Quinoa – Yer Soaking It

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN wah – which I didn’t know until recently, but now love to say) is a grain that is sometimes used as a substitute for rice or couscous. I bought some awhile back, made it, hated it, and gave the rest away and I had pretty much given up on it. But then, I kept finding these dishes that I thought were tasty and when I’d ask, I’d find out it was quinoa. So, in the spirit of keeping an open mind and trying to broaden my options for the 30-day vegan cleanse (and beyond), I thought I’d give quinoa another try.

I went to dig up what I could for information and found this at http://www.savvyvegetarian.com… “Soak the quinoa for 15 min – 1/2 hour [which] helps quinoa to cook evenly, and loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which can give a bitter taste if not removed. If you don’t have time for a longer soaking, use hot water and soak for five minutes.” Could that have been my previous trouble? not soaking? or was it just a different brand? Well, today I didn’t want to take any chances and so I soaked it and I have to say; the quinoa, even plain, tasted pretty darned good. I now understand how you could substitute this as a side, have it as part of a main dish, or even eat it for breakfast.

Day 8 – new dinner

Breakfast – 1/2 cup oatmeal with strawberries and almond milk

Snack – 2 rice cakes with hummus and scant handful of raw sunflower seeds

Lunch – corn and black-bean lettuce bundles (recipe in previous post)

Snack – gs apple with peanut butter and a taste of the quinoa (to make sure it was edible before dinner in case I had to whip up some brown rice instead ;))

Dinner – veggie and lentil soup over quinoa and the smallest bowl of ice cream ever (Good Karma organic rice divine, it follows the rules)

The good. I was not fond of the lentil soup I made, which is a bummer because the whole family ate some. Why is that good, you ask? Well, now I have less of it to eat to finish it off. [sorry, family :/]

The better. I’m glad to have quinoa as an option and I don’t plan to give my bag away this time. Plus, I made it in my rice cooker – slick.

The best. I got all the laundry done today so I can do some more cookin’ tomorrow. Here’s a hint… nuts have been soaked and are now drying.

I guess the moral of today’s lesson is to always give something another chance. Try not to write it off permanently. Who knows, with the right preparation, you might find a new favorite.