National Quinoa Day – January 16, 2021

Harmony Quinoa-Chick Pea Salad, Courtesy of Ancient Harvest
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Do you know that National Quinoa Day is on January 16, 2021? Do you know how to pronounce the? Do you know that  ‘quinoa‘ is said properly as: “keen-wah”, with both syllables said slowly.  The name comes from Quechua, a South American language primarily spoken in the Andes. The nutty flavored quinoa originates from this part of South America, and so, it is pronounced this way. Do you care?  If you are looking for ways of enhancing the protein in your diet and are moving toward being a vegetarian or vegan and concerned about being gluten-free, you probably will care.

The first company to bring quinoa to the U.S. in 1983, helping establish it as one of the country’s premier superfoods was Ancient Harvest. In honor of this day Ancient Harvest has put together recipes that swap out rice for quinoa – adding a healthy punch of protein and fiber to your diet.

These recipes are below:

  • Risotto
  • Burrito Bowls
  • Fried Rice
  • Sushi
  • Paella

Today the company’s portfolio spans a wide range of organic, non-GMO, plant-based foods including multiple varieties of quinoa, pasta, mac and cheese, and polenta – all made from gluten-free ‘power’ ingredients ranging from quinoa to beans and lentils.

With National Quinoa Day on January 16th Ancient Harvest, the first company to bring quinoa to America, has put together recipes that swap out rice for quinoa – adding a healthy punch of protein and fiber to your diet.

Rice_VS_Quinoa

Ancient Harvest was the first company to bring quinoa to the U.S. in 1983, helping establish it as one of the country’s premier superfoods. Today the company’s portfolio spans a wide range of organic, non-GMO, plant-based foods including multiple varieties of quinoa, pasta, mac and cheese, and polenta – all made from gluten-free ‘power’ ingredients ranging from quinoa to beans and lentils. For more information,

From the Ancient Harvest website:

A Pioneering Spirit

It all started in 1983 when we became the first company to bring an interesting “new” grain called quinoa to the United States. We instantly fell in love with the versatility and timelessness of this plant-based powerhouse, and began our commitment to sourcing the highest quality quinoa and supporting the farmers who grow. In our kitchen, ancient never gets old. Our products take time-tested, plant-based, nutrient-dense ingredients and turn them into delicious, real foods that are ready for real life. How’s that for teaching ancient foods new tricks?

.Wikipedia offers interesting information about quinoa

Quinoa is gluten-free.[3] Because of the high concentration of protein, ease of use, versatility in preparation, and potential for increased yields in controlled environments,[24] it has been selected as an experimental crop in NASA‘s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied space flights.[25]

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the “International Year of Quinoa”[50][51][52] in recognition of the ancestral practices of the Andean people, who have preserved it as a food for present and future generations, through knowledge and practices of living in harmony with nature. The objective was to draw the world’s attention to the role that quinoa could play in providing food securitynutrition and povertyeradication in support of achieving Millennium Development Goals. Some academic commentary emphasised, however, that quinoa production could have ecological and social drawbacks in its native regions, and that these problems needed to be tackled.[38]

Raw, uncooked quinoa is 13% water, 64% carbohydrates, 14% protein, and 6% fat. Nutritional evaluations indicate that a 100-gram (3 12-ounce) serving of raw quinoa seeds is a rich source (20% or higher of the Daily Value, DV) of protein, dietary fiber, several B vitamins, including 46% DV for folate, and the dietary minerals magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.

After cooking, which is the typical preparation for eating the seeds, quinoa is 72% water, 21% carbohydrates, 4% protein, and 2% fat.[21] In a 100 g (3 12 oz) serving, cooked quinoa provides 503 kilojoules (120 kilocalories) of food energy and is a rich source of manganese and phosphorus (30% and 22% DV, respectively), and a moderate source (10–19% DV) of dietary fiber, folate, and the dietary minerals, ironzinc, and magnesium.

Kosher certification

Quinoa is used in the Jewish community as a substitute for the leavened grains that are forbidden during the Passover holiday. Several kosher certification organizations refuse to certify it as being kosher for Passover, citing reasons including its resemblance to prohibited grains or fear of cross-contamination of the product from nearby fields of prohibited grain or during packaging.[53] However, in December 2013 the Orthodox Union, the world’s largest kosher certification agency, announced it would begin certifying quinoa as kosher for Passover.[54]

Photos are courtesy of Ancient Harvest.

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