Black Quinoa

Black quiona: description and properties:

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a herbaceous plant from which edible grains are obtained that we can use for our diet as if they were cereals. It is a pseudo cereal that is truly rich in properties and offers various benefits to those who consume it with a certain regularity. In fact, unlike cereals and legumes, it contains all 8 essential amino acids which make it a complete meal. This is a really interesting feature especially for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and are looking for plant-based sources of protein. Quinoa is gluten-free and celiacs can consider it a really beneficial food since quinoa is gluten-free. It is rich in proteins since, unlike cereals, it contains all the essential amino acids. Quinoa is also considered a beneficial food because it contains both proteins and carbohydrates in balanced quantities. Finally, it is also useful for promoting the regular functioning of the intestine. Origins and history Quinoa, classified as a cereal, is actually a herbaceous plant belonging to the same family as spinach and beets, typical of South America, originating from the territory of Lake Titicaca and cultivated in the Andean regions for more than 5000 years. It was defined by the Incas and Mayas as wheat of gold. These populations had understood its notable nutritional properties and more. The Incas considered quinoa a sacred food with supernatural properties. Its grains, similar to those of millet, were the basis of their diet, together with potatoes and corn.

The Spanish conquistadors, in the sixteenth century, prohibited their use, especially to eliminate sacred rituals that were considered sacrilegious and to destroy the culture of these Andean warriors. Each peasant family, however, saved the seeds secretly and maintained the traditions over time, allowing quinoa to resist the invader and return after years to the tables of those peoples. Even today it is the staple food of the rural populations of the Andes. For a few years now, quinoa has been re-evaluated and has entered the FAO research programs and the UN has declared 2013 "International Year of Quinoa", as a food in the fight against hunger, poverty and malnutrition. Quinoa, in fact, is used in its parts: in addition to the grains used as cereals, the leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach and the stem becomes fodder in livestock farming. Quinoa resists frost, drought, places with high salinity and is therefore cultivable on impervious terrain such as the high altitudes of the Andes, some desert areas with low rainfall or in extreme conditions. Precisely for these reasons, quinoa grows spontaneously with notable adaptability even at 5000 meters above sea level in the Andean cordillera. On the other hand, quinoa is a safe food as the grains and the flour derived from them are consumed intact. This "ancient" plant, according to the UN, is a manifesto of biodiversity, an ambassador of well-being, nourishment and prosperity. Today it is cultivated in South America, the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. It is a food with a high nutritional value and is gluten-free, therefore also suitable for allergy sufferers.

Use in cooking, black quinoa salad.

Ingredients:

• 300 g of black quinoa        

• 1 large orange        

• 1 large leek        

• 2 carrots        

• 1 onion        

• 100 g of peeled almonds        

• 1 handful of raisins        

• Extra virgin olive oil to taste.

• Salt to taste

Preparation: Start by carefully washing the quinoa under cold running water. Drain the water and cook the quinoa in boiling salted water for at least 15 minutes or as long as is indicated on the package. In the meantime, chop the onion and cut the leek into thin slices. Wash the carrots, dry them and cut them into sticks. Heat a couple of turns of extra virgin olive oil and brown the onion and leek. When they are slightly wilted, add the carrots and sauté them for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Peel the orange and cut it into strips. Chop the almonds finely and keep them aside. When the quinoa is cooked, drain it and place it in alarge bowl to cool. At this point add the vegetables, orange, raisins and finally the chopped almonds. Add another round of raw extra virgin olive oil, mix and serve. Nutritional values ​​quantity per 100 grams ​ Calories 0 Kcal Fat 0 g Saturated fatty acids 0 g Polyunsaturated fatty acids 0 g Monounsaturated fatty acids 0 g Sodium 0 mg Potassium 0 mg Carbohydrates 0 g Dietary fiber 0 g Carbohydrates of which sugars 0 g Proteins 0 g Vitamin A 0 IU Calcium 0 mg Iron 0 mg Vitamin D 0 mg Vitamin B6 0 mg Vitamin B12 0 mg Salt 0 mg The information published on Naturadoriente.com is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice or prescriptions other nature.Before making decisions regarding your health, including changing your diet, it is essential to consult your doctor in person.