As I was browsing my usual social media accounts (i.e. Facebook and Twitter) I came across this article on the account Buzzfeed Food called “21 Meat Alternatives You Should Be Cooking With.” Now, I love my meats as much as the next person, but I was curious so I went ahead and read the article anyway.
I was surprisingly pleased with the ideas this article gave and it brought to my attention some of the foods that I could make that would help me save money in the long run. A good example is one item in particular that has had a lot of hype: quinoa (I added a link in case you aren’t sure what quinoa is).
I was first exposed to quinoa this semester because all of my roommates (yes all of them) eat it. I was skeptical to try it, since it kind of had a funny look to it. But my roommates assured me that I would like it and that it was not only good for you, but was also very filling. So, I tried it.
here is what the quiona grain looks like before it is cooked (picture via http://www.oaquinoa.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-checkout/images/white-quinoa-bag-1359589659.jpg)
here is what [red] quinoa looks like once it is cooked (picture via http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Red_quinoa.png)
And I love it. It takes maybe 15 minutes to make it from the package that it comes in and makes a ton as well. What I like to do is make it as is and then put it away into a Tuberware or Ziplock container. When I want it, I can then pull it out and put whatever I want with it. I find quinoa to be a little bland when I first make it, so I put it with things like: hummus, corn, tomato sauce with mozzarella, or basically anything I think it would be good with. I recently counted how many meals I got out of one bag of quinoa and it was 5. 5 meals of all different flavors and types of food, I was very impressed.
Quinoa is sold at the New Pioneer Food Co-op, Bread Garden Market, and Target. There are many forms that quinoa can come in as well.
- At Target you can buy quinoa pasta, seeds to boil, and quiona dry clusters for between $5-$10 depending on what you buy.
- At New Pioneer you can buy quiona pasta and quinoa burgers (which are my personal favorite) for between $6-$14 depending on what you buy.
- At Bread Garden you can buy the items from above as well for between $5-$12 depending on what you buy.
These numbers may seem like a lot and they are a little pricey, but for as many meals and as many forms that you can get quiona in, I would definitely recommend it. It is good for you and and lasts for a while.
Here are some quiona recipes as provided by Buzzfeed Food: http://www.buzzfeed.com/chelseypippin/21-ingenious-alternatives-to-meat (quinoa is #9 on the list).
Health on a Budget 
