QUINOA SKILLET DINNER

QUINOA
A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to South America, quinoa was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors.

Quinoa Skillet Dinner
Serving Size : 4

This is one of the quickest dinners around. Everything is in the pantry and ready to go! Just add a green salad for a great meal.


1 cup quinoa
15 ounces tomatoes with green chilis
15 ounces canned kidney beans - rinsed and drained
15 ounces hominy, canned - rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt -- or to taste


Rinse quinoa thoroughly and cook, covered, on low heat for 15 minutes in 2 cups boiling water. Stir in tomatoes and chilis, beans, hominy, herbs and spices and heat thoroughly. Serve.

It was fun to share the history of Quinoa with my family during dinner! If you have time check it out this Whole Foods website for nutrition and benefits:http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142

History

While relatively new to the United States, quinoa has been cultivated in the Andean mountain regions of Peru, Chile and Bolivia for over 5,000 years, and it has long been a staple food in the diets of the native Indians. The Incas considered it a sacred food and referred to it as the "mother seed."
In their attempts to destroy and control the South American Indians and their culture, the Spanish conquerors destroyed the fields in which quinoa was grown. They made it illegal for the Indians to grow quinoa, with punishment including sentencing the offenders to death. With these harsh measures, the cultivation of quinoa was all but extinguished.
Yet, this super food would not be extinguished forever. In the 1980s, two Americans, discovering the concentrated nutrition potential of quinoa, began cultivating it in Colorado. Since then, quinoa has become more and more available as people realize that it is an exceptionally beneficial and delicious food.