You say Quinoa, I say Quinoa. Which of us is right? Here’s a Quinoa cheat sheet to help you chat on about this nutrient-dense food like a pro. And we show you how to add a unique twist to your quinoa dishes with essential oils, too.
If you’re already awake to some of the charms of this deliciously nutty, grain-like seed, jam packed with all nine of the essential amino acids we need for our bodies to repair, you might have attempted to share your enthusiasm with others. And like me, perhaps your excited outpouring has been dampened with, “That’s not how you say Quinoa, you know.”
Before you hang your head in foodie shame, you’ll be glad to know there are a few ways of saying it.
There’s the popularised way of saying it — courtesy of lifestyle and cooking shows — and there are the traditional ways of saying it, based on its heritage. Let’s find out more from Auki Henry, who gives this informative and excellent explanation:
“The Quinoa that we eat is a seed from a leafy plant that is native to the mountainous Andes region. ..
‘Quinoa’ is the Spanish version of a Quechua word kinua or kinúwa…
When saying Quinoa / kinúwa both individual vowels are pronounced. As the Quecha pronunciation this will be sounded out phonetically as kee-NOO-ah …
the Spanish derivation Quinoa is pronounced kee-NO-ah …
The … pronunciation that has been popularised by the trendy foodie blogger set and TV chefs is a highly Anglicised version. This permutation of the original has slurred together the two distinct syllables for the vowels resulting in the approximation of KEEN-wah.”
Thanks, Auki ! No more Quinoa Shame for me, nor you, I hope.
And now, onto the truly important stuff. Quinoa behaves somewhat like a grain in cooking, but it’s not a grain, it’s a seed. And it comes from a grassy, leafy plant and we all know that leafy greens are good for us. For the planet’s wellbeing as well as our own, eating quinoa is great for us given its ease of growing, ease of use and very high nutritional value.
Its list of benefits is impressive, even in a world where the word ‘superfood’ is now somewhat maligned:
- gluten-free
- low GI (53)
- a complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids
- rich in the amino acid lycine for encouraging the formation of collagen (hello, anti-aging checklist!) and tissue growth and repair
- high in fibre, manganese, magnesium, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and antioxidants
- rich in quercetin and kaempferol, flavonoids (plant antioxidants) researched for their anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and uplifting effects
- non-GMO and usually grown organically
HOW TO PREPARE
Store your uncooked quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge. Buying pre-rinsed quinoa saves a little time, or you can rinse it yourself in a flash. Rinsing is needed to remove the saponins in the outer layer that can make it taste bitter.
- Place the quinoa in a fine sieve or strainer
- Rinse well under running water and gently rub the seeds together to help release the saponins for removal
- Add 1 ½ cups of filtered water to 1 cup of quinoa in a pot with a grind of sea salt or Himalayan salt and bring to the boil
- Reduce heat to very low and cover with a lid
- Simmer on low until all the water has absorbed (roughly 15 mins), turn off the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes with the lid on
- Separate the quinoa by fluffing it lightly with a fork
Let your inspiration have some fun or try out some recipes.
HOW TO ENJOY
You can simply drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil or butter through (fluff again as needed) and it makes a nourishing side dish for a main. One quick recipe idea is to jazz it up with pomegranate seeds, lightly toasted slivered almonds, finely chopped shallots, chives and freshly snipped herbs, scatter microherbs and organically-grown petals over the top.
And because we love our Young Living essential oils so much, why not experiment with different essential oils to add flavour. Orange, tangerine and basil spring to mind.
This will also connect you up with The Good Oil Team for our personal support and coaching. We'd love to help you on your journey to vibrant well-being the natural way!
Any questions? Please get in touch via our Contact page.
Add 1-2 drops of your chosen essential oil to the olive oil before fluffing through, or dip a bamboo skewer into the essential oil and fluff that through, repeating until you reach the flavour intensity that suits you. *NOTE: Only use oils internally when the label specifically says you can do so. Some oils are not meant for ingestion – and aside from that, there are very few brands of the quality that’s imperative for this purpose.
We’d love to hear your favourite quinoa and oil combinations. Let us know how you go!
