I saw another question and it sparked my interest.. I' ve had brown rice a billion times as a substitute fro white rice ( i used to love white rice) So when I'm in a "ricey mood" I just make some brown rice..

I just tried barley for the first time and it reminded me a lot of rice.. is barley similar to quinoa? Or is quinoa totally different tasting then rice or barley I've never tried quinoa? and out of the 3 which one is the better option as far as getting the most bang for your calorie buck?

i cant do barley but I made quino and hated it. i prefer brown rice

Quinoa is the nutritionally superior choice.

What I do is a mixture - I make 3/4 cup of brown rice and 1/4 cup of quinoa.... in 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 tbs. olive oil, and 1 tbs. vegetable broth. Then it tastes great and has the protein from quinoa. Also, on the internet, there are tons of innovative, gluten free vegan cooks that have explored EVERY quinoa option.... quinoa salads, quinoa as breakfast food, etc. Have fun!

I LOVE quinoa! I make it with water and little bit of sodium-free chicken bullion for flavor. To me it's a substite for couscous (which was my ultimate favorite, pre-diet). My husband says it looks like birdseed, but if it's flavored with bullion, he'll eat it anyway.

You might also try bulgar wheat as a brown rice substitute.

I was amazed how many grains were out there, when I started trying to find white rice replacements!

wow I've never tried couscous or bulgar wheat- your right there is so many grains out there! I'll have to check them out! thanks guys!

Quinoa is my favorite. I think it has a mild, nutty flavor (if it's bitter, it wasn't rinsed enough. There's a soap like coating on the grain that is a natural pesticide. It tastes bad so birds and insects don't eat it. You need to rinse until the water doesn't "sud").

I think quinoa is the mildest tasting of the three. Stronger than white rice, but blander than brown rice. It's chewy, but not as chewy as brown rice or barley.

I like brown rice, but the flavor is a little stronger than quinoa, in my opinion. Not bad, just stronger. I like to make fried "rice" with quinoa instead of brown rice, because I think the flavor of the seasonings come out more. To me the flavor is somewhere between that of rice and brown rice (with a subtle, nutty flavor).

Barley I like in soups, but not so much as a side-dish grain. I think the taste is stronger (not as strong as rye).

Even my husband likes quinoa, and he is NOT a fan of brown rice at all (and barley is entirely out of the question). He thinks I'm nutty for liking wheat and rye berries too (I like them, but the flavor is stronger so you've got to be aware of that when using them in recipes).

I've been avoiding most wheat products, but I love cooked wheat berries mixed into yogurt with nuts and raisins (Yoplait used to have a breakfast yogurt with fruit, nuts, and wheat berries stirred in. OMG, I loved that stuff).

I like quinoa and it is a good whole grain high fiber choice.
I always put in lots of mushroom and onion when I cook it,sometimes mix other veggies like spinach and cabbage with it.

You can reheat leftovers in a non stick skillet with just a spray of Pam or a bit of olive oil. Gives it a toasty crunchy crust.