Cooking With The Commentator

Quinoa?

Quinoa.

What is?

A protein wonder grain basically first harvested something like 6000 years ago in South America. Peru, Boivia and Ecuador are the biggest producers of quinoa.

The beauty of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), is that it's easy to cook (just boil it) and its taste doesn't taste like you're eating a piece of wood. It's actually great in soups and a substitute in a stew or ratatouille. I still giggle whenever I say that word.

Quinoa also comes in pasta form and believe it or not, it's not bad at all. Better than kamut or spelt pasta (used by the ancient Etruscans). "Better" in the sense it's easier to cook and get used to.

I'm familiar with all this stuff because A) I like food and B) my wife has severe allergies which has made her diet a defacto "Paleo-Ancient South American" one. She often complains she can't have a piece of apple pie or eat like us normal folk but as I've told her repeatedly (even after beatings) she probably has a better diet than the average person. I've never met someone who doesn't exercise with so much natural, healthy energy.

She thinks there are weaknesses in her diet. I say she'll live to a 102 - like her grandmother.

These are just guesses of course. Hey, you live with someone there's a lot of specious projections being thrown about.

My close friend's wife is Chilean of Native-Spanish descent. We often talk about this stuff. Incidentally, speaking of Chile. Is Michael Moore a complete ignorant boob or what? Wow. I watched part of his interview on Larry King and I had to stop. Not that I watch Larry King but the video was forwarded to me. King on his own is pain, him and Moore is torture.

Not only is it most unbecoming for taking that time to spew anti-American venom during a great moment for humanity, his knowledge of Chile is breathtakingly shallow and infantile. The irony is, Chile did use American, Australian and Canadian know how to pull it their well-organized rescue operation. Not only that, President Pinera is a Harvard educated media mogul who represents the right.

I still can't believe people still think this guy is worth the space he fills.

I studied Chilean history so I'm not all that lost on it. Moore, though, is. He reminds me of a superficial local sports writer who still opens his lame MMQ column with George W. Bush bashing. The mentality of an arrogant loser who doesn't know when to quit.

I digress.

What I made:

Adjust amounts to how much is needed. I'm just throwing the ingredients.

-Boil water and (red and white organic) quinoa with chicken (vegetable is fine too) broth. Add a bay leaf. Let stand for several minutes.
-Cut an onion (it doesn't matter what type), carrot, pepper and tomatoes. Heat with garlic, parsely and olive oil until brown. Add parika and tumeric as you cook.
-Add meat, poultry or sausage if necessary. If you want more protein in your diet go for it.
-Merge everything and stuff your face.