Green Penny Pincher

I recently was told about The Fresh 20 program, and within 2 days of asking around about it, somehow convinced a half dozen friends to sign up!

So what IS the Fresh 20?

Here’s an overview:

SHOP – The Fresh 2o provides shopping lists and recipes for the week (actually 5 days, assuming you’ll go off-plan a few times a week)  In addition to staple pantry items you likely already have on hand, you buy 20 fresh  ingredients (local and organic when possible) each week. Most subscribers say it takes less than 20 minutes to complete their shopping. NOTHING is processed or frozen, making sure everything is preservative free. Good meals for your family.

PREP – Fresh 20 gives you a step by step guide to prep the entire week’s meals. It is supposed to take about an hour at the start of your week and save you valuable time during busy weeknights.

COOK – Each complete meal takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and features simple recipes that the whole family can create together.  No more boxed mac-n-cheese or canned soup casseroles.

The Fresh 20 offers three different menu plans:  Classic, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free.  They also give back a portion of each subscription’s profits to charities and encourages members to participate in choosing new charities.

I personally have yet to sign up, but all I’ve been hearing is rave feedback!  Here’s a taste (excuse the pun):

• “We’ve been doing the Fresh 20 plan for about six months now.  I have not had any repeats yet except for a side dish of roasted zucchini. We really love the plan. It’s so healthy and we’ve maybe had 2 dishes we weren’t fond of.”

• “Tonight wasthe chicken verde chili…. OMG. I’m full but I think I’m going to eat the rest of the pot anyway. OMG.”

•  ”Our first week on fresh 20 was really affordable and the kids liked it. My husband is pumped that we eat ALL the food in the fridge every week and there is not as much wastage. I am starting week two now.’

• “Day 2 = another success! And another kiss and ‘thank you’! A girl could get used to this! And because I cooked the rice ahead of time like the plan said to, it literally only took me 20 minutes to make an awesome dinner! ME, a girl who can’t and doesn’t cook! (But apparently can and does!) I’m loving this so far!”

• “ The whole week was a total success! I did all 5 recipes this week, and was AMAZED that it all worked. I’m someone who does not cook, and does not enjoy cooking in the slightest. Something normally goes wrong, and my cooking generally doesn’t work, or doesn’t taste good. Every single recipe was easy enough for me to cook, each one took less than half an hour or so to prepare, and I was totally able to prepare it even with 2 busy kids. I did the rice prep ahead of time, and sometimes cut veg a couple hours before while my son was in his room, but other than that, all prep was done during cooking time. The recipes were also really tasty.  My son ate most of the meals too, so that is FANTASTIC. I subbed some ingredients for things that I like better, but I tried to stick to the ingredients listed, as it ensured that I ate things that I’ve either never tried before, or things that I generally avoid but are good for me.   I’m totally going to continue with the whole shebang. It worked very well, tasted good, didn’t take too much time, wasn’t that expensive, etc. This is exactly the kind of thing I needed.”

• and a love letter from a friend of mine to The Fresh 20:

So I’m sure you get hundreds of emails like mine, but I have to tell you how much my family is loving The Fresh 20. We have been on the plan for 3 weeks now and it has changed our daily life in the most wonderful way. Before The Fresh 20 my husband and I made panicked calls to each other at 4pm about what we’d make for dinner. We often ended up just throwing a steak on the BBQ or having takeout. We were those parents dragging two tired kids through the grocery store at 5:15pm. Not anymore. In addition to the delicious food, the fresh and healthful ingredients, the lack of food waste due to careful planning, any one of which would justify the paltry $5 monthly fee on its own, the biggest gift is that of reduced anxiety. The plight of the working mother is always her fear that she’s not doing right by one or more parts of her life – her children, her work, her own health. The Fresh 20 has truly changed that for me, and put me back in the driver’s seat. Everyone wins when mama’s happy, and this mama is truly happy.

 These really are all comments and reviews from PEOPLE I KNOW.  I really haven’t heard much negative feedback at all.  I’m curious to sign on myself as soon as possible!

Here’s a recipe from the plan that was comes highly recommended.  I can’t wait to try it!

MEDITERRANEAN CHICK PEA PITAS WITH QUINOA SALAD

SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK’S MENU IMMEDIATELY!

