Sprouted quinoa

[KPainter]

Now that I've sprouted some quinoa, what can I do with it besides salad? Can I make bread with it?

[Veganforlife]

hmmmmm, somewhere I remember seeing a quinoa cookie recipe floating around...

check this out (post number 11):

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=27778&highlight=quinoa+cookies

here's another one:

Sesame-Sunflower

1 apple in vita mix until smooth with
1 tbls crushed ginger
zest only of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp vanilla

In bowl, add the following;

1/2 cup sweetner of choice....agave, honey, maple syrup (I used 1/2 honey and agave)
1 1/2 c soaked sunflower seeds
1 1/2 c sesame seeds
1 c coarsely chopped pecans (any nut will do)
1/4 cup finely ground golden flax

I added 1/2 c sprouted quinoa, but you can eliminate if you want no grains

Stir the mixture to distribute and then add the contents of the vita mix. Mix
very thoroughly and spread 1/4" thick on a teflex sheet. This quantity will coat an entire sheet. Dehydrate until firm enough to score through with a knife for easy breaking after dry. They're very good half-dry, but you can dry until very crisp....they're almost like candy in crispness.

My husband crumbled some on his muesli this morning for extra texture.

[Mara]

I added 1/2 c sprouted quinoa, but you can eliminate if you want no grains

Quinoa is actually a fruit, not a grain (but it does get referred to and treated as a grain) so can still be eaten if you want to avoid grains.

[Veganforlife]

Though not technically a grain, quinoa can substitute for nearly any grain in cooking. Actually the seed of a leafy plant, quinoa’s relatives include spinach, beets and Swiss chard. Due to its delicate taste and rich amounts of protein, iron, potassium and other vitamins and minerals, it is quite popular. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and is easily digested.

Quinoa is an ancient crop that grows in poor soil, dry climates and even mountain altitudes. It is native to the Andes, but is also grown in South America and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Although it can grow in arid conditions, it thrives best in well-drained soil. You should be able to find quinoa in health food stores and larger supermarkets.

A quinoa grain is flat and has a pointed oval shape. The grains exist is several colorations, including yellow, red, brown and black. When cooked, quinoa expands to about three or four times its size. It also has a unique texture; the grain itself is smooth and creamy, but the tail of the grain has a crunchy texture.

When preparing quinoa, you should rinse it first to remove any powdery residue. The simplest way to do this is to place the grains in a strainer and rinse until the water runs clear.

[Factoid]

I have sprouted some quinoa but I might have left it too long.. A lot of it had really long tails but then others had none at all. When I checked it today it looked a bit bubbly and smelt a bit different. Has it fermented?? Is it still ok to eat? Anybody with experience with sprouting quinoa please provide feedback as I'm not sure whether it is still safe to eat or not.

[DebB]

I've sprouted quinoa just a handful of times, but a couple months ago I think I let it sprout too long. The tails were long and they started turning a red color. I just went ahead and composted it.

I sprouted more last week and then dehydrated it to add to the granola I made today. I was careful not to let it sprout long. It's the fastest sprouter of anything I've sprouted so far.

I'm not an expert, but if it was me - I wouldn't eat the quinoa... I'd just start a fresh batch. *Ü*

[Factoid]

That's safe advice, thanks, DebB. I'll throw it out tonight.

[DebB]

Yeah, I think that was the best thing. It's so easy (and fast) to sprout a new batch.

I wanted to post a link to this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKfwLAdiPoc&feature=player_embedded) in case you would like to make a salad with it next time. I'm going to sprout some just to make this salad this week. It looks so good and easy. (And wow - I'd love to have all that counter space!)

I was surprised that our Costco carries large bags of organic quinoa.

Here's another sprouted quinoa salad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=487VK0YMWvA) that I've made a handful of times. *Ü*

[Factoid]

ok another Q w the quinoa - I sprouted it fine then put it in the fridge but it smells sort of sour - is this ok or not. Also had it for about a week in the fridge now. To throw out or not to?

[DebB]

I have found that for me, quinoa is best used up in a couple of days. It just doesn't last that long. I tend to sprout enough just for a specific recipe and then eat that up the first, maybe second day.

