Quinoa (KEEN-wah) means "mother grain". Quinoa is usually thought of as a grain, but is actually the seed of the Chenopodium quinoa plant. It is native to the region of the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Chile and Peru and has been eaten for 5,000 years by people who live on the mountain plateaus and in the valleys of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. It has a delicate, somewhat nutty flavor. Quinoa comes in an array of colors including yellow, orange, pink, red, purple and black.
Directions
- In a saucepan, cook the quinoa in 1 cup water with a pinch of salt. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.
- Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the grated carrots, salt, pepper and coriander to the garlic-onion mixture and sauté for another 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs; add the basil, parsley, cottage cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the quinoa and carrot-onion-garlic mixture and combine well.
- Form into patties and fry in sunflower oil until golden brown on each side.
℞ M.D. Notes
- Quinoa is higher in protein than most grains, is lower in carbohydrates than most grains and has a high fiber content.
- It is a very good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, vitamin E and B complex vitamins.
