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).
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