I’ve developed a fairly active social life with other young mothers living near me. During our get-togethers, our conversations generally center around all things baby: breastfeeding, solid feeding, diapers, spit-up, sleep. You name it, we talk about it.
A word that frequently came up during our discussions about solids was one I had never heard before: quinoa. One friend and my sister were both feeding quinoa to their infant sons. I was intrigued, but because we were in the process of moving, I never took the time to investigate this so-called superfood.
I ran across a box of quinoa in the grocery store last week, and decided to give it a try. I found it next to less-than-common products, such as bulgur wheat and rice flour. It came in a small, rectangular, cardboard box.
As soon as I got home, I cooked up a batch. It was very easy to cook. I simply had to boil water, throw in the seeds, and let them simmer until all of the water was absorbed. The seeds cooked up to be slightly larger than millet, and had a little “tail” around the outside of them when fully cooked.
The cooked seeds were tender, yet had a slight crunch to them. I would describe the taste as nutty and mild.
I wasn’t sure if my daughter would like the quinoa, because all she’s eaten so far are fruits and vegetables, but she gobbled it down like nobody’s business. She enjoys it plain, or mixed with any fruit or vegetable.
Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium plant. Although grown for many years in South America, it is not yet widely recognized in the United States. However unfamiliar quinoa may be, its nutrition content makes it a perfect baby food. The following are some of quinoa’s bragging rights:
1. It is high in protein, calcium, and iron.
2. It’s a good source of vitamin E and several B vitamins.
3. Quinoa contains all eight amino acids needed for human tissue development.
4. Quinoa is gluten free.
Yes, you heard me – gluten free. This is big for me, since food allergies are a major concern of mine. We make big efforts around our house to avoid top allergens, and gluten just happens to be one of them. I love finding new sources of protein and fiber that are not meat, dairy, and do not contain gluten.
I’m excited I tried quinoa, and encourage you to do the same.