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Keen on Quinoa
A Healthy Grain for Toddlers That's Making a Comeback
By Donna Smith
Pirello agrees. "Children's quinoa needs to be soft for their digestion, but since quinoa is already rich in lysine, which promotes digestion, you're halfway there," she says. She suggests cooking with three parts water to each part grain for toddlers.
"Quinoa has a nutty flavor that compliments sweet vegetables, so finely diced carrots or squash make it the perfect porridge for kids," Pirello says. "If they really like sweet, cook the quinoa with unsweetened almond or soy milk with some raisins. Getting the protein of this grain into kids ensures that they grow great muscle and stay lean." For savory dishes, quinoa can be cooked with corn or finely diced vegetables.
Is your toddler a cream of wheat or farina fan? Pirello says cooked creamy in the style for kids, quinoa has a similar texture to these popular breakfast foods.
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Lanah J. Brennan, a registered dietitian from Los Angeles, Calif., suggests preparing quinoa as a hot breakfast cereal alternative to oatmeal, and sweetened with vanilla extract and cinnamon – to add taste without added sugars and calories. "Also, adding a little low-fat cheese could make it a good mac and cheese alternative," she says.
Before using quinoa, the grains must be washedwell. "The quinoa seeds are covered in soapy saponins and even though they are commercially cleaned you should wash them by rubbing the seeds together in your hands," says Dr. Georgianna Donadio, program director at the National Institute of Whole Health (www.niwh.org) in Wellesley, Mass. "Taste them after rinsing to be sure any bitter taste is gone; if not, keep rinsing."
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Re: by mom of four on 02/20/2009 02:43AM
My family has been eating quinoa for years now. I used to have to go to the health food store for it, but it's so nice to see now that you can find it at almost any grocery store. My kids loves it, even my 3-year-old. Would love to see some more recipes here for using it.