by Sarah Michelson

Created on: March 08, 2009   Last Updated: March 10, 2009

Quinoa is an extroardinary grain. It provides a large amount of protein; key to a vegetarian diet, and is highly versatile, working as a side dish, main course, or even just a hot snack.

Quinoa, pronounced "keen-wa" can sometimes be difficult to find. If you have trouble finding it at your local grocery store, I suggest you look for it at a health food or organic store.

Quinoa is very simple to cook. It can be cooked like rice if you have a rice cooker, or if you do not, it can be cooked on the stove.

When cooking quinoa on the stovetop, you need twice as much water as quinoa. For example, if you are cooking a cup of quinoa, you will need two cups of water. Make sure to rinse and drain the quinoa prior to cooking. Bring the water to a boil, then let it cook until the grain is translucent with the husk, which looks like a white half circle, on the side, and all of the water is absorbed.

After the quinoa is cooked, you can add flavor to it. The following recipe is for buttery, cheesy quinoa. Parmesan cheese is a flavorful alterernative to more fatty cheeses, and though you use quite a bit, prevents this recipe from becoming to caloric.

However, if you are not a cheese afficiando, you may want to use less cheese than the recipe calls for. To make this recipe vegan, you can use your favorite cheese and butter substitutes.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon butter Milk, to taste

1. Once the quinoa is cooked, turn the burner down to medium low and add the butter and cheese, allowing it to melt. The butter should prevent the parmesan cheese from getting too sticky.

2. Turn off the heat on the burner. As the quinoa cools, add the milk to taste. Only use a bit at first, then add more if you think it is necessary. Salt to taste and serve.

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