the [annual] quinoa seeds, hoping this is
enough moisture for the baby plants to
grow until the rains 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 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 harvested in April. Well over ;,;;;
farms support Costco’s demand
for quality quinoa, confirms Catherine
Ward and Lorraine Harrop, Costco dry
grocery buyers.
Sustainable food source
Quinoa is a very sustainable food
source. Unlike rice, which requires about ;
metres (; feet) of water each year to grow,
quinoa needs only ;; centimetres (;
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 popular
in recent years. “A convergence of trends
in health and natural/organic foods, glu-
ten-free foods, a promotion of
whole grains and more open-
ness to Hispanic and specialty
foods came together,” Nuñez de
Arco says. “Also we came on the
scene [as a major supplier],
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 pro-
tein, meaning that it contains all nine of
the essential amino acids that
must come from food since our
bodies cannot produce them.
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,
RANCH HOUSE OMELETTE
This protein-packed omelette is full of vegetables.
You can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
60 mL (¼ cup) water
30 mL ( 2 tablespoons) quinoa
7 mL ( 1½ teaspoons) butter, divided
2 asparagus spears, cut into 5-centimetre (2-inch) pieces
60 mL (¼ cup) diced whole white mushrooms
30 mL ( 2 tablespoons) thinly sliced green onion
30 mL ( 2 tablespoons) halved grape tomatoes
2 large eggs
15 mL ( 1 tablespoon) milk
10 mL ( 2 teaspoons) basil pesto
60 mL (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 5 mL ( 1 teaspoon) of the butter in a non-stick 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 2 mL (½ teaspoon) of butter. Whisk together
the eggs, 60 mL (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 omelette. Cover and cook for 30 seconds to heat the vegetables. Transfer the omelette to a plate, and
spoon the cottage cheese over the vegetables. Fold the omelette in half over the ;lling. 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).
tendons and cartilage. Various medical
studies suggest that it can help muscle tissue recover more quickly after a workout.
Quinoa can be a great way for vegetarians to meet their protein needs, according to UnlockFood.ca. It is also a digestible
food source for those with wheat allergies
or sensitivities.
When I cook quinoa, I always make an
overflowing bowl that I figure my family
can’t finish. 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 (Item
#1001368) is available
in all Costco warehouses.
—LB
Left: Farmer E;genia carefully chooses
and saves heirloom quinoa seeds to
plant next year.
Bottom right: At 3,658 metres ( 12,000 feet) altitude on the Andean desert plateau, Miguel
Huayllas walks the organic ;eld he cares for.
©
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includes lysine, a vital amino acid
that our bodies cannot produce on
their own,” Nuñez de Arco says.
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,
prepare them—to bulk
up your meal with extra
Kirkland Signature™
in all Costco warehouses.
