Quinoa

Quinoa has reached super-food status and for good reason. It’s a great source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and, most notably, protein. Quinoa, which is actually a seed, provides complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and needs to be rinsed in water before cooking to remove a natural substance called saponin, which has a bitter, unpalatable flavor. I prefer white quinoa for its fluffy texture and flavor, but red and black quinoa are also available.