PRODUCT NEWS
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Apr/May 2007
Cooking with Amaranth and Quinoa
By Sue Verstraten
We now have available in bulk at the Co-op rolled amaranth and quinoa
(pronounced keen-wah) as well as the grains.
Amaranth and quinoa are both very high quality foods and while they
are treated as grains in cooking, they’re not true grains; amaranth
is an annual herb and quinoa is the seed of a leafy plant.
They are particularly nutritious for vegetarians and vegans as they
contain the essential amino acid lysine, which is rare in plants and
essential for tissue growth and repair.
The Andean folk of South America have eaten quinoa continuously for
5,000 years and it contains more protein than any other grain and is
high in calcium. Amaranth has twice the calcium content of milk, three
times more fibre than wheat and five times more iron.
Both foods are high in magnesium and are said to fortify the nervous
system, the brain and the metabolism.
The following recipes give you simple ways to use these highly nutritious,
gluten-free grains.
Amaranth or quinoa sprouts
Wash the seeds well, then leave to germinate at 25°C (minimum) in
a jar covered with muslin. Rinse daily with fresh water.
Amaranth mash for babies over six months
If you have a mill, rinse and dry the seed and then mill 2 tablespoons
of amaranth. Cook with 150 mL water. Boil while stirring; allow to simmer.
Remove from heat, allow to cool briefly, then add 50 mL milk and grated
apple or pear. If you don’t have a mill, use rolled amaranth.
Apple and Berry Slice
Ingredients
(For gluten-free diets, delete oats and use a substitute for spelt flour;
use organic where possible.)
2 cups rolled grains (combination amaranth, quinoa and oats)
1¾ cups plain flour (spelt or gluten-free; you can substitute
½ cup coconut flour)
1 tspn cinnamon
pinch salt
¾ cup brown sugar
250 g melted butter
3 large apples, grated
300 g defrosted or fresh raspberries or blueberries
¼ cup raw sugar (extra)
125 g cream cheese or quark
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20-cm-square cake tin with baking
paper. Combine flour, rolled grain, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar into
a bowl and mix well. Pour in melted butter and mix until well combined.
Put half of this mixture into the bottom of the lined tin and press
in evenly. Top with dobs of cream cheese, grated apple and berries.
Sprinkle on half of the extra sugar, then top with remaining mixture
and press down lightly. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 35–45
minutes. Remove from oven, cut into squares, cool for 10 minutes then
serve. Can be eaten hot or cold, with ice-cream or plain.
[From "Maple Street Co-op News", Apr/May 2007; published by
The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny,
Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]