The CookingBites recipe challenge: quinoa

Status
Not open for further replies.
Still planning on two more recipes for this challenge, but I have a busy weekend ahead of me. Quinoa salad with all three types, and then... dunno, but something hopefully inventive.

Yeah, I have one more thing on my mind. I have the ingredients, just need to get in the right mood. Hopefully this weekend.

CD
 
Yeah, I have one more thing on my mind. I have the ingredients, just need to get in the right mood. Hopefully this weekend.

CD

Update: Not sure I'll get around to that thing on my mind, but I need to say something... I was wrong.

When quinoa was chosen as the ingredient for this challenge, my reaction was pretty negative. I made some comments about quinoa, tofu, kale and seaweed. My opinion of tofu, kale and seaweed have not changed, but my opinion quinoa has.

I just ate some leftover quinoa heated in the microwave with some good maple syrup poured over it for breakfast. I ate one small bowl of it, and then made a second bowl.

Consider this my quinoa mea culpa. If someone reads this who hasn't tried quinoa, try it. On it's own, it doesn't taste like anything. It is a blank canvas. But, there is a lot you can do with it.

BTW, I am NOT becoming a vegan. But, I will be keeping quinoa in my pantry.

CD
 
Cabbage Patch Quinoa Bowl

full.jpg
 
I think that noon GMT is probably around 7 a.m. EST in the US (my time). It's probably going to be after 6 p.m. EST tomorrow (May 12) before I can get to reviewing, so sorry in advance for the delay in my decision. I just want to thank everyone who posted recipes for embracing this challenge, I know it wasn't exactly the easiest ingredient, but the recipes I have seen thus far have been outstanding and truly creative and inspiring. Thank you everyone!
 
Who knows? medtran49 has had bad experiences of bitter tasting quinoa but I haven't had that at all (and I don't even wash it). Maybe the quality and type across the world varies. I have some UK grown quinoa which I'm trying out soon.
Yeah, I don't wash mine either and have never noticed any bitterness.

I think my brain is fried from looking at recipes for the past two hours, LOL. I am going to make a drink and make my final decision.
 
When I picked the ingredient, I chose quinoa because I saw on the list of previous challenges that there were no "Q" foods, and quinoa immediately popped into my head since it's something we quite like around our house. But I am overwhelmed and astonished by the creativity with these recipes that went above and beyond the typical.

It wasn't easy to come to a decision. These challenges are so subjective due to the individual food preferences of the judge, with likes and dislikes of certain ingredients, and without the challenge entrants being mind readers, how can they possibly know if the judge has particular ingredients that they absolutely don't like? But that being said, any judge can figure out that substitutions can be made to recipes in most cases to tailor to those individual tastes.

I think I probably had 8 entries that were tied for first place and several more that were close seconds. Just about everything that was posted is something I would eat (with a few minor substitutions here and there). But, as other judges before me have noted, it all comes down to what the judge keeps coming back to over and over again. And of course there can only be one winner.

By a very narrow margin, caseydog wins with the Recipe - Quinoa Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce.

I am so sorry I couldn't pick the other 7 first-place recipes that were a tie in my mind. Everyone who posted recipes did such a fabulous job and you are all creative geniuses, thank you to all of our CB forum members who took so much time and trouble to embrace your inner quinoa lover!

Nobody has to be a vegan or vegetarian and give up meat to eat quinoa, it makes a great side dish (and apparently can be used in a main entree quite successfully as well). As we grow older, many of us need more protein to maintain lean muscle and structural integrity and sometimes meat products just aren't enough to do the trick without clogging up our blood vessels, so plant-based proteins are a great alternative.

And caseydog, I am glad you decided you like quinoa. Congratulations and good luck with being the judge for the next challenge!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom