A healthy take on fried rice.

Confused about that new buzz grain/seed/nut thing, called quinoa, that everyone is raving about? So was I. It’s pronounced keen-wah and it’s worth checking out.

As I found out last week, quinoa is actually a seed. I’d assumed it was a grain and only discovered my mistake after months of telling anyone who would stand still long enough to listen that I was obsessed with a grain I’d recently come across. What’s that saying? When you assume, you make an ass out of… something something. Anyway, it’s a seed. And a versatile one at that. I eat it as porridge, put it in salads and use it as a rice substitute.

This little ripper of a seed (did I really just write ‘little ripper’ and I wasn’t being ironic? Apparently, yes.) comes from the Andean region of South America and it is super good for you.

Here are some of its standout features:

1. It is alkalising, so it helps to counteract acidity in the body and ease inflammation.
2. It is a great source of calcium.
3. It fills you up without being heavy.
4. Its protein levels are off the chart and it contains all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein.
5. It is rich in manganese and magnesium.
6. It has almost twice as much fibre as other grains.

You don’t even need to go to a health-food shop to get it! Your local supermarket  should stock it in both of its varieties: red and white. Both are equally good for you so it comes down to your preference. I like to mix them together to get a variety of colours on my plate. It’s crazily versatile and it doesn’t weigh you down like rice and wheat can. It definitely deserves all of the kudos it has received recently. Check it out!

Laura