Thursday 4 November 2010

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Brown Rice & Quinoa/Brune Ris med Quinua/糙米加藜谷[cāo mǐ jiā lí gǔ]


Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 2 cups rice
- Water to cover the brown rice and quinoa

Directions:
1. Wash brown rice and add to automatic rice-cooker.
2. Add quinoa and stir to mix them.
3. Add water to cover the brown rice and quinoa by about 3.5cm
4. Set the rice cooker to on (takes about 30 minutes to cook this)

Nutritional Value:
Quinoa is a highly nutritious food. Quinoa has been rated by the WHO as possessing protein of a quality similar to milk. It has been classified as a supercrop by the United Nations on account of its nutritional value and high protein content. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. The protein quality and quantity in quinoa seed is often superior to those of more common cereal grains. Quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. Quinoa is higher in lysine than wheat. Quinoa grain has a lower sodium content and is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Quinoa is a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, two minerals that serve as cofactors for the superoxide dismutase enzyme. Superoxide dismutase is an antioxidant that helps to protect the mitochondria from oxidative damage created during energy production as well as guard other cells, such as red blood cells, from injury caused by free radicals.

Quinoa also contains vitamins B6, Niacin and Thiamin. Quinoa is lower in carbohydrates than most other grains, but an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and cooks in about half the time of regular rice. Quinoa is low in fat.

Brown rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins B1, B3 and B6, manganese (essential for healthy bones, manganese also reduces the symptoms of asthma and is a powerful, energy-providing antioxidant), iron, phosphorus, selenium, Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), fibre.

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Additional Information:
Many Chinese do not know about quinoa, or do not have the habit of incorporating quinoa into their diet. It's a pity, because quinoa is sucha healthy and nutritious grain, healthier than brown rice! Since Chinese cannot do without rice, you can enrich your rice by adding quinoa, when you are cooking rice. Eat it with other Chinese dishes. In this way, you can prepare quinoa along with your rice. Try it :-)


Our little toddler, J, loves to eat brown rice with quinoa (at least for now... still keeping my fingers crossed!).

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