How to Cook White Quinoa

How to Cook White Quinoa.

Quinoa is a grain that provides ample protein and other key nutrients such as amino acids. This makes it a great substitute for vegans and vegetarians and also those with an allergy to gluten. The many colors of quinoa offer different flavors, making white quinoa the most commonly used for its mild and sweet finish. White quinoa can be served as a side dish or as an addition to other recipes and is easily prepared using a stovetop, rice cooker or microwave.

Method 1 Simmering White Quinoa in a Saucepan
1. Rinse 1 cup (190 grams) of quinoa in a fine mesh colander. Run water over your uncooked quinoa for at least 30 seconds and drain it thoroughly. Rinsing your quinoa before cooking will remove any potential bitterness from its coating.
Saponin naturally occurs and coats quinoa, which can give it a soapy or bitter taste if it is not removed prior to cooking.
2. Add 2 cups (16  fl oz) of water to a saucepan. After pouring in your water, add your 1 cup (190 grams) of quinoa to the pan and gently to stir to mix together.
When adding liquid to your quinoa use 2 parts or 2 cups (380 grams) water for every 1 part or 1 cup (8.0  fl oz) of quinoa.
3. Simmer the quinoa for 10-20 minutes until the water is absorbed. Set your stove to medium-high heat and allow the water to boil. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to bring the mixture to a light simmer.
Smaller amounts of quinoa will be finished closer to 10 minutes, while larger portions will take anywhere between 15-20 minutes.
Reduce your heat as needed while cooking to maintain a light simmer.
4. Allow the quinoa to steam for 5 minutes. Steam your quinoa by keeping the pan covered and by removing the pan from direct heat. This will add a fluffy texture to your quinoa. After the 5 minutes are up, remove the cover and fluff your quinoa gently with a fork.
If you are eating your quinoa plain, add a pinch of salt to taste. You can also drizzle some olive oil or add a clove of garlic for more flavor.
5. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Having leftovers of your quinoa is great because it keeps very well. Just make sure that it has cooled to room temperature before covering and putting it into the refrigerator.

Method 2 Cooking Your Quinoa in a Rice Cooker.
1. Coat the bottom and sides of your rice cooker with coconut oil. This will help your quinoa from sticking to the pan while cooking. It also helps keep the quinoa fluffy by adding moisture and texture.
Some non-stick cookers may not require a coat of coconut oil prior to cooking but it is always an option and will not affect the cooking process of your quinoa.
2. Place your dry quinoa into your rice cooker. Some brands of quinoa require you to rinse it in a fine mesh colander before cooking. For this method adding in dry quinoa works best. The liquids you add with provide sufficient moisture for your quinoa.
Buying prewashed quinoa works best for this method.
3. Add 14.5 fluid ounces (1.81  c) of chicken broth to your quinoa. There is no need to stir your ingredients together. The quinoa will naturally absorb the liquid while it cooks. If needed you can substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth or water.
4. Set your rice cooker to the “brown or white rice” setting. If you only have one rice option, setting your cooker to the main rice setting will work just as well. Once you select your setting, simply put the lid on the rice cooker and press the start button.
Cooking quinoa in a rice cooker will take around 30 minutes.
5. Allow your quinoa to cool uncovered for 3-4 minutes. After giving your quinoa time to cool, gently fluff it with a fork. Using a fork to fluff out your quinoa will not only help keep an airy texture but lock in the moisture it absorbed during the cooking process.
If you opted not to use chicken broth, add a pinch of salt to taste.
6. Serve your quinoa right out of the cooker or add to another dish. After the short cooling period, your quinoa will be ready to serve. It makes a great side dish and can be served alone or can be added to enhance other recipes.
7. Store any unused quinoa for up to 4 days. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator, sealed in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days.

Method 3 Microwaving Your Quinoa.
1. Put your rinsed quinoa into a microwave-safe dish. Either rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh colander for 30 seconds or purchase quinoa that has already been prewashed. Use ceramic or another microwave safe bowl that will provide you with enough room to add in the liquid.
2. Add 2 parts liquid for every 1 part quinoa to your microwave safe dish. If you are cooking 1 cup (190 grams) of quinoa you will need 2 cups (16  fl oz) of liquid. When adding your liquid, you can use different types of broths such as chicken or vegetable. You can also simply use water, however, for this cooking method a type of broth is preferred.
Not adding enough liquid will cause your quinoa to dry out during the cooking process.
3. Cook your quinoa on high heat 5 minutes. Your microwave, most likely, will already be set to high heat or normal mode. Make sure that your microwave is set to its highest setting.
4. Reduce microwave power and cook for an additional 15 minutes. After letting your quinoa cook for 5 minutes reduce the heat of your microwave to 40% power and let it cook for another 15 minutes and let it cool for another 3-4 minutes before serving.
You will not need to stir your quinoa in between cooking sequences.
Some microwaves will allow you to program in both sequences prior to cooking.

Maret 31, 2020

How to Make Coconut Quinoa

How to Make Coconut Quinoa.

The combination of coconut and quinoa is delicious. The wonderful thing about coconut quinoa is that it can be served for breakfast with berries, nuts and seeds or cooked for dinner with a range of side dishes or as part of a curry. If you have rice cooker or a slow cooker, coconut quinoa is very easy to make. It can also be cooked on the stovetop. Enjoy coconut quinoa with sweet flavors like maple syrup and honey or with spices like cinnamon.

