The history of quinoa is rich and dated long ago. When Spanish conquistadors entered the South America in the mid of sixteenth century, they destroyed and burned the quinoa fields as part of the attempt to wipe out Inca culture. But quinoa stayed alive by rising wild in the mountains or by being cultured in secret in minute quantities. In the 1980s, two North Americans searched for this antique, super-nutritious foodstuff and started cultivating it close to Boulder, Colorado. Since then, quinoa’s fame has exploded all over the world.
Knowing Quinoa
Although quinoa is cooked and consumed like a grain, it is officially a seed, and is linked to spinach, beets and chards. It grows best in hilly regions, 10 thousand feet or more over sea level, and flourishes in poor soil, extreme weather and thin air.
Quinoa stalks are about 3 to 6 feet tall, and every plant can generate up to one cup of seeds. The seeds are round in shape, about the similar size of sesame or millet seeds, and come in a multiple colors, from red to green to purple to yellow, but the quinoa that is most usually found in stores is in off-white color. You can find quinoa in the bulk segment of natural food stores, or in the natural segment of usual supermarkets.
Most commercially obtainable quinoa has already been made fresh, but you should still provide it a careful rinsing prior to cooking to be sure to eliminate any residual saponins, a foamy resin that guards the seeds at the time of growth, but can convey an acidic taste if not detached.
Quinoa is in nature gluten-free, making it an outstanding food for celiac patients or other people having a gluten-free diet. Quinoa flour is a good option for baking breads, cookies, and muffins, and quinoa flakes are the ideal replacement for oatmeal.
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