Quinoa...gross!

[MelliDuff]

I am searching for something besides rice to supplement my diet (for breakfast or casseroles - i am not found of the boxed cereals)....I do love cream of rice. I can not do corn it makes me sick, I bought some Quinoa thinking it could be good. All I have to say is it is totally repulsive......

I bought a whole bag and box of the Quinoa flakes. I thought to myself this stuff taste so horrible I must be eating it wrong.

Any suggestion on cooking it? I have flakes and the beads.....

It taste like sour dirt to me. HeLP

[RiceGuy]

Well, I haven't tried quinoa, but given what I've read, and knowing it is a comparatively starchy grain gives me a starting point (I hope). I recall it cooks somewhat fast compared to rice - like 15-20 mins if memory serves. It is usually suggested as a sub for rice, so that's what I'd think to try first.

For a hot cereal I prefer Kasha (roasted buckwheat). It cooks in about 15 mins, and tastes really good with raisins and cinnamon IMO. Other grains you might want to try are amaranth, millet, t'eff, and sorghum. Usually there are cooking suggestions on the label. Amaranth has a pleasingly hearty/nutty flavor IMO, and is loaded with fiber and protein. In fact, all these grains are typically higher in such nutrients than rice, even brown rice (buckwheat isn't technically a grain, but it works like one).

Lastly, if you haven't yet tried sweet brown rice, I'd recommend it. I couldn't stand the taste of the typical brown rice in the supermarket, but the short grain brown and sweet brown (also a short grain) is simply creamy and delicious.

[Nina12488]

this isn't really breakfast, but what my mom does with quinoa is put like veggies, feta cheese, you could do meat too i guess... and then she puts a poppyseed dressing and mixes it all up.. and its really not that bad at all.. i just dont like the blandness quinoa has to offer so i think the key is the dressing or the sauce you put on it

[tom]

It taste like sour dirt to me. HeLP

Yuck .. . . ..sounds like it needed to be rinsed.

I've had quinoa a good number of times & never thought that - liked it every time.

I've seen my 2 young nephews enjoy it, prepared plainly even, and I'm quite sure they're anti-sourdirt!

P.S. I love the flakes as a coating for fish. 1st I dredge in quinoa flour, then egg, then the flakes. Mahhhhvelous!!

[RiceGuy]

I should have also mentioned red lentils. I never thought I'd be able to enjoy lentils, at least not the way they had been prepared when I was little, but since gluten-free I have been enjoying the red ones quite a lot. They cook into a puree in about 25 mins or so, and are simply wonderful in stews and such. I especially like it cooked with Kasha, to which I add veggies once that's done.

[lizard00]

I"m a quinoa fan. Two things, and both have already been said, but just for emphasis. You MUST MUST MUST wash the quinoa before you use it. Otherwise you do get a really bitter taste. The second is to put it with something. Quinoa is high in protein, too (BTW).

My favorite way to eat it is with black beans(rinsed), and chopped tomatoes. You put about a tsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of cumin and ground coriander, 1 tbsp or so of fresh chopped cilantro and a few squirts of lime juice. Once the quinoa cooks, mix all the things together and voila! You can either eat as is, which in itself is a complete meal, or do as a side dish. That is by far the best way that I have had it.

[missy'smom]

You can add quinoa to rice when you cook it. I add 1 Tb. per cup. Rinse it well. I've had the mexican style salad that lizard00 mentions and it is very good. I also second Riceguy's recommendation of brown rice.

[MelliDuff]

Wow thanks for all the suggestions everyone, the creamy brown rice sounds awesome ....I am going to find a place I can get Kasha (roasted buckwheat) and amaranth while I am at it. These sound great, I am trying to get more protein and fiber besides beans/ meat.

"Yuck .. . . ..sounds like it needed to be rinsed."

I thought that too but these were the flakes, that tasted like sour dirt. It was terrible.

