Qinoa Grain...pronounced "KEEN WAH"

Yesterday we tried Qinoa grain instead of white rice. I am not a brown rice fan so when I saw the Qinoa grain I was not too excited. I was pleasantly surprised at how good and soft the grain is. It is Gluten-free and does NOT have the texture of brown rice. To me it is very similar to couscous and is amazingly tasty. We had it with grilled salmon. We put some salt, olive oil and lemon on the qinoa and it was great. I would highly recommend this grain if you are trying to find a complex carbohydrates that contains protein!

Here are Some Qinoa Facts:

One of the latest superfoods to be touted by celebrity trainers and the like is quinoa.

What makes "keen-wah" so nutritious? We’ve got the scoop on quinoa nutrition facts.

Most people who have heard of quinoa think it’s a grain, and judging by how it’s pronounced, some assume it’s from the Orient.

But technically, quinoa is a seed, not a grain and it’s grown high in the Andes Mountains of South America.

Quinoa plants have been cultivated at altitudes of well over 10,000 feet and have been considered a superfood for at least a few millennia — in fact, the Incas cherished it as a superfood of their own.

Here in the U.S., quinoa has been discovered as a nutritious asset and enjoyed culinary popularity within only the last few years. Here’s why…

Eat one cup of quinoa (a single serving size), and you’ll consume:

• 220 calories (70 percent carbs, 15 percent fat, 15 percent protein)
• 40 grams of carbohydrates (13 percent daily value)
• 8 grams of protein (16 percent of daily value)
• 3.5 grams of fat (5 percent daily value with no saturated fat)
• A glycemic load (blood sugar spike) of only 18 out of 250
• 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of daily value)
• 20 percent of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
• 30 percent of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches); 28 percent daily value of phosphorous; iron (15 percent); copper (18 percent); and manganese (almost 60 percent) from the site: One of the latest superfoods to be touted by celebrity trainers and the like is quinoa. from the site: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/quinoa-nutrition-facts