Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in cool, dry place.

Ingredients

Quinoa.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a grain-like seed native to the Andean region of South America, where it was a staple crop for the Inca, Aymara and other pre-Columbian people. The Quechua name for quinoa translates to "mother grain" or "super grain," due to its superior nutrition. Legend has it that the Incan emperor would plant the first quinoa seeds each year in a solemn annual ceremony—such was its importance to the Incan people. Quinoa is considered an ancient grain because it has not been altered for large-scale agriculture, and is the same variety grown for thousands of years.

Quinoa grows on three-to nine-foot tall magenta stalks. The large seed heads can be nearly any color—red, orange, purple, green, black and yellow are all common. The plant is resistant to drought and grows well in poor soils without irrigation or supplementation. The World Health Organization observes that quinoa is closer to the ideal protein balance than any other grain, equivalent to milk in protein and high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E and certain B vitamins. It is also high in fiber and essential amino acids, but low in carbohydrates.

Quinoa has become popular in the U.S. and around the world, not only due to its impressive nutritional value but also its delicate flavor. Our Golden Quinoa Flour has had its natural, bitter-tasting saponin coating removed prior to being milled into a smooth meal that is ready to add to recipes.