 Note:  Yes, this post does contain affiliate links, but only because I requested one because everyone kept asking me about this program!  But if you do sign up through my link, you’ll do your part to help keep Green Penny Pincher going. 

Just trying to check in even though I don’t have a big post ready.  Here’s what I’m doing/planning to do in the GPP vein…

• No ‘Poo.  I’m late to jump on this bandwagon but it’s something I’ve been thinking of doing for… ever.  My hair is fine and has just enough curl to it to always have a halo of fuzzy frizz whenever it is freshly washed.  I never really have been a daily shampoo’er anyway, mainly because my  hair only really starts looking good by day 3, and really starts to look great when it feels DIS-GUSTING.  Yesterday, after almost a week without washing it, I did my first “treatment” – a wash with baking soda paste and a rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar – as per the instructions from one of my favorite bloggers, Crunchy Betty.  It’s still too early to tell for sure, but so far I love it.  My hair after washing/drying yesterday was less frizzy with NO product in it than it usually is after a regular shampoo with anti-frizz product!  My scalp feels clean and tingly (might have helped that my baking soda had lavender infused in it; next time I might go for mint and/or eucalyptus for some nice tingle!) and my hair is nice and soft and continues to look and feel good today.
• In beautiful coincidence, my mom and I helped my son concoct his first “volcano” yesterday using – you guessed it – baking soda and vinegar!
  
• Daydreaming about gardening.  Trying not to spend all my time and energy on Pinterest adding to my already huge garden board.  I’ll post more about it in the future but I think this year we’re really going to keep it “simple” – tomatoes, maybe a companion crop, and then lots of herbs.  I’ll leave everything else to the nice folks at the Farmers Markets.
• Also daydreaming about hitting the road in a wee camper such as this one:
  More on that in future posts as well.
• Looking into Maca Root, which, if it works, may help me with one or more of a bunch of ills that have gotten to me.  Anyone have any info or experience?
• Loving this sunshine and the occasional super-warm days we’ve been having… and then shifting polarities to sadness and blah every time we get another chilly, cloudy day.
• At the request of some readers, as well as my own desire and need for it, creating a list of dye-free recipes and products.  If you have any to add, please comment!  I’ll be putting the list up soon-ish.
• Testing out the Safeway (grocery store) app on my phone and the more I use it, the less frustrated I get with it, and the more money I save!  (Still spending too much at the grocery store though.)  Last visit I saved 28% off my bill, PLUS filled my gas tank at their station with a discount of 60 cents off per gallon!

After gushing over the many uses of Dr. Bronner’s soap in my last post, I thought a post about more multi-use items would be fun!  More uses means less things you need to keep on hand, which means less stuff, and less stuff is good, right?

Here are a few old favorites and some new discoveries.  Many of these deserve (and may someday get) their own posts here, if they don’t already have one, but for now, enjoy surfing!

Lemon, by Moyan_Brenn, via flickr

Many Uses For…

Lemons

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Coffee Filters

Coconut Oil

Toothpaste

Fruit & Veggie Peels, Shells, & Seeds

Hydrogen Peroxide

Salt

What are your go-to items for multi-purposing?

Three Eggs in Holy Carton by 19melissa68, on Flickr

I find it ironic that one of the most “healthy” eggs come in the most wasteful, un-environmental packaging.

Not
Naming
Any
Names

I’ve seen this phenomenon in other “high-end” products like produce – the organic hothouse heirloom tomatoes that come in several layers of protective PLASTIC?!  It bothers me to no end.  I do my best to avoid poor packaging options when I have a choice but I do wish the companies would think about this!  For so many foods, there is no problem with the old cardboard/wax paper packaging.  I don’t know one box of cereal I’ve eaten that has been fresher for having a plastic bag lining instead.

So… truth.  I haven’t stepped foot outside today.  Total truth be told, I have spent as little time in the beautiful outdoors as possible lately because it has just. been. too. hot.  And humid.  Pudding air.  Our backyard turned into a shriveled-up wasteland of abandoned  outdoor toys and failing garden beds because it was just too hot even first thing in the morning!

Yesterday afternoon, it rained, as they say, cats and dogs.  And last night, it rained some more.  And more.  And oh so much more.  It was AWESOME.  The thunder shook the house!  Today, everything is growing like a weed.