Ingredients Basic Coconut Quinoa.
1tablespoon of coconut oil, 1 1/2cups of rinsed quinoa.
1 (13.5 ounce) can of unsweetened coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of salt.
Serves six people.

Ingredients Coconut Quinoa with Maple Syrup.
1 cup of rinsed quinoa, 15 oz. of coconut milk.
1/2 a cup of water, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
Serves four people.

Ingredients Coconut Quinoa Porridge with Blueberries.
1 cup (8 oz) rinsed, white quinoa, 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz) coconut milk.
1/2 a cup (4 fl oz) and two tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder.
1/2 a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 3 teaspoons of honey, 1 pint (8 oz) of blueberries.
1 tablespoon of coconut chips, 1 tablespoon of roasted pistachios, 2 teaspoons of chia seeds.
2 teaspoons of coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, 1 peeled, sliced banana, Almond milk to serve.
Serves two or three people.

Ingredients Coconut Quinoa Curry.
1 peeled, chopped sweet potato, A large broccoli crown, 1/2 a cup of diced white onion.
15 oz. of rinsed, drained chick peas, 28 oz of diced tomatoes, 29 oz. of coconut milk.
1/4 of a cup of quinoa, Two large minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger.
1 tablespoon of grated turmeric, 2 teaspoons of tamari sauce, 1/2 a teaspoon of chili flakes, 1- 1 1/2 cups of water.
Serves six to eight people.

Method 1 Making Basic Coconut Quinoa.
1. Toast the quinoa. Start by heating the oil in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat. Then, throw in the quinoa and toast it for five minutes. You should stir it around to make sure the quinoa is coated in oil and gets brown but not burnt.
2. Cook the coconut quinoa. Add the salt, a cup and a half of water and the coconut milk. Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn it down to a simmer. Simmer it for twenty to twenty five minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Leave it, off the burner, to rest for ten minutes and then serve it.
3. Add maple syrup to the basic coconut quinoa. Put the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan. Once it has come to a boil, turn it down to a simmer. Let it simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, which should take around ten minutes.
If you have a rice cooker, you can just throw all of the ingredients inside and set it to white rice setting.
This wonderful recipe can be served alongside Asian inspired, salty or spicy dishes. It can also be served on its own.

Method 2 Making Coconut Quinoa with Blueberries.
1. Cook the coconut quinoa. Put a saucepan on high heat. Throw in the quinoa, one cup of the coconut milk, half a cup of water, half a teaspoon of vanilla powder and all of the cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it boils, immediately turn it down to a simmer. Let it simmer for twelve minutes, which should allow the liquid to be absorbed into the quinoa. Finally, stir in two teaspoons of honey and the rest of the coconut milk.
2. Make the blueberry sauce for the porridge. Put a saucepan on medium to low heat. Put the blueberries, two tablespoons of water, the rest of the vanilla and a teaspoon of honey. Cook the mixture for six minutes.
If it is winter, you can get frozen blueberries in the freezer section of your grocery store. If it is summer, make an outing of it and go blueberry picking.
3. Mix the nuts. Stir the coconut chips, pistachios, chia seeds and coconut sugar in a little bowl. Optionally, you could throw in a few chia seeds or other seeds or nuts of your choice. It tastes great with most kinds of nuts and seeds. Consider adding the following healthy nuts to the existing recipe.
Consider adding some Brazil nuts, which are a great source of selenium.
Throw in some almonds, which are a great source of riboflavin, vitamin E, and magnesium. They also have lots of protein.
Put in some pistachios, which have lots of healthy fat.
4. Serve the porridge. Serve a few ladles of quinoa into the serving bowls. Put some almond butter on top. Pour the blueberry mixture on top. Finally, sprinkle some sliced banana and the nut mixture.

Method 3 Making Coconut Curry.
1. Get out your slow cooker. In a slow cooker, add a cup of water. Then, add all of the ingredients. Mix the ingredients around until everything looks well mixed.
If you don't have a slow cooker, consider getting one. You should look for one that distributes heat evenly and has a removable insert, since it will be easier to wash. They make cooking easier, since you can get other things done while you are making your curry.
If you have more time on your hands, you could cook the chick peas from scratch instead of using a can.
2. Turn on the slow cooker. If you cook it on low, it will take five hours. If you cook it on a higher setting, it will cook in three or four hours. You should check it after three hours.
Root vegetables take longer to cook so put them on the bottom of the pot closer to the heat source. If your slow cooker has the heat element only on the bottom or top, as opposed to all around the sides, you will need to stir it more often.
If you want a darker curry, you could cook the ginger, garlic and onion a bit before putting them in your slow cooker. If you prefer a lighter curry, put them in raw at the same time as all your ingredients.
If you prefer a spicier curry, you could add another tablespoon each of ginger and turmeric.
3. Check to see if it is done. You will know it is done when the potatoes are fully cooked and the curry looks nice and thick. If it is still somewhat watery, it needs to keep cooking. The best way to check is to taste the potatoes to see if they are done all the way through. It should be warm and spicy.

Things You'll Need : Rice cooker, Slow cooker, Medium sized saucepan.

April 09, 2020