Quinoa - great grain (tasty too)

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a South American high protein grain that looks like translucent couscous with a saturn-like ring around it. It's tasty, and has the fluffy consistency of rice but is lower on the glycemic index than brown or white rice (which means you don't automatically need a nap 2 hours after you eat it).

It's a good source of protein, fiber and many other delicious nutrients. And best of all: it takes less than 15 minutes to make. Simply add a cup of quinoa to 2 C. of water or stock, bring to a boil, and then cover and let simmer. You can even remove it from the heat and leave it covered on the counter until it cooks through.

I like to use it alongside grilled mushrooms or asparagus and with grilled or teriyaki'ed tofu. And according to some, it can even be cooked with butter and cream to make "quin-otto", a protein version of risotto!