Mostly because it’s all weeds.

I don’t know if was the weather or my general apathy toward the garden in recent times, but nothing is growing this year.  The tomato plants, which normally would be filling my kitchen with so many tomatoes that I can’t stop making sauce and salsa, are huge and green, with not a single tomato on any of them – at least 3 different varieties.  Maybe they know that I really don’t even feel like cooking or being in the kitchen this summer.  I don’t know.  But you know what?  I’m over it, and I probably say this every year around this time, but next year, I’m going to have little to no garden/commitment/disappointment.

Today is one of the first DAYS (vs evenings) I have bothered to cook at all in a long time, and it’s only because I have a fridge full of food and hungry mouths and we can’t afford takeout all the time.  :)  In my oven is a big egg casserole which we’ll have for lunch or dinner, and maybe breakfast tomorrow, and then I’ll freeze the remaining portions of.  I pretty much stuck to the recipe I posted this time, but threw in some sauteed onions and zucchini bequeathed by a neighbor… yeah, even my zucchini isn’t growing.

Lastly in my ramblings, I’m going through a lot in my life, including and surrounded by an epiphany… or rather a coming-to-terms-with… the fact that my STUFF is taking over my life.  I have always been a packrat, and I hate it, and I’m overwhelmed by it, and now I am going to do something about it.  If you’re interested in following my journey to less, and keeping an eye on all the great stuff I’m selling in the process, check out my brand new blog, Pennies for Packrats.  Not much there now but I would love some followers to cheer me on there and hold me accountable!

(FTW = For the win!)

"papaya" by mars! via flickr.com

We’ve all been there – something was too delicious and you took one (or two, or three) too many bites, and regretted it in one digestive way or another afterward.  If you’ve never been there… I don’t believe you!

I used to have a big problem with indigestion and acid reflux.  I also, admittedly, often run into problems from eating too fast – partly due to being busy, partly due to years of bad habit.  I used to carry Tums with me everywhere, and Zantac for the really bad days.

These days, I keep two things in my bag at all times.  The first is Gas-X strips (these things are marvelous for the occasional gas pain/gas bubble) and chewable Papaya Enzyme, or Papain, pills.  Of course, fresh papaya not only contains these enzymes but also tastes great, but doesn’t fit in my purse quite as neatly.

Used for thousand of years in its native South America, papaya contains enzymes that aid digestion, particularly the breakdown of tough foods like meats.  It is even sold as a powder for use as a meat tenderizer.  Meat tenderizer, or powdered papaya enzyme, can be used topically for reactions to skin toxins like bee stings or jellyfish bites!  (Note:  Rinse off within 10 minutes.  Also,  I am not a doctor.  Please consult your doctor for further advice.  Green Penny Pincher will not be held liable, blah blah blah…)

Some Uses

• Acid Reflux
• Constipation
• Too-Full Feeling
• Gas Relief
• Heartburn

Side Effects

• Lowers blood sugar
• May raise heart rate
• DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO PAPAYA!
• Patients with a LATEX ALLERGY may also have a reaction to papaya

Dosage depends on potency of tablet, personal experience, and severity of condition.  Most versions are chewable and pretty tasty, though some have more of a chalky taste than others.  I have purchased these tablets at health food stores, pharmacies, and big-box stores.  Keep an eye on the label for other additives – the most recent ones I bought were artificially flavored – unnecessary, as papaya tastes great!   If you have any worries about this product, speak with your doctor.  Avoid prolonged contact with skin.

So I’ve had this book on my bookshelf for ages, and I just pulled it down on a whim the other night and started reading it.  I was honestly pretty horrified before I even got past the first chapter.  We do try to eat whole, healthy foods, but we are guilty of eating plenty of convenience and junk foods as well, maybe just not as regularly as a good portion of the U.S. population.

