Adventurous Breakfast

By Arlette N. Braman

How would you like to try an easy recipe that’s more than 600 years old? Cook some quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) for breakfast or a snack. Quinoa is a grain that grows high in the Andes Mountains in South America. The Incas, who ruled parts of South America for hundreds of years, used quinoa to make flour. They also put it in soups and ate it cooked. Are you ready for an ancient treat?

1 cup quinoa (found at grocery stores or natural-food stores)

2 cups water

milk

toppings of your choice (brown or white sugar, syrup, honey, cinnamon, raisins, or sliced fruit)

Using a strainer with very small holes, rinse the quinoa under cool running water. Then put it in a pot with the 2 cups of water.
Bring the water to a boil on high heat. Stir often. After the water boils, reduce heat and let simmer until the water is almost gone (about 10 to 15 minutes). Continue stirring often.
Turn off the heat and scoop the quinoa into 2 small bowls. Stir in a little milk, then add the toppings of your choice.

Illustration by Jim Madsen