• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
FOODHEAL
  • RECIPES
  • RESOURCES
    • ARTICLES
  • ABOUT ME
  • COACHING
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • BOOKS
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • RECIPES
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT ME
  • COACHING
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • BOOKS
×

Home » HEALTHY RECIPES » Main dish » Learn how to easily cook quinoa perfectly

Learn how to easily cook quinoa perfectly

by Githu

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Learn how to easily cook quinoa perfectly. It's very simple and quick.

Cooked quinoa in a saucepan

Hopefully, you're well as I walk you through how to cook quinoa perfectly.

When you're advised to go grain-free, to go gluten-free and many other regiments, it's can be very overwhelming not knowing where to start.
Quinoa is definitely that seed you need to have in the house.

What's quinoa?

To dissipate any confusion, quinoa isn't a grain as it's normally referred to. It's rather a seed from a plant of the same family as beets and spinach.

There 're three types of quinoa; there's black quinoa, red quinoa, and white quinoa. White being the most flavorful as well as easy to find. Additionally, it's the cheapest even though quinoa, in general, remains costly.

Origin of quinoa

Quinoa, ginger & cinnamon

Quinoa originated from the Andes mountains in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

Incas people called it the mother of all grains as it has been around for about 7000 years.

It can grow up to 4500 altitudes.

Quinoa almost went into extinction upon the arrival of Spanish who burnt it down. Only a few survived in high mountains.

Quinoa nutrients

Soaked quinoa in water
  • Quinoa is a functional food because it helps reduce the risk of various diseases.
  • This is due to the presence of fiber, minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
  • It possesses a high amount of proteins and essential amino acids.
  • Studies have shown that frequent consumption of quinoa help reduce inflammation. So it's the best friend you can have daily in your path of healing
  • You'll get Vitamin Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin, Folate, Vit. E, A, B6, and B2.
  • It has a high concentration of calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Zinc, and Iron.

How cook quinoa perfectly

Learn how to cook quinoa perfectly by following these simple steps

  • You can choose to soak your quinoa. This will reduce its bitterness due to anti-nutrients.
  • Boil 2 cups of water in your boiler
  • Rinse 1 cup of quinoa
  • In a saucepan put quinoa, some salt (you can add ginger if you love it) and add the boiling water
  • Stir, cover and let it boil at high temperature for about 5 mins
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and leave your quinoa to simmer till the water is absorbed

How much does 1 cup of quinoa yield?

I cup of dry quinoa will give you about 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Quinoa swells as it cooks if you let it cook at low heat at the end of cooking it'll swell more vs cooking at high heat all the way.

How to make quinoa taste good?

  • Quinoa can be sometimes be bitter, to avoid this, rinse your quinoa before cooking, but if you have time you can soak your quinoa for about 6 hours to reduce the bitterness.
  • Add spices to your cooking quinoa, you can add ginger, cinnamon or all spices to enhance the taste of your quinoa
  • Another thing is to add some cold pressed olive oil at the end of cooking, this makes quinoa so delicious and I am sure you'll love it.

How to appreciate quinoa

Cooked quinoa in a saucepan

Quinoa is versatile, you can enjoy it in salads, as a main dish with some veggies or on detox.

Here, my kids and I also love it in breakfast with some fruits and/or with fermented coconut milk.
Just be creative and if you have nothing else but quinoa, It's definitely, sweet on its own.

Have a look at these quinoa recipes; Fresh apricot quinoa salad, easy & healthy quinoa salad

You have a good reason now to add quinoa to your shopping list. It's no doubt it will be your ally as you fight RA, it will help you in weight loss as well.

Wishing you a beautiful time, till next be blessed and fight that pain as much as you can.
My love to you, Githu.

Cooked quinoa in a saucepan
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Learn how to easily cook quinoa perfectly

Learn how to easily cook quinoa perfectly
Prep Time2 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time22 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: anti-inflammatory, plantbased
Keyword: cooking quinoa, How to cook quinoa, Quinoa
Servings: 4 people
Calories:
Author: Githu
Cost: 2€

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • pinch salt
  • pinch grounded cinnamon
  • pinch grounded ginger
  • 1 tbs Cold pressed olive oil

Instructions

  • Rinse your quinoa with cold water for at least 2 times. Drain it well.
  • In a heating pan, bring in cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Stir together and add your quinoa.
  • Pour the boiling water. Stir. Cover and let it come to a boiling point. 
  • Boil for the next 4 mins. Then lower the heat to medium and let it cook slowly for about 15 mins or till all water is almost absorbed.
  • Low the heat again to very low and let the quinoa swell as it finalizes it's cooking
  • When the water is completely drained, cut the heat and add the oil. 
  • You can cover it and let it sit for a while or serve immediately.
  • Enjoy your delicious quinoa. thank you for sharing this recipe.

Notes

Depending on your cooker, the heat might vary. cooking with a gas cooker isn't the same as with electric cooker and more so with induction. So please keep an eye on your quinoa.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 0mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

More Main dish

  • Immune-boosting recipe with carrots
  • Simple healthy dinner broccoli recipe
  • Healthy fried corn on the cob with onions
  • Chickpea salad recipe | 9 Reasons why you should eat chickpeas

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Liver detox cleanse salad • FOOD HEAL says:
    January 19, 2019 at 11:08 am

    […] Learn how to cook delicious quinoa […]

  2. Quinoa+green beans vegan bowl • FOOD HEAL says:
    February 7, 2019 at 1:42 pm

    […] Learn how to cook delicious quinoa […]

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I am Githu, Certified Holistic Health & Nutrition Coach and Food as Medicine.

I create Simple Healthy Recipes for you that are whole plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free. Perfect for weight loss, these recipes are anti-inflammatory. They will help you heal your body from within.

More about me →

Book

Amazon Kindle ebook
ORDER YOUR kINDLE EBOOK

Recent

  • Quick pomegranate breakfast for your busiest morning
  • Easy broccoli salad with arugula | blueberry salad
  • Simple and Healthy plantain salad recipe
  • Learn how to restore gut health | Probiotic foods

Footer

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • Coaching Terms of Use

Get Our Simple & Delicious Healthy Recipes

* indicates required

Footer

Copyright 2022© foodnheal.com All images on this site are by Githu. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT