The Super "Grain": Can You Say QUINOA? {Recipes}

Food Fridays:

As part of my vow to be a little healthier this year, I've decided to broaden my family's minds (and taste buds) to include more diverse foods like QUINOA. I'll be honest, a few year's ago I didn't even know what or how to pronounce it, but now it seems like I keep hearing about it. Then coincidently on TV this week, Bobby Flay made delicious meal on The Chew using quinoa, so on my last trip to the grocery story - I threw it in the basket. 

Call it peer pressure.

Of course, the real issue was the next step - what to do with it. While Bobby did give me a good start on a great way to prepare it, he is Bobby Flay...so I wanted to know what my friends had done with it first. So with the help of Facebook, I got tons of responses from family, friends and neighbors on their favorite recipes using this "grain?" 

Since inquiring minds always want to know more, I went Googling what was so dang special about quinoa. According to About.com, first of all, it's not actually a grain, but a seed. And since Quinoa provides all 9 essential amino acids, it's considered a complete protein that is gluten-free and cholesterol free. 

I guess that does make it kinda awesome, but the real question remained, would do I do with it?  

Thankfully, one of my friends that is always on top of identifying awesome things way ahead of the curve (he totally has been in love with Mumford and Sons for years), shared some of his tried-and-tasted family recipes for me to try.  So while I prepare a little quinoa for dinner tonight (wish me luck), I wanted to share their amazing recipes including his wife's, Nanette's Quinoa Salad. 

Hearty Quinoa & Corn Chowder
Quinoa Tabouleh
Blueberry Mango Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing 
Nanette's Quinoa Salad

Do you have a quinoa recipe you'd like to share?