I wasn't sure where to post this, but I spend a lot of time in this forum, so I thought I'd ask here...where do you guys buy your quinoa (if you eat it)? I've looked in a few stores, with no luck. Granted, the area I live in doesn't have a lot of options, we don't really have any health food stores or anything like that. Would I need to find a Whole Foods or something similar? I can get some the next time I head to the city if they have it at a store like that. I would just hate to waste my time if I won't find it there either. I don't eat much rice anyway, but would prefer to have the quinoa (or at least try it) instead when I do want something like that and I haven't been able to find anyway. Thanks!
The grains of quinoa are much smaller than rice, and the texture is not as tender as white rice, but not quite as chewy as brown rice or millet. The grains sort of "pop" between your teeth a bit like a teenier-tinier kernel of very young sweet corn (like a kernel of "shoe peg" corn, but shrunk down)
The taste is bland, but a bit nutty. If the quinoal hasn't been rinsed in several changes of water, it will be bitter (most quinoa is pre-washed, but it doesn't hurt to rinse it again). Rinse it until the water doesn't create foam or "suds." If you like rice and barley, quinoa shouldn't be too much of a shocker.
Quinoa is not only a good grain substitute, it's also quite high in protein. I think it's even a complete protein, but I'm not absolutely sure of that.
Quinoa is actually my favorite starch/carb exchange (I follow a low-carb exchange plan and have 2 servings of carb-rich foods). I try to avoid most "true grains" especially wheat, barley, rye, oats and related grains. Quinoa, and small amounts of corn and rice don't seem to aggravate my fibro/arthritis or autoimmune skin issues like wheat and other grains seam to.
Quinoa is my favorite, because I love the flavor and texture (that it doesn't give me scaley face is a bonus, of course).
I used to buy it in our health food stores, but the inexpensive health food store stopped selling it in bulk, and in boxes it was really expensive.
However, our super Walmart now carries it (it was in the gluten-free, health-food and special diet aisle).
We have a super walmart but I don't think we have a special diet aisle, much less any quinoa in it :/ I'll have to look again. We also don't have any of these other stores, so I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm in the mood to drive two hours to the city and check out Whole Foods.
We have a super walmart but I don't think we have a special diet aisle, much less any quinoa in it :/ I'll have to look again. We also don't have any of these other stores, so I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm in the mood to drive two hours to the city and check out Whole Foods.
I bet your Walmart does, because I didn't think we had one either. Ask at the service desk, and even if the person says "I don't think so," or "no" then ask to see the manager. When I asked, the clerk said "No we don't have anything like that," and the manager just happened to hear me ask the question and said "Yes, we do, I'll show you where it is."
It may not even be a whole aisle, but I would bet that it does have a diet/health-food/allergy section(s). It could be with diet products. It could be with ethnic foods, or it could be in a health food section.
You can also ask grocery store owners/managers to special order for you. Some will say no. Some will say yes, and some will say you have to buy a minimum quantity. Generally smaller grocery store owners are more open to special orders (but you'll pay more too - but you'll probably save if the alternative is a 2 hour drive).
quinoa
