topic Re: Anyone use Quinoa? in Kitchen

Anyone use Quinoa?

gloriajean — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 20:50:04 GMT

I use it instead of potatoes sometimes, but my daughter is coming for supper and I'm making a meatloaf which calls for 3/4 cup oatmeal in it, just wonder if I could put quinoa in there instead. I bet I'd have to cook it first though.

What do you think? I'm always open to trying something new.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

blackhole99 — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:01:26 GMT

I would cook the quinoa first, I don't see why you couldn't use it as a sub for oatmeal in meat loaf.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

Deeeeeeeeee — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:05:40 GMT

I've gotten into Quinoa recently with weight watchers. I love it. I have learned a lot what to do on youtube videos. I would not use it in place of oatmeal since it's a seed. I like mine with veggies and garbanzo beans and feta and with some olive oil. It's quite tasty. Hungary Girl just posted some info on it too, google on hungary girl quinoa. Oatmeal has a different texture and taste and I found that quinoa is also quite different so I would not substitute.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

Deeeeeeeeee — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:07:53 GMT

ok I read too fast sorry. I still would not substitute, if you do you totally must cook it first. I've seen "steamed" quinoa at Walmart in the freezer aisle but I didn't like it. I like the brand by Ancient Grains that you boil.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

JeanLouiseFinch — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:15:05 GMT

We've recently (last six month) have started enjoying quinoa more. I'd be hesitant to use it as an oatmeal replacement in meatloaf though.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

Demeter — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:15:24 GMT

gloriajean, ironic you should ask this, I was wondering the same thing. I usually use saltine crackers but thought quinoa would be good for the extra nutrition. I have a little one that doesn't like meat, but will eat meatloaf. Let us know how it turns out if you make it. I think I would cook it first, also do you think you would use the same amount of quinoa as you would the oatmeal?

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

gloriajean — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 21:37:59 GMT

I googled it, you can use quinoa in meatloaf! I'm going to make it tonight. Yes, it calls for cooked quinoa. My meatloaf recipe calls for:

1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey and that works great)

1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs or oatmeal

1 egg

1/2 can tomato sauce (I use my home canned about a cup)

Dash of salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion salt (I'll just put some onion in it), nutmeg and allspice.

Topping:

1/2 can tomato sauce

heaping tablespoon brown sugar

good teaspoon mustard

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Bake 350 for an hour.

This recipe I got from my sister, for the first meal I made my husband over 50 years ago. I have made other meatloaf recipes, but this one is the best we like.

I think I will just cook 1/2 quinoa for it, what do you think?

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

gabstoomuch — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 22:07:49 GMT

You can put anything in meatloaf, but are you asking to replace the oatmeal with quinoa? I don't think it would be a binding agent like the oatmeal (or bread crumbs, crackers, etc).

You can certainly put it in as added nutrition for sure. I would cook it completely and squish it in the meat. Par cooked might end up being little hard bits in the meatloaf? Maybe? Just my guess.

I put cooked plain quinoa in everything. My yogurt, in salads, eat it plain. It is a whole food, it has all 9 nutrition requirements to be considered a whole food. Organic for me. Plain it really has no taste at all, so it is very easy to toss into anything being cooked.

In meatloaf, I would cook it full first, or it will absorb any meat grease to puff itself up, so you meatloaf might end up with a mushy texture. Just a guess, because boiling it like rice, it absorbs the water to become soft.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

dex — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 22:09:03 GMT

I would soak the quinoa overnight and then use it in the meatloaf.I think that it would soften enough that it could work but I haven't tried it yet.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

gloriajean — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 23:42:33 GMT

I used 3/4 cooked quinoa, and added about a half cup oatmeal to it, because I might have put too much homemade tomato sauce in it, but it's ready for the oven now. So for so good!

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

gabstoomuch — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 23:56:40 GMT

What time is dinner? It sounds yummy

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

kristan — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 23:57:37 GMT

I don't like quinoa so I wouldn't use it. We don't like too much filler in meatloaf so I usually like finely crushed saltines or panko, just enough to hold it together. I freeform loaves on a baking sheet instead of using loaf pans. Meatloaf sandwiches are my favorite the next day.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

glmama — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:08:23 GMT

I really like quinoa. It's a great protein source--especially for those that don't get a lot from meat products, etc. I like to use it as a base for salads of course, and I find that I tend to use more of it in the summer months with fresh toms, feta, etc. I think you could absolutely sub the quinoa for the oatmeal.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

sidsmom — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:16:13 GMT

It's horribly expensive...why not use cheaper oatmeal for the same effect?

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

gloriajean — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:50:29 GMT

We buy quinoa in bulk - it's not horribly expensive, we buy mostly organic foods. Our Oatmeal is organic too. So the reason I'm using it today is because my daughter gave me the idea and I just wanted to try it. That's all.

What I like about quinoa is you can flavor it any way you like. I used beef broth for the water to cook it in. Season it any way you wish, and it's good.

In one recipe using quinoa with meatloaf that I looked up, it had cream of mushroom soup in it. Another idea.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

Demeter — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 01:00:09 GMT

Thanks for sharing your recipe gloriajean. I'm gonna try the quinoa meatloaf, maybe ketchup in place of tomatoe sauce. Have a good dinner!

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

blackhole99 — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 03:47:07 GMT

I thought the egg was the binding agent in meat loaf.

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

betteb — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 03:58:45 GMT

On 2/11/2015 baker said:
I thought the egg was the binding agent in meat loaf.

It is and quinoa is far more nutritious than oatmeal.

Thanks for sharing Gloriajean

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

SANNA — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 04:08:44 GMT

You absolutely can use it, just cookit first. It is very easy, 1 cup of quinoa plus 2 cups of water, bring it to boil, cover, lover the heat and simmer for 15 min. BTW to make a meatloaf juicier fine shred a zucchini into a meat mix. Then add cooked quinoa. I use it very often. When I cook it as a side dish I add spices like for pilaf or any of your liking. Always add olive oil. Sometimes I sautée vegetables( any kind you like) and add them too cooked quinoa, looks pretty and taste great! I love to saute eggplans,colorful sweet peppers,zucchini is,garlic and toss it into quinoa. Sometimes mushrooms with onions. So pretty much anything goes. Very healthy food . Enjoy!

Re: Anyone use Quinoa?

gloriajean — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 04:11:10 GMT

It was a HIT!!!!! Daughter was here for supper and loved it!! Said I should remember what I did, to make it exactly like that again!!! Husband loved it too! Said to be sure to make it again. Daughter thought it was more moist - it was good, that's all I'm saying.!! Oh, and I'm going to repeat it just the way I posted it.