Quinoa Cereal

Quinoa is an amazing grain that my friend Lauren introduced to me a couple years ago (check out her food blog: the spiced plate). Why is it amazing? Here are a few reasons:

• Quinoa is high in protein. Not only is quinoa high in protein (6g in 1/4 a cup), but it also is a complete protein. Plant products high in protein don't usually contain all nine essential amino acids like those found in meat, but quinoa is an exception. Quinoa contains the amino acid lysine, which is essential in tissue growth and repair. 
• Quinoa is high in magnesium, which helps to relax blood vessels. This is especially helpful for someone who gets a lot of headaches or migraines. Magnesium is also important for cardiovascular health.
• Quinoa is high in manganese. Manganese is an important ingredient in making antioxidants which help your immune system keep your body healthy.
• Quinoa is a great source of fiber. Fiber is important for digestion and toning your colon.
• Quinoa may aid in preventing ailments including asthma, breast cancer, diabetes, artherosclerosis, insulin resistance, gallstone formation, and heart disease.

You can read more about the benefits of quinoa at these two sites, among others:

1. The World's Healthiest Foods
2. Body Ecology

Knowing that quinoa is so wonderful for our bodies, I was psyched when a friend of mine told me how to make homemade quinoa cereal for babies. Most doctors agree that there really isn't any nutritional value to giving your baby cereals, but making cereal from quinoa is an exception. As a vegetarian family, I am eager to pump Mattimeo up with complete proteins so that he can grow strong, healthy muscles. Quinoa cereal is easy to make, extremely healthy, and tastes delicious. Here is how to make it:

Step 1: Toast some quinoa. I toasted my quinoa by constantly stirring it over medium heat in a pan with olive oil until the quinoa turned a golden brown. I am sure you can experiment with other healthy oils.

Toast the quinoa

Step 2: Grind the toasted quinoa in a coffee grinder. This gives the cereal a smooth texture and makes it ideal for mixing with fruits and vegetables.

Grind the quinoa

What it looks like all ground up

Step 3: Cook the ground quinoa like you would normally. Since I made 1 cup of quinoa, I needed to add 1.25 cups of water to the pan. I then brought the mixture to a boil and then reduced the heat until all the water was evaporated.

Cooking the quinoa over a low heat

Step 4: All done! You can add breast milk or formula to the quinoa to thin out the consistency if you choose. I stored mine just as it was and kept it in the in fridge. It seems to keep this way for a long time.

Finished quinoa cereal

I like to use our quinoa cereal as a base to mix with other foods. Sometimes I will mash up a banana or avocado in a small portion of it. Sometimes I will stir in some homemade apple sauce, or scoop in some baked sweet potatoes. We have a green sprouts food mill which we have used to grind up some lightly steamed broccoli to mix in.

Green sprouts food mill after grinding up some broccoli

Meo eating a spoonful of quinoa cereal and broccoli (6 months)

I invite you to add this simple, healthy and delicious cereal to your babies menus. Mattimeo loves it, and is always asking for more!

"More quinoa please!"