Amazing Fluffy Quinoa Recipe

The first time I made quinoa I made a rookie mistake and I ended up with bitter tasting quinoa that no one enjoyed.  I share below what to do so you don’t make the same mistake.

I first discovered Quinoa in South America and once I figured out how to make it, it quickly became my favorite “rice” dish. I kind of equate quinoa to rice in the sense that it’s a filler to our meals but it’s protein filled unlike rice. It’s high in fiber, magnesium and iron and it’s pretty much used like a grain but it’s not, it’s a seed.

It’s cultivated in the Andes so it’s not a surprise to me that I discovered this precious gold here in Ecuador.

Warning this stuff is good!  My quinoa turns out the way I wish my Mexican rice would.

Fluffy Quinoa Recipe

• 1 cup of Quinoa rinsed
• 2 cups of water (secret: I use broth and when I don’t have broth I use a bouillon cube)
• 1 tbl Olive Oil
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water in a mesh strainer. Don’t skip this step as it helps remove the bitter coating that’s naturally on the quinoa.

2. Place drained quinoa in a medium saucepan.  Let the water evaporate for about a minute and then add the olive oil to toast it.

3. Add your water/broth and salt and let it boil.

4. Lower your heat and cook covered for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.

As they say in Ecuador–buen provecho!