A lot of it is common sense/knowledge to those who are informed about nutrition, but there were still some real zingers.  Here are a few I’ve hit upon so far…

• Keebler’s “Reduced Fat Club Crackers” claim to have “33% less fat than original Club Crackers.”  What they don’t tell you is they replaced 1 gram of fat with 3 grams of carbs and sugars.
• Bottled green teas vary GREATLY in the amount of catechins (the good stuff) they contain.  Republic of Tea brand Pomegranate Green Tea contains 8mg, while Honest Tea brand Green Tea With Honey has 215mg!
• The corn component of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, which advertise themselves as being “Diabetes Friendly,” can raise blood glucose faster than regular white sugar!
• Those boxes with the “American Heart Association” symbol on them?  The companies paid money to be AHA-certified.
• Some of the leanest cuts of meat you buy at the store have been “enhanced” with a sodium solution to make them “juicier.”  A 4-oz. serving of Shady Brook Farms Fresh Boneless Turkey Breast Tenderloin is enhanced with a 6% sodium solution and contains 55mg sodium, while a 4-oz. serving of Jennie-O brand Turkey Breast Tenderloin Roast Turkey contains about 840 mg of sodium!
• No wonder Haagen-Dazs ice cream is so delicious.  A serving of their mint chip contains 300 calories and 19g fat, while the same serving of Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate chip contains 8g fat and half the calories… and is still delicious!
• A cup of Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins contains 420 calories (before you add milk or anything else), the equivalent of 8 chicken wings.
• A package of Oscar Mayer Maxed Out Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Combo Lunchables contains 680 calories – the same amount as FIFTEEN CHICKEN NUGGETS!
• There are 7 different types of sugar in Pop-Tarts.
• ONE serving of Marie Callender’s Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie (and please keep in mind that one pie = TWO SERVINGS) contains 1,060 calories, and has the same amount of sodium as EIGHT small bags of potato chips, and the fat equivalent of 23 STRIPS OF BACON.

No wonder this country is so unhealthy, especially in a time of economical struggle.  Processed foods are not only more convenient and easier to make than their counterparts, but also so much cheaper!

What are we to do?  Well, I guess we do what we can and try to make good choices when they are available, and “splurge” on the junk food mindfully when we do splurge.  Check the ingredients on your food and see if it’s worth it to you.  Remember that ingredients are listed in order – the first ingredient on the list is the main ingredient, and the last is the smallest ingredient.  The more ingredients, the less likely it is a healthy choice.  Try to eat a “rainbow” every day, and go for fresh (fruit, veg, etc.) choices when they’re offered.  The more you know of what you are eating, the better you are eating.

Anyone have tips or recipes to share for healthier, more wholesome meals and snacks?

I’ve been hearing about nutritional yeast for a while, and the glowing reviews of it always left me curious.  What IS it?  WHY would you want to eat it?  WHAT is so great about it?  Well, I finally broke down and bought some.

What IS it?

Nutritional yeast, or “nooch,” is a yeast fungus which is grown on a molasses base, harvested, and then deactivated.  It is most commonly sold in flake or powder form.

Is it the same as Brewer’s Yeast?  Baker’s Yeast?  

No.  They’re all yeasts, but beyond that their tastes and uses are very different.  Vegemite and Marmite are made from Brewer’s Yeast.

Is it vegan?  Is it lactose free?  Is it ALIVE?

Yes, yes, and no.  :)  Nutritional yeast is actually extremely popular among vegetarians, vegans, and those with lactose issues, because it provides nutrients that can be missing from their diets, and because its flavor is a good substitute for butter and cheese.   It is also free of Candida albicans and can be eaten even by those sensitive to yeast.   Although it was once considered “alive,” its preparation process deactivates, or kills, it.

What does it taste like?

Its flavor has been described as cheesy, buttery, and nutty.  It belongs to the flavor group “umami,” or savoriness.  The texture of the flakes (the version I have tried) is (sorry, I can’t think of a better one!) like fish-food flakes.

How do I use it?

The most popular “first step” into the world of nutritional yeast seems to be as a popcorn topping, and that was my first attempt.  And it was… SO GOOD!  If you like parmesan cheese on your popcorn, you’ll love it.  I’ve already converted a few skeptics.

Nutritional yeast is also a popular ingredient in casseroles, creamy soups and sauces, salad dressings,  breads & dips.  I’ve heard it’s great combined with soy sauce and olive oil on pasta or rice, or mixed with bread crumbs for baked/oven-fried foods.  Here’s a recipe I’d like to try for something called “The Glory Bowl.”  And check out this post from One Sweet Vegan for LOTS of great recipe ideas, including Twice-Baked Potatoes, Artichoke Dip, and Vegan Mac & Cheese – YUM!

