Be honest about quinoa?!
I like pasta and rice, wasnt so keen on cous cous.
WOuld it be good in chilli?
Answers: Im not really into experimentation. Am i going to like it?
I like pasta and rice, wasnt so keen on cous cous.
WOuld it be good in chilli?
I love quinoa. I'm not a fan of couscous, either -- I don't like the flavor or texture. My two year old actually asks for quinoa, which is crazy because 99% of her diet consists of bananas and macaroni & cheese.
If you just cook it regularly, quinoa is kind of bland. My favorite way to cook it is to chop up and saute an onion, then add the rinsed quinoa and milk/soymilk. Sometimes I'll mix in some spinach or kale or other greens. At the end, I mix in a little parmesan cheese (or any hard cheese on hand). AND IT'S SOOOO GOOD.
My other favorite way to eat quinoa is for breakfast. I cook it in milk with some apples or raisins and cinnamon. Then, I eat it with sliced bananas, a couple spoonfuls of yogurt, a little drizzle of honey on it, and topped with walnuts. IT'S SOOOOOOOO GOOD.
Sorry. I'm getting carried away. I like quinoa, though. I think it lends well to creamier dishes, which is why I cook it in soy milk.
Also, one trick I read about in a cookbook: that after you've cooked it and are ready to serve, pack quinoa into a round measuring cup, and overturn it onto the plate, so it makes a little quinoa cake. That's a very good way to serve it, IMO.
Yes, it's good in Chili. And in pasta sauces.
While some people like couscous & Quinoa, others only like one. It all depends on personal taste.
I think it's kind of like rice. I use it as I do rice. I don't care for cous-cous either.
My wife suggested I sound off on this one. If you want an honest answer, I would say "it depends". But I realize that doesn't help you much. My own personal experiences with Quinoa are mixed. Noodles made from Quinoa are disgusting. But, I have tried several preperations of Quinoa that are delicious. Our farmer's market sells a Mexican salad that consists of Quinoa, beans and a tomatoe based sauce. It's delicious. There's also a restaurant in town that serves a mean Thai style Quinoa dish made with a spicy peanut sauce.
If I were you, I'd try out some 5 star recipes found on the internet before I'd put it in chili. My personal opinion is it's all in the preparation.
I would love to experiment with quinoa, but it's difficult to get hold of any where I live. Health food shops are few and far between on my side of the city.
Well, to be honest, I find it boring except for one recipe: Quinoa with Turkey and Winter Squash. It is like a risotto, and seasoned with chicken broth and sage. I love couscous, but liking that dish may have nothing to do with quinoa. It is definitly it's own thing. More like barley, maybe? And I would probably never put it is chili, even if I loved it. Do not adulterate the chili, ppl! ;)
If you like rice, you'll probably like quinoa. I also dislike couscous - but quinoa is quite different. It has a nutty flavour, and a slight crunch to it. It's hard to explain.
I agree with other posters - it lends itself well to creamy dishes. I like it doused with cheddar cheese sauce and little broccoli florets. I also use it for a breakfast cereal, like someone else on here - I cook it in apple juice with cinnamon and cloves and a dollop of honey or molasses, then swirl in a little milk or cream and dried, chopped apricots and chopped almonds.
I'd probably not put it in chili. The nutty taste and the unusual texture will be a bit out of place, and it's a little small to put in a chili. I'd probably use a recipe meant for a savoury or creamy rice for using quinoa.