Quinoa is a species of goosefoot. It is grown as a crop mostly for it's seeds which are suitable for eating. Rather than being a true cereal it is a psuedocereal, as it is not grass. The leaves of qunioa can be eaten as a a green vegetable but the commercial availability of these is presently limited.

The Andean region of South America is where Quinoa originates from. It has been an important food here for 6,000 years. The name quinoa is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name, which is a native language spoke in South America. Quinoa can easily be cultivated in the Andes, up to about 4,000 metres due it being in general, unchallenging and altitude-hardy. It does however, grow best in soils which are well drained and also requires a moderately long growing season. In eastern North America, it is vulnerable to a leaf miner (insect larvae) which may cause a reduction in crop success.

The Inca civilisation, which began as a tribe thought quinoa to be sacred. It was referred to as "chisaya mama" or "mother of all grains". "Golden implements" were traditionally used by the Inca emperor to sow the first seeds of the season. Quinoa was scorned by the Spanish colonists as "food for Indians" during the European conquest of South America. Also, due to it's status within non-Christian ceremonies, it was also actively suppressed.

If processed properly, quinoa is considered by many Jews to be Kosher for Passover.

Secondary only to the potato, quinoa had great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilisations. Due to the protein content of this crop being very high it has, in modern times, become highly appreciated. It is an unusually complete food due to it containing a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans. It is a good source of dietary fibre and phosphorus as well as being high in magnesium and iron. It is free from gluten and considered to be easy to digest. Due to these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a potential crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for manned space flights of long duration.

When cooked, quinoa has a light and fluffy texture. It is an alternative to white rice or couscous due to it's mild and slightly nutty flavour.

When preparing quinoa, the first step is to remove the saponins. This requires you to soak it for a few hours in water. Change the water and resoak. You can also rinse it in plenty of water either in a cheesecloth or a fine strainer.

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