****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I had tried quinoa a few times at vegetarian restaurants and thought it was an unusually satisfying addition to a meal, but probably too complicated for me to prepare at home. The Quinoa Cookbook really breaks down the preparation into clear, detailed steps. The author takes out the guesswork that can often make or break a good recipe. I'm a healthy eater, but also love the taste of rich food so I'm always looking for ways to incorporate delicious flavors into nutritious staples. Quinoa is surprisingly tasty and incredibly good for you. I had no idea that Quinoa was so rich in protein. It's also packed with nine amino acids, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, B vitamins, vitamin E, copper, zinc and dietary fiber.My parents were in town for Labor Day weekend and they are very old school when it comes to food. My mom is an amazing cook and baker, but health was never very high on her cooking priority list. The more butter the better was the order of the day. They were pretty skeptical at first when I told them of my Quinoa adventures, and I had to convince them to try it.I tested out the Shrimp and "Grits" with Quinoa the day before they arrived on my boyfriend who grew up in the south. It was a rich, delicious dish with cream, sausage, ham and the added nutty flavor of Quinoa. Yum! He said it lived up to the original, but with sneaky nutritional value, so I was confident to try out another recipe on my parents.I decided to skip the recipes in the "Going Global with Quinoa" chapter (although the Indian 3-Spice Curry With Coconut Quinoa sounded amazing) and stick with a variation on the familiar. There is a great "American Classics with Quinoa" chapter at the end so I went for the Meatloaf with Quinoa. It was simple to make and my Mom enjoyed helping in the kitchen because it was a dish she knew well. Ground beef, vegetables, parsley, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and quinoa. it was a big hit. The addition of the quinoa made it healthier than the original and I felt good about what I was putting into my body. My parents were just happy to eat a good meatloaf.I finished the meal off with the Quinoa Chocolate Cake which was everything you'd want in a dessert but with a unique texture and health benefit. Despite his initial reservations, my Dad went back for seconds.After this overall successful Quinoa experience, The Quinoa Cookbook will absolutely become a go-to resource for entertaining and easy weekday meals. I'm excited to try the breakfast and lunch recipes. I will definitely incorporate quinoa into my everyday diet. Highly recommend it.
