Tell me tales of quinoa

[Crunchymunchyhoneycakes]

How do you say it? What do you make with it? What does it taste like?

Thinking about getting some but never tried it and had a disappointing experience with bulgar wheat once...

We love rice, pasta, cous cous - is it like any of them?

[Littlefish]

It 's pronounced "keen-wa".

Don't bother getting any, it's bloody disgusting. All that will happen is you will spend money on ingredients and spend ages trying to make it vaguely palatable, only to have your family reject it after the first mouthful and tip the whole ghastly lot into the bin.

[multitask]

Oh we eat it about once a month. I usually do it in the microwave with some turmeric & 1 tbsp olive oil while I stir fry some veg then mix together. I'm vegan so use it as a source of protein. Also use it in salad I like the flavour!

[DuelingFanjo]

I made it for me and my husband once. Later tat night, after he stopped puking, he checked the package and then asked me 'you did rinse it first didn't you?'. 'of course I did' I lied.

Personally I think it tasted of cardboard but I don't like cous cous either.

[FranKatzenjammer]

It's lovely and very healthy. I often eat it instead of rice.

[BriocheBriocheBrioche]

I just made some for the first time.. Cooked it up and added tuna, shallot, red pepper, avocado and a bit of dijon mustard. I thought it was really nice, a good alternative to cous cous, pasta etc.
There are some nice ideas on bbc good food.
Going to try bulger wheat next.

[Crunchymunchyhoneycakes]

Hmmm, not totally sold on the quinoa thus far. Although its 2 for 2 against to be fair.

Can you just use it where you'd normally have rice or cous cous?

[Crunchymunchyhoneycakes]

Bbc good food negates the need for recipe books these days eh?

[NorbertDentressangle]

I like it. In some ways I prefer it to couscous which I find dull.

A couple of lovely dishes we've had it in are (sorry, can't remember where the recipes are from):

-quinoa with roasted butternut squash, goats cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds

-quinoa and wild garlic shallow fried 'cakes' (with chunks of feta IIRC in). Lovely texture as the outer edges are a bit crunchy and nutty.

[BriocheBriocheBrioche]

Sadly so... I have a shelf full of recipe books and love reading them but bbc good food is my go to site for inspiration these days.

[NorbertDentressangle]

aaah - quick google and I've found the quinoa and wild garlic cakes recipe and this is essentially the other one.

[LordEmsworth]

I love quinoa. It has a slightly nutty texture but little flavour, so it carries other flavours well. Much nicer than couscous.

My favourite recipes:

Quinoa and kale stir fry with chilli and nuts

Quinoa feta and spinach salad

[Curioustiger]

brioche and crunchy you need to come on over to the cookery book group thread and we will teach you to love your cookery books again!

I don't honestly love quinoa but it is the nicest of the grains I think. With all of them though I think it is better to ensure they are an addition to rather than the main component of a meal. I wouldn't make a quinoa salad but I would make a normal salad with a good scattering of quinoa, if you see what I mean? Similarly if I have some left over I used to chuck it into smoothies. The only exception to this personal rule was a breakfast / pudding I used to make for my baby dd - quinoa, fruit purée and plain yoghurt.... That was delicious!