If you haven't heard of quinoa yet, let me introduce you.
Quinoa was first domesticated by the Incas around 3000 years ago. It is a species of
goosefoot, and not a true grain, although it is most often treated as a grain in cooking and baking. Biologically, it's more closely related to beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds. Which, if you ask me, are not the tastiest foods known to mankind. Although I am being kind of judgmental about tumbleweeds, as I have never eaten those.
Quinoa, on the other hand, is delicious. Unless you ask my husband, who ranks it right up there with beets and tumbleweeds on the list of foods he would rather not consume. And by "not consume" I mean he would rather eat dirt. But since quinoa is super healthy, I don't feel the least bit guilty about eating every last
Cheesy Quinoa Cake myself.
Quinoa is very high in protein and fiber, and is often referred to as a "superfood." It is also a gluten-free and a good source of calcium. The most commonly available types of quinoa are white, red, and black.
Quinoa has become so popular in the United States and other countries where it is not typically grown that between 2006 and early 2013 quinoa crop prices have tripled. And this has raised some concerns about food security in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru, where the inflated price of quinoa disrupts local access to food supplies.
Okay, that does make me feel a little guilty about the quinoa cakes. So as popular and healthy as quinoa is, maybe we should consider consuming it in moderation.
You could always add tumbleweeds to your diet in place of quinoa every once in awhile. I presume they're also high in fiber.
*This month I'm participating in the A-Z Blogging Challenge--working my way through the alphabet in a culinary fashion. All this month I'll be sharing A-Z posts featuring recipes, cooking and baking tips and thoughts on food in general. From apples to ziti, I'll be covering it all during the month of April.
