I am very happy to share today’s post for how to make 3 Andean superfoods: quinoa, kiwicha and kaniwa. The idea is to show you how easy it is to prepare these pseudo cereals so that you can think of them when you plan out your meals, especially for their great nutritional value. Español aquí.
Personally, I love them for breakfast, either replacing cereal or adding them to my oatmeal. This week I made them in advance, storing them in the refrigerator to eat during the week. Of course I also enjoy them in dishes like stews. But first things first. Let’s read a little about them and see how they are made.
Quinoa comes from the Andean region that includes Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador and Chile. The name comes from his word in the Peruvian language Quechua. Because it is an edible seed and not a grain, it is known as a pseudo cereal. Some of the benefits of quinoa include being a complete source of protein, because it has 9 amino acids required, plus it is gluten free, among others.
Kiwicha or amaranth, as its known in other parts of the world, is relative of quinoa. Because it is also a seed it is a pseudo cereal. With properties similar to quinoa, it is also a complete source of protein (without gluten), possessing 10 necessary amino acids. Not to mention that it is also an anti-carcinogenic, anti-hypertensive, anti-oxidant, among other benefits.
The kañiwa or kaniwa is another relative of these seeds and therefore is an excellent source of protein and fiber. An interesting difference from this pseudo cereal is that unlike quinoa, it has a less bitter taste as it has less saponin.
Para la preparación, se ha considerado 1 taza de cualquier super alimento y su equivalente más ½ taza en agua. La quinua y kiwicha rinde 1 taza y la kañiwa rinde 2 tazas. Prepara cualquier de las tres de esta manera.
For the preparation, we’ve considered making 1 cup of super food and its equivalent plus ½ a cup of water. The quinoa and kiwicha yield 1 cup and the kañiwa yields 2 cups. Prepare any of the three with this preparation.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, kiwicha or kañiwa
1 ½ cup water (hot)
Preparation
Wash the quinoa with water, taking care not to lose the seeds. Use a very fine strainer, or a special fabric or towel.
Add to a saucepan with water.
Cook for ten minutes or until cooked. Be careful that the water does not evaporate and burn.
Let cool and enjoy or keep for later. In my experience they kept well for a week in the refrigerator.