If it smells sour - I'd definitely let it go. *Ü*

[streetsurfer]

As I recall, some red was normal in the sprouting process, even with the blonde colored quinoa seeds that I sprouted (I have had red also). I believe the stem of the plant contains some red, similar to amaranth. I remember because it discolored my hemp sprouting bag a little (until bleached).
I've not had a batch spoil, bubble or smell bad though. I think the seed hulls showed some red as well as the stem between root and leaf when further developed.
I've blended quinoa sprouts into hummus (prior to me finding it on my sensitivity list), and you could likely get good results using it ground into the marinade for kale chips, or added to flax crackers. All these, I have also done with amaranth, a very similar seed that I can tolerate.

[DebB]

As I recall, some red was normal in the sprouting process, even with the blonde colored quinoa seeds that I sprouted (I have had red also). I believe the stem of the plant contains some red, similar to amaranth. I remember because it discolored my hemp sprouting bag a little (until bleached).
I've not had a batch spoil, bubble or smell bad though. I think the seed hulls showed some red as well as the stem between root and leaf when further developed.
I've blended quinoa sprouts into hummus (prior to me finding it on my sensitivity list), and you could likely get good results using it ground into the marinade for kale chips, or added to flax crackers. All these, I have also done with amaranth, a very similar seed that I can tolerate.

Oho! I didn't know this streetsurfer. I thought the redness in the sprouts was a sign it was going bad. We get this darn orangey-red mold here (even though we're in the desert) and I guess it reminded me of that - ha! Thanks for sharing this information. *Ü*

[Factoid]

Thanks :), I think I will throw it out. Great idea about humus. Do you have a particular recipe you use? I'll have to look that up

[sidrah]

When I was in Costco Friday night, I saw quinoa salad with sprouted quinoa, mango, and black beans. The beans were cooked and I know you said "other than salad", but it reminded me of that.

Maybe, chunky dip? Pulse quinoa, add in some more fruit chunks? Salsa for something? Maybe that could just be the base adn all the other fruits and some red onion could be the flavor?

[Factoid]

^good idea, will need to start experimenting:)

[somelikeitraw]

Thanks :), I think I will throw it out. Great idea about humus. Do you have a particular recipe you use? I'll have to look that up
Hummus is pretty simple and you can jazz it up with more things very easily. Start with your base item - I used sprouted chick peas but others use soaked almonds or even just zucchini. In fact, I have been thinking to try it with zucchini and have been pondering what to put with as I keep reading that zucchini hummus is rather on the thin side. Sprouted quinoa might be just the thing!

Anyway, start with your base item and add raw tahini, lemon juice, garlic (I put mine through a garlic press), fresh parsely, olive oil. I tend to just whip this up to taste. Jazz it up by adding a red bellpepper or some cilantro and cumin. Really, your imagination is the limit here as this dish is very forgiving and versatile. In fact, you can jazz it up and form it into patties, dehydrate it and you've got some tasty burger-ish thing. Kinda like falafel burger.

Seems to me sprouted quinoa would be a good addition to a raw chili or even to a raw soup (savory smoothie) to give it some texture. I haven't done anything with sprouted quinoa yet, so these are just things that come to mind. Not speaking from experience. Try the banana search and see what you find. You could also find more humus recipes that way too.

[Hopandskip]

As I recall, some red was normal in the sprouting process, even with the blonde colored quinoa seeds that I sprouted (I have had red also). I believe the stem of the plant contains some red, similar to amaranth. I remember because it discolored my hemp sprouting bag a little (until bleached).
I've not had a batch spoil, bubble or smell bad though. I think the seed hulls showed some red as well as the stem between root and leaf when further developed.
I've blended quinoa sprouts into hummus (prior to me finding it on my sensitivity list), and you could likely get good results using it ground into the marinade for kale chips, or added to flax crackers. All these, I have also done with amaranth, a very similar seed that I can tolerate.
Okay, so I sprouted Aramanth for the first time. It turned red, which I thought was mold until I saw the little red leaves. Then, I smelled it. It smelled sour...rather like sauerkraut. Is this normal for aramanth? I have sroouted mixes before and some singels and some nuts/seeds...I have smelled a sour smell before. But there is a first time for everything. Any ideas?