stuffed red peppers and the complete protein
last night made an anniversary dinner with J. red peppers stuffed with a mixture of quinoa and goat cheese plus a little crushed garlic and parsley. it was one of the sub-recipes from the big green cookbook. simple ingredients, surprisingly taste bud thrilling results. really, i should expect this of Bittman by now.
quinoa is one of my favorite grains, but i always have a choking moment at the grocery when i see the price tag. each and every time i have to remind myself that it quadruples in size after cooking, so the price isn't so crazy. now that i am cooking it for the correct length of time, i can enjoy its fluffiness and the way the individual seeds pop while chewing. highly delicious.
out of curiosity, i looked up info on its nutritional content, which is supposed to be quite solid.
"Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. 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 manned spaceflights." (wikipedia)
whatever happened to the complete protein? i remember my grandmother harping on me to make sure that i ate both beans and rice with every meal so that i had a complete protein, but she seemed to be the only one concerned.
more research found the following
"Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal is not necessary." (United States Department of Agriculture)
"Research indicates that an assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all essential amino acids and ensure adequate nitrogen retention and use in healthy adults; thus complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal." (American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada pdf)
thank goodness. i have enough to do already without worrying about orchestrating special food combinations for every meal.
