New Quinoa Cookbook Showcases Quinoa’s Flavor and Versatility

DENVER - Nov. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- From the United Nations declaring 2013 the “International Year of Quinoa” to being lampooned in a Bud Light commercial, quinoa is getting more press than the Kardashians. What’s all the hype about? Does quinoa taste good, and why is it called the “super food”? Heck, how do you even pronounce it?

Just released, The Quinoa Quookbook: 100 Quintessential Recipes Featuring Quinoa - The "Super Food" by award-winning author Eliza Cross features a collection of innovative recipes showcasing quinoa in breakfasts, breads, appetizers, soups, salads, dinners, sides and desserts—along with helpful cooking tips and organic quinoa sources.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a complete protein containing all of the essential amino acids. While it’s treated like a grain, quinoa is actually a tiny seed from a plant in the same family as spinach and Swiss Chard. It’s available in most supermarkets, easy to prepare, and cooks in about twenty minutes.

“I felt it was time for quinoa to have a cookbook highlighting its delicious flavor and versatility in a variety of recipes," Cross says. “Because it’s so nutritious, quinoa is often relegated to dietetic, vegan and gluten-free cookbooks. But quinoa has a wonderfully nutty flavor and fluffy texture that makes it ideal for so many different dishes and preparations.”

Cross developed many of the book’s original recipes. “My family’s hands-down favorite is the Quinoa Pork ‘Fried Rice,’” she says. “Just try it once hot from the skillet, and I bet you’ll be hooked on quinoa. We also especially love the quinoa crab cakes—which are crispy and light—and the crunchy raspberry-quinoa streusel bars.”

Other recipes include Blueberry Lemon Quinoa Crunch Muffins; Cheesy Quinoa, Ham and Artichoke Bites; Tuscan Tomato, Quinoa and White Bean Soup; Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing; Barbequed Chicken Quinoa and Corn; Baked French Onion Quinoa and Cauliflower; Quinoa Garlic Polenta Fries; and Peanut Butter Toffee Quinoa Cookies.

The Quinoa Quookbook is 160 pages, retails for $11.99 and is available through Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615898521/) and at selected retail outlets. For more information, please visit http://www.elizacross.com.

About the author
Eliza Cross is the author of six books, including the bestselling 101 Things To Do With Bacon. Her articles have appeared in Sunset, Parents, Writers’ Digest, Mountain Living and Mother Earth Living. She blogs at HappySimpleLiving.com and is the founder of the bacon enthusiast society BENSA.