WHY should I eat it?

Nutritional yeast is high in (complete) protein, folic acid, and  B-complex vitamins (some varieties are also fortified with vitamin B12).  Even if you are not averse to dairy, it’s a nice change from the norm.  It’s low-fat and low-sodium!

How do I STORE it?

Store for up to a year in a jar or other airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard or in the fridge.

Where do I BUY it?

There are quite a few brands out there – I was recommended Bragg by the owner of my local health food store as she believes it has more of the buttery, nutty, cheesy flavor, which is what I was looking for.   Pick it up (and have a looksy around) at the Green Penny Pincher Shoppe!

Bragg Nutritional Yeast Seasoning – 4.5 oz – Flake

Nutritional yeast can also be purchased at your local health food store or Whole Foods, or can be ordered online, including at the Green Penny Pincher Shoppe!

Baby Adventure (who I shouldn’t call “Baby” anymore – he is TWO now!) had another bad week last week with a painful ear infection. If you have a child of your own who has had such infections, or if you are prone to them yourself, then you know they are painful and make even the sweetest kid turn into an sick demon-child.  Aside from being supremely moody, Adventure, who is normally a super-good eater,  suddenly didn’t want to eat anything aside from pretzels or crackers… or the sweet coffee cake my mom sent home with us last week.

Desperate to get something resembling healthy food into him, I went through the cupboards then popped over to allrecipes.com and found this recipe for “Toddler Muffins” for which I had almost all the ingredients.   (Mr. Penny Pincher:  ”Are they made from real toddlers?”)

The muffins were a big hit, far better (IMO) than last week’s granola bars (which Adventure also liked.)  Here is the recipe as I made it, with my changes highlighted.  Feel free to refer to the link above for the original recipe, and to see more reviews.

"Toddler Muffins"

TODDLER MUFFINS   (Original Recipe by Lori via allrecipes.com)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste
2 large bananas, mashed*
1 (4.5 ounce) jar baby food squash**
2 carrots, grated***
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick-cook (uncooked) oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 apple, cut into slices about 1/8 inch thick, then roughly chopped

Directions:  Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 to 18 standard muffin cups.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, coconut oil and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, squash, carrots, and eggs. Stir in the flour, oat bran, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, raisins and salt until just combined. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze.

* I always have overripe bananas on hand – whenever they start going too brown to eat, I chuck them in the freezer!

** I imagine that equal parts applesauce would work just as well.

*** I used a coarse hand-grater for the carrots (because I was too lazy to lug out the food processor for two measly carrots!)  If you want to make mini-muffins, I would suggest grating the carrots more finely to allow for the shorter cooking time – nothing like crunchy raw carrot shreds in your breakfast muffin!

Next time I might add…  grated zucchini, a scoop of protein powder, nuts or seeds.

My husband and son eat granola bars like it’s their job!  My son eats at least one every morning, and my husband eats at least one or two during the day or in the middle of the night.  Even if I buy them on sale or with coupons, they’re still expensive, and the ones that are the best bargain seem to have the most sugar (or, more likely, high-fructose corn syrup), not to mention preservatives and other unpronounceable ingredients.  I’ve been working up to making some of my own bars for over a week now, going through my cabinets to make sure I had all the ingredients, and then just trying to find the TIME… finally got to it today!

I started with this recipe from allrecipes.com as a guideline, since its author and reviewers all said it lends itself nicely to modifications.

Dry Ingredients:  I wanted to jam-pack these bars with lots of protein and dried fruit, so that they were as healthy as I could make them.  Pictured above are the dry ingredients in the large bowl, which include raisins, goji berries, dried cranberries, dried cherries, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped peanuts, wheat germ and chopped pecans.  I used about 1/2 cup (instead of the 3/4 cup listed) of brown sugar.  The “flour” portion of my version is a mix of whole wheat flour, white flour, ground blanched almonds, and ground flax seed.  You could make these gluten-free by using oat flour or another gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flour – I’m sure it would be great!  

Wet Ingredients:  I stuck to the recipe but changed the 1/2 cup oil to 1/4 cup oil and about 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce.  I also diced up 3 strawberries that were “on the edge” and tossed them in the wet mixture.

Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix until combined, then press into a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper lightly sprayed with vegetable oil.

