette. If you hate cilantro, leave it out!

I took boneless chicken breast, brushed it with oil and sprinkled on a chili lime spice blend I happen to have. You can just use salt and pepper, or any other spice that seems a bit south of the border here.
The picture is on the Facebook page. I'm still working on linking my phone to this blog....

(Oh, I have also discovered that you can substitute it for bulgar wheat when making tabbouleh and it tastes fantastic!)

The kids ate everything. And went back for seconds on the quinoa. Give it a try.
Thanks again for tuning in. Maybe someday I'll get that videocam and start posting me live and in person. Of course, that would involve cleaning up a bit around here...
Until next time. Buh Bye.