Kitchen

[gloriajean]

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.

[blackhole99]

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

[Deeeeeeeeee]

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.

[Deeeeeeeeee]

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.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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.

[Demeter]

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?

[gloriajean]

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?

[gabstoomuch]

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.

[dex]

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.

[gloriajean]

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!