Make sure to take your time pressing it down well into the pan, because this will keep the bars from becoming crumbly after they are baked.

I used a pizza cutter to score the pan into 18 (3×6) bars while they were still warm, then let them cool before cutting.

Storage:   I’m going to individually wrap these in waxed paper, then put them in a bag in the freezer, leaving a few in the fridge for immediate consumption.  Don’t forget these have NO PRESERVATIVES, so they are not shelf-stable!

Verdict:  my guys love them!  I personally would like them a little sweeter and crunchier, but I didn’t make them for me, so I call it a win!

What I’d Do Differently Next Time:  I’d like to add some more crunch when I make them again, perhaps some sort of cereal like corn flakes or Kashi, just for more texture.  I think I would also add back the oil to its original amount, which wasn’t that much, because I think it, along with the cereal, would give it more crunch.  I would also probably make them in a bigger pan, as they were on the thick side (about 1/2 inch; I’d prefer closer to 1/4 inch thickness) and I could have made about 24 thin ones instead of 18 thick ones.  I’m also kicking myself because I used the vegetable oil as specified before I thought, hey, I could totally use coconut oil and add some flavor and make these even healthier!

I  might also add some flaked coconut in the next go-round, and some mashed ripe banana.  I can see this recipe working nicely with banana, peanuts, and maybe a little maple syrup in place of some (not all)  of the honey.  This batch was a great cupboard-cleaner, but a bit expensive to make all the time with so many ingredients!  Nevertheless, it was worth the cost to

*** I’m headed out for the weekend to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world – my best college friends – so I probably won’t be back until next week.  Have a FAN TASTIC weekend and do something fun outdoors to celebrate Earth Day! ***

Quinoa (“Keen-wah”) is an ancient food – technically, a seed, not a grain – which has been cultivated in South American Andes since at least 3,000 B.C.  but has just recently become recognized in modern Western culture.  The ancient Incas called quinoa the “mother grain” and revered it as a sacred and staple food.

There are over 120 species of quinoa, but three main varieties: white, red, and black quinoa.  Quinoa seeds are flat with a pointed oval shape.  As they cook, the outer germ twists open, creating a spiral.

Quinoa is high in protein, calcium and iron, as well as  vitamin E and some B vitamins. It is also a great source of amino acids, including lysine, cystine and methionine – amino acids typically low in other grains.  Quinoa is considered to be a complete protein containing all 8 essential amino acids.  Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein!  About 1/2-cup of quinoa is enough to provide the required protein for a child for an entire day.  Quinoa also contains albumen, normally  found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues, and can be a great addition to a vegan diet (or any diet!)  Quinoa is GLUTEN-FREE.

Quinoa must be rinsed before preparing in order to remove the saponin, which makes it taste bitter and sudsy (don’t throw away this water – read on through the article to find out about its uses!)

The texture of cooked quinoa is soft but crunchy, and the flavor is mild and slightly nutty.  It easily absorbs and mingles with other flavors in many recipes.  The leaves are also edible, though I have never had the pleasure of eating a quinoa leaf salad.  Cooked quinoa is excellent prepared as you would a grain, either in hot soups and stews, or casserole dishes, or cold in salads similar to tabbouleh.  Quinoa cooks quickly, in about 15 minutes.  It can be toasted, and made into cereal or flour, and from there has many applications.

Store quinoa in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a year.

In South America the saponin which is removed from the quinoa is used as detergent for washing clothes and as an antiseptic to promote healing of skin injuries.  And Crunchy Betty has an AWESOME suggestion for that rinse-water!

Read more about this wonder-seed, or read on for my favorite way to eat quinoa, passed down from a friend of a mom of a friend….

Quinoa and Pecan with dried Cranberry Salad

Add 1 ½ cups of quinoa to 3 ½ boiling water, lower heat and simmer covered for about 25 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork. Cool.

Put in large bowl and add:

• 2 bunches of green onions finely sliced
• 1 cup of dried cranberries diced
• 2/3 cup cilantro finely chopped  (If making ahead,  don’t put this in until close to serving)
• 1 ½ cups celery finely diced
• 1 ½ pecans coarsely chopped

Toss and then add dressing made with:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinigar
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

I like the taste of this dressing and often make/add extra.