The GOODS from GRAIN

Vancouver, BC | One of the most common comments we get is how delicious our Golden Quinoa is, especially compared to the South American varieties we have previously known here in this half of the continent. With its grassy, nutty notes and firmer texture, Golden Quinoa is a truly special grain, made even more special by knowing it is sourced directly from Canadian family farms in Saskatchewan.

With this special nature comes a requirement for a slightly different approach when cooking it. When cooked according to directions, home cooks are guaranteed consistently delicious results, without bitterness or surprises.

We’ve tapped our favourite local chefs to share their tried and tested methods of cooking it, and we’ve gathered our top picks here, for you. Here are our favourite ways we enjoy our Golden Quinoa.

1. Rice Cooking Method

The most common way to cook quinoa is with the rice cooking method. Cooking our quinoa this way will result in tighter, firmer grains that won’t mush or stick together. Here, it’s all about the water to grain ratios.

Simply combine the grain with a one to one ratio (precisely) of grain to cooking liquid. Use either straight cold water or chicken or vegetable stock to cook. A pinch of salt in the pot is optional. Simply bring to boil with the lid on and turn to low once boiling, leaving the lid on. Cook for 20 minutes exactly, then turn the heat off. Without removing the lid, steam for a further 10 minutes in the pot.

Once cooked, remove the lid and fluff the grains with a fork. Transfer to a baking sheet and lay flat to cool.

PRO TIP: add a tablespoon full of Apple Cider Vinegar to the cooking liquid, always being sure not to go over to the one to one ratio. This will add flavour to the grains and soften it as it cooks.

2. Pasta Method

Warning: once you try this method, you may never look back. Simply combine your grain with plenty of fresh cold water, like you would when cooking pasta or Wheat Berries. Add a pinch of salt and bring the water to a boil, with or without the lid on. Boil the quinoa for 20 minutes and then drain in a fine mesh sieve.

Allow the quinoa to drain and dry for up to 6 hours (or enjoy it right away). Using this cooking method will allow the grains to expand, and they will resemble the larger, South American varieties. Cooked quinoa can be stored cooked in the fridge to be readily added to salads or heated for warm breakfasts or grain bowls.

3. Rice Cooker

We get asked often if our quinoa works in the rice cooker. Our answer? You bet! Just follow the one to one ratio rule, and cook for 20 minutes.

To rinse or not to rinse on all of the above? A quick rinse to remove any dust is recommended but a thorough wash is not necessary.
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We receive regular feedback that once you go Golden, it’s tough to enjoy any other quinoa. The reasons to do so are so compelling that we love nothing more than to convert. Want our favourite quinoa recipes? We’ve gathered a few here.

Wholehearted Eats Quinoa & Crudite Salad
Moroccan Golden Quinoa Salad
Golden Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
The Essential Cracker
Herbed Quinoa Lentil Salad
Quinoa Lentil Salad with Sweet Corn + Arugula
Celeriac & Golden Quinoa Risotto
Jana’s Quinoa Mexi Salad Bowl

Purchase GRAIN Golden Quinoa at one of these stockists, or find it online here. Happy home cooking!

DETAILS

Web: www.eatgrain.ca | Twitter | Instagram

Co-founders

Janna Bishop, Product Lead
Shira McDermott, Sales & Communications

GALLERY

ABOUT GRAIN

GRAIN is a new Vancouver-based wholesaler and retailer of Canadian, farmer-direct grains, pulses and seeds and a miller of fresh, whole grain flours.

GRAIN founders Janna Bishop and Shira McDermott source Canadian products exclusively, choosing high quality grains with total traceability, offering a complete story to customers looking for a stronger connection to the farmers growing their food. Realizing that Canada’s best dry goods are either exported or canned, GRAIN has set out to disrupt the traditional food supply chain by giving local consumers a taste of the prairies, supplying top-quality, nutrient-rich, Canadian dry goods with a story behind them. They offer classic Canadian grains like Hard Red Spring Wheat and durum, ancient grains like Khorosan and spelt, pulses like kabuli chickpeas and green lentils and seeds like Canadian golden quinoa.

Janna and Shira are constantly building new relationships with farmers across Western Canada, looking for new products — and the stories behind them — to bring to market. They are now packing retail and wholesale bags in their East Vancouver warehouse, eagerly awaiting the delivery of a hand-crafted stone grist mill from the Tyrolean mountains of Austria. When it arrives, GRAIN expects to immediately begin milling whole grain flours, offering healthy, fragrant and flavourful flour, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, protein and healthy oils.