Quinoa is a native American grain, cultivated in South America about 8,000 years ago. Quinoa is naturally high in protein, up to 20 percent. It is also high in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamin E. Quinoa's germ, which is the protective layer that surrounds the seed, is thin and uniform. When cooked the germ separates from the seed and remains whole and crunchy. The seed, though, softens as it cooks.
Quinoa contains a bitter outer saponin coating. Oftentimes quinoa is processed so that most of the coating is removed. Quinoa should still be rinsed before cooking to remove any remaining coating.
Because the seed is soft, it can be easily milled into flour. It is more common these days to find quinoa flour in specialty food stores.
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