Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. It’s considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids. Quinoa is also higher in certain minerals than many grains, including calcium, phosphorus, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. It also is a good source of the dietary fiber. Quinoa looks like small, cream-colored grains of rice, but it cooks in half the time as rice and expands to four times its original volume. Quinoa has a delicate, nutty flavor and chewy texture. It is also ground into flour or made into various forms of pasta. Quinoa is well suited to a variety of dishes and can replace rice or couscous in many recipes. These quinoa recipes are diabetic-friendly and provide nutritional information to make meal planning for diabetes easier.
Quinoa, an ancient "grain" that's actually an edible seed related to beets and spinach, makes a fantastic base for a salad. Its mild, nutty flavour lends itself well to soups, grainy breakfast cereals and anything in which you'd use rice or couscous. With a lighter, fluffier texture than most whole grains, quinoa is also a rich source of protein. Recipe for Quinoa, Black Bean and Mango Salad from our Salads recipe section.
