Book Review: Quinoa 365 The Everyday Superfood (With Recipe)

I had received a copy of Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood and had to overcome my derisive view of Quinoa I decided. I just have this thing about not liking it. But mostly because so often recipes calling for it are just too ‘granola’ or ‘earthy’ tasting. Even when I eat whole foods I want them to taste normal, not a big plate of ‘healthy’. 😉

Upon opening the cookbook the feeling you get is that it would make a lovely book for house guests to read. It is full of gorgeous food photography, including shots of ‘how-to’s’. The book is well laid out and every recipe has markings that note if it is kid friendly, gluten free or vegetarian friendly. Mostly what you don’t get is scary recipes, instead food you actually could imagine eating – and enjoying. What also was neat is the section on baby and toddler foods to make at home. Hmmmm….I thought, the main thing I have about Quinoa is its texture. In baby food it would be smooth, so off to the kitchen I went! This is my adaption of their Healthy Quinoa Vegetable Purée. Walker loooooovvvveeeeesssss sweet potatoes and I had a bag of mini ones from Trader Joe’s so I figured might as well have his first taste of Quinoa be with something he loves.

For the red Quinoa I used Quinoa Corporations brand.

Healthy Quinoa Sweet Potato Purée

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked red Quinoa (see below)

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes, about 1 cup worth

Directions:

Take 1/4 cup uncooked red Quinoa, rinsed with cool water, add it to to 2/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower to medium low and let simmer tightly covered for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes more, then take off the lid and let cool down.

Meanwhile, peel and cube the sweet potato. Put it in a small saucepan with about 2 cups water, bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer covered till it is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Take off the heat, uncover and let cool down. Drain off the liquid reserving it.

Process the Quinoa and the potatoes, adding the reserved liquid as needed to make it smooth. You can do this in a blender, food processor or a mini food chopper, though food processors work best. For a satiny smooth baby food press it through a fine mesh strainer. To make this easier use a wider mesh one first, then a finer one. Or go buy a fancy food mill and save your wrists 😉

Pack into storage cubes. You can freeze it for a month or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you fine strain it expect about 4 ounces total in weight after processing, 2 Baby Cubes worth.

Notes:

What I found with straining it so finely is after chilling it sets up very thick. You will want to thin it most likely, I used a little baby apple juice to thin it to his liking!

Walker checking out the goods:

After I thinned it:

Happily fed baby:

~Sarah