One of the things I love about cooking is that the process of learning never ends! 
There are always new ingredients to try, new ways to experiment with them, and favorite recipes soon begin to collect in the recipe box.
One of my new favorite ingredients is Quinoa. This ancient grain is packed with all kinds of nutrients, and is also known as a “superfood” , or complete protein. The benefits I see from this grain are not only that it is wholesome and takes care of many of the nutrients we miss during the day, but it also fills me up! My first love in life has always been pasta, yet I find that Quinoa gives me the same fulness as pasta, without the horrible blood sugar spike that follows.
Quinoa is great in salads, side dishes, main course meals, as well as in some deserts. Check out one of my favorite quinoa burger recipes at EatingWellLivingThin, and I hope you won’t be afraid to try cooking this wonderful grain.
I usually buy Quinoa at either Sprouts or Costco. Sprouts sells Quinoa for a little over $3 per pound, where Costco will sell a big 4 lb bag for $8.99 (Trust me, that bag will last me at least 6 months!). The beautiful thing about Quinoa is that you only make about a half of a cup and you are totally full. I usually add vegetables, tomato sauce, or sometimes even fruit to offset just the grain, but overall, it turns out to be a pretty satisfying meal.
It’s also fun to look at the many recipes out there for Quinoa, including one of my favorite blogs Queen of Quinoa. This girl has some wonderful recipes, mainly gluten-free, that will challenge you to put more vegetables in your diet as well as experiment with this awesome grain. Would love to hear comments on your favorite ways to cook Quinoa, I know I will try it!