come. The farmers plant the quinoa seeds
a few weeks before the rainy season since it
rains so little there. The same plot of land
can only be used once for every two years in
this ancestral practice of desert farming.”
Once the plants have grown, they have
pink, yellow, red or white heads. “Each is a
different variety of quinoa, with different
properties such as resistance to pests,
drought, heat, etc. Farmers choose the best
seeds for their fields, mixing varieties to
maximize their chances of getting a good
crop,” Nuñez de Arco explains. “This
makes a truly heirloom, biodiverse quinoa
and not a monoculture of a single, indus-
trially grown seed. Healthy seeds transmit
their health to the consumer.”
Quinoa seeds are planted in October,
and harvest takes place in April. Well over
;,;;; farms support Costco’s demand
for quinoa, says Chad Sokol, a Costco dry
grocery buyer.
Sustainable food source
Quinoa is a very sustainable food
source. Unlike rice, which requires about ;
feet of water each year to grow, quinoa
needs only ; inches. The United Nations
was so impressed by this naturally gluten-free food that they designated ;;;; the
International Year of Quinoa in an effort
to raise awareness of the nutritional, economical, environmental and cultural value
of a food that has been cultivated for thousands of years.
Quinoa has become even more popu-
lar in recent years. “A convergence of
trends in health and natural/organic
foods, gluten-free foods, a promotion of
whole grains and more openness to
Hispanic and specialty foods came
together,” Nuñez de Arco says. “Also [as a
major supplier] we came on the scene, able
to aggregate the quinoa from
thousands of smallholder
farmers and provide a reliable,
high-quality, [high-]volume
supply needed for retailers to
finally launch quinoa.”
Nutritional powerhouse
The ancient Incas called
quinoa “the mother grain” for
a very good reason: It was
thought to promote a healthy
pregnancy and increase a new
mother’s milk production.
Quinoa is a complete protein,
meaning that it contains all nine of the
essential amino acids that must come
from food since our bodies cannot produce it. Experts like calling it a “
superfood” for this reason.
“Quinoa’s complete protein includes
lysine, a vital amino acid that our bodies
cannot produce on their own,”
Nuñez de Arco says.
According to the University of
Maryland Medical Center, lysine
appears to help the body absorb calcium and it also plays an integral
role in the formation of collagen,
which is important for bones, skin,
tendons and cartilage. Various medical studies suggest that getting enough
lysine might help to reduce outbreaks
of cold sores and herpes, and it might
help muscle tissue recover more
RANCH HOUSE OMELET
This protein-packed omelet is full of vegetables.
You can enjoy it as a breakfast, lunch or dinner.
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons quinoa
1½ teaspoons butter, divided
2 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces
¼ cup diced white button mushrooms
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
2 tablespoons halved cherry tomatoes
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons basil pesto
¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese
Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for
10 minutes. Turn the heat o;, and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, and ;u; with a fork. Set aside.
Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the asparagus and
mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add the green onion and sauté for another 3 minutes, or until the asparagus is
tender. Remove the vegetables from the pan, mix in the tomatoes and set aside.
Heat the frying pan over medium heat, and add the remaining ½ teaspoon of butter. Whisk together the
eggs, ¼ cup of cooked quinoa, milk and pesto. Pour the mixture into the saucepan, and cover with a lid or foil.
Cook for about 1½ to 2 minutes, until the top of the eggs is ;rm. Place the vegetables on half of the omelet.
Cover and cook for 30 seconds to heat the vegetables. Transfer the omelet to a plate, and spoon the cottage
cheese over the vegetables. Fold the omelet in half over the ;lling and serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.
Recipe used with permission from Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood, by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming
( Whitecap Books, 2010; not available at Costco).
cannot produce on their own,”
cium and it also plays an integral
role in the formation of collagen,
which is important for bones, skin,
tendons and cartilage. Various medi-
cal studies suggest that getting enough
lysine might help to reduce outbreaks
of cold sores and herpes, and it might
help muscle tissue recover more
quickly after a workout.
Quinoa has been classified by the
National Academy of Sciences as one of
the best sources of protein for vegetarians.
It is also a digestible food source for those
with wheat allergies or sensitivities.
Because the seeds are so tiny, I often
double or triple the quinoa recipe when I
make it, only to have an overflowing bowl
I don’t imagine my family will consume.
But we always manage to, in the form of
pancakes, stir-fries and soups, and there
are hundreds of recipes for using quinoa—
everything from apple cinnamon cheesecake and ice cream sandwiches to sushi,
smoothies and scones.
I plan to serve kale the next time we
play the “stranded in the desert” game.
Another opportunity to impart more
superfood wisdom to my family. C
• Add quinoa to soups
or chili—as you prepare
them—to bulk up your
meal with extra protein
and nutrition.
• Toss cooked and
cooled quinoa with pasta
or salads.
Kirkland Signature
Organic Quinoa is available
in the warehouse and on
Costco.com. Item #1001368.
—LB
Left: Farmer E;genia carefully chooses
and saves heirloom quinoa seeds to
plant next year.
Bottom right: At 12,000 feet in altitude on
the desert Andean plateau, Miguel Huayllas
walks the organic quinoa ;eld he cares for.
©
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