"P.S. I love the flakes as a coating for fish. 1st I dredge in quinoa flour, then egg, then the flakes. Mahhhhvelous!!"

Now that I could try. Umm yummy maybe...

Nina the feta cheese thing sounds interesting...

I have always loved to cook and bake and I am trying to wade into it now gluten free. These suggestions sound great to start off with.

I am defiantly RINSING the heck out of the beaded ones before trying to cook anything with them.

[Juliebove]

I love quinoa but I prepare it like pilaf. I get the kind that doesn't need to be rinsed. I cook it in chicken broth and add plenty of onion, carrot, celery, maybe some peppers and peas. Whatever I have in the house.

[tarnalberry]

did you just cook it with water and leave it plain? it can be fairly bitter, particularly if you're a super taster. at the least, I combine it with a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and plenty of honey or agave (~2-4 tbsp for each 1/3 cup of quinoa flakes)

[MelliDuff]

did you just cook it with water and leave it plain? it can be fairly bitter, particularly if you're a super taster. at the least, I combine it with a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and plenty of honey or agave (~2-4 tbsp for each 1/3 cup of quinoa flakes)

Yes I did cook the flakes plain in water a tiny bit of salt....I wanted to see what it "tasted" like without anything added.

[RiceGuy]

...the creamy brown rice sounds awesome ...I am trying to get more protein and fiber besides beans/ meat.

The kind of rice I get is Lundberg:

Open Original Shared Link

I like adding shredded coconut to cereals (and nearly everything else), which tastes great IMO. It also happens to be a good source of fiber and healthy fats. I give it 10 minutes or more to soak up liquid, otherwise it might be a little dry.

[JNBunnie1]

I find Kasha in the international aisle of my grocery store. I also make quinoa beads, but I put the water and quinoa in the pot and then add applesauce. I'd say about 1/2 cup of applesauce to 1 cup of quinoa, and I add it at the start of cooking. I like it that way, I also find it not that appetizing plain.

[SpikeMoore]

lizard00

That's how I eat quinoa too! I use home canned tomatoes and also toss in a little corn with the beans. I think it is a great combination for nutrition as my nutrition book says 1 cup of cooked quinoa has equal calcium to a quart of milk! With the tomatoes and beans I think it is quite healthy.

Otherwise I use it like rice--as a side dish and it often gets mixed in with some of the sauce of the main course. Am thinking of chicken quinoa soup next.

[Green12]

I love quinoa but I prepare it like pilaf. I get the kind that doesn't need to be rinsed. I cook it in chicken broth and add plenty of onion, carrot, celery, maybe some peppers and peas. Whatever I have in the house.

This sounds good, I am going to try making it like this.

[Cheri A]

I'm a quinoa fan too. Usually I make it like Juliebove does with chicken broth and veggies. I have also mixed it with beans, rice, and cheese. I've never made the flakes before though.

The creamy brown rice breakfast sounds really good! Thanks for the ideas!!

[HiDee]

I found quinoa to have a weird taste at first too. Here's how I've gotten around it, I rinse it very well then put it in the pan and cook it for a while (about 5-7 min) without any liquid (dry roast it) stirring constantly, if it's roasted long enough this takes away the funny aftertaste. I've also heard someone say they let it soak overnight to improve the flavor, I haven't tried this yet but it sounds promising. Then I add broth or water and bouillon, seasonings and vegetables etc. Or I've done it with a can of Progresso creamy mushroom soup which is good too. I tried it for breakfast once and didn't like it with sweet things added, I prefer it with the broth or soup. I haven't tried the flakes but the applesauce sounds like a good idea.

[cruelshoes]

In addition to the saponin coating that needs to be rinsed off, quinoa, as a whole grain, can go rancid. Make sure the box you have hasn't been sitting around a while.

I like the taste of the quinoa grain and the flakes, but cannot eat the flour for any reason. It does taste like dirt. I am a quinoa flour super taster. I think I need a cape and a shirt with a big Q on it.