About Quinoa:

Quinoa (/ˈkiːnwɑː/ or /kɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish: quinua, from Quechua: kinwa), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family. As achenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beetroots, spinach and tumbleweeds.
It is quite high in protein, lacks gluten, and is tolerant of dry soil.
Quinoa in its natural state has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it unpalatable. Most quinoa sold commercially in North America has been processed to remove this coating. This bitterness has beneficial effects during cultivation, as the plant is unpopular with birds and therefore requires minimal protection.
Quinoa was important to the diet of pre-Columbian Andean civilizations.Today, people appreciate quinoa for its nutritional value. Quinoa has been called a superfood. Protein content is very high for a cereal/pseudo-cereal (14% by mass), yet not as high as most beans and legumes. Quinoa's protein content per 100 calories is higher than brown rice, potatoes, barley and millet, but is less than wild rice and oats. Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein.Furthermore, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights.
Quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content.In fact, quinoa has a notably short germination period: Only 2–4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, e.g., 12 hours with wheat. This process, besides its nutritional enhancements, softens the seeds, making them suitable to be added to salads and other cold foods.


Uncooked Quinoa

For Quinoa:

Ingredients:

Butter - 1 tbsp
Uncooked quinoa -  1 cup
Stock / Water -  2 cups
Roasted red peppers - 5 slices (optional)
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Lemon juice -1 tsp

Method:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the quinoa, and toast, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.Add Red Peppers at end and give a stir.
Serve with squeezing a juice of 1 lime on top.


 For Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry:

In this recipe i used shrimp and peas,but u can modify it with any meat and veg ,use this recipe as a guide line and work around your way.

Ingredients:

15 shrimps deveined and peeled/ Any meat you desire- slice the meat and add 1 teaspoon of chicken bullion pd and marinate for 15 min.
1 cup sugar snap pea (or as desired) / Any vegetables (fresh / frzoen)
3 tablespoons stir-fry sauce
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons oil

Stirfry sauce:


2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup rice wine or rice vinegar
3 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Method:


1.Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add shrimp and stir-fry until 80 percent done (until shrimps turn pink or the redness in the meat is gone if using beef, or until chicken turns white). Remove and set aside.

2.Add Peas / vegetables to wok. Add sauce and begin stir-frying, mixing the sauce in with the vegetables. Add the meat, and stir-fry rapidly.* When vegetables are tender but not overcooked, remove and serve hot over rice.

*If necessary, at this point you can push the vegetables up to the side of the wok to make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked.

On nights when you're not quite so pressed for time, other steps you can take to add more of an Asian flavor include marinating the meat, tossing a few pieces of sliced ginger and garlic in the oil before adding other ingredients, and using fresh vegetables instead of frozen.