Quinoa: Just give it a try

Quinoa takes a little getting used to, but as a wheat-free grain and a good substitute for couscous, it’s worth the effort.

Here’s what’s odd about quinoa. It’s not the taste; it tastes kind of crunchy and nutty and mild, and has a nice flavor.

But it looks a little like a biology class experiment. The grains as they come out of the box are tiny white nuggets. But when they’re cooked, they expand and turn translucent — except for a thin thread that runs along the inside edge.  It looks a little weird. But not so weird that you can’t get used to it.

The good thing about quinoa is that it can be a nice side dish, and it isn’t just pasta disguised as a grain. I love couscous, but really you might as well eat a plate of spaghetti as eat those minute little grains of pasta.

And of course there are many interesting kinds of rice, but most are processed and give you a fairly high dose of carbohydrate. One of the reasons why people say they feel hungry an hour after they eat Chinese food: the white rice. It races through the digestive system and leaves an empty feeling in the stomach.

Quinoa shouldn’t do that, since it’s a pure grain and is full of nutrients and minerals. Vegans and vegetarians, or people who just don’t like meat, should learn to love quinoa.

It’s a complete protein, which means it contains all the essential amino acids, the ones that your body would probably get from eating a nice juicy steak.

Quinoa is especially loaded with lysine, which helps your body absorb calcium and build strong muscles. It also seems to strengthen your immune system.

It has some iron in it, which makes it a doubly good substitute for red meat. And it has a  healthy amount of manganese (about 50 percent of your daily recommended dose) and magnesium (25 percent of your daily dose). Manganese strengthens your bones and helps regulate your cholesterol and blood sugar. Magnesium is also good for your bones, and it helps calm your nerves, keeps your heart beating in a smooth, steady beat and lowers your blood pressure and prevents headaches.

Once you get used to eating quinoa, perhaps you’ll be happy to see a little mound of it on the side of your plate at dinner. I’m not sure I’m there yet; but I did like it this weekend when I substituted quinoa for bulgur or couscous in a recipe for tabbouleh. Feel free to substitute any fresh herbs you have in your garden. Thin-sliced fresh radish is good, too.

                                                                                                       Tabbouleh

Makes two to four servings

1/3 cup quinoa, uncooked;  1 cup water or chicken stock;  pinch of salt;  1/2 cup each chopped fresh parsley and mint leaves;  1/2 tomato, seeded and chopped;   1 tablespoon chopped onion;  1 tablespoon chopped scallion;  2 tablespoons olive oil;  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice;  coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Bring the water or stock to a boil, add the quinoa and salt, bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the grains are tender and translucent and you can see the little thread around the inside edge of each one.

Drain and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel and the pot lid, and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Next, combine the quinoa with the herbs, onion, scallion and tomato. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and toss with the quinoa and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

This type of salad usually improves if the ingredients are allowed to sit for a half hour or so.