Quinoa Kitchen Recipes

We have a lot of recipes here at QuinoaKitchen.com (just look to your left…at the top), but one of the main questions we get is – why choose Quinoa (pronounced – keen-wah) over rice? Is there really that much of a nutritional difference? So let’s compare rice vs. Quinoa and see what we can uncover.

What is better for you – Rice or Quinoa?

Reading Quinoa nutritional information may mean very little to you unless you have something to compare it to. Well, at least that’s how it was for me

I decided to compare the nutritional information from the most popular brand of Quinoa and compare it to the most popular brand of rice. By looking at some basic nutritional information side-by-side, I was able to determine a few things that might interest you.

Now, just for the record, I didn’t compare the nutritional information of Quinoa with just any ol’ white rice – I chose the cream of the crop – a very nice mixture of white and wild rice that is also supposed to be really good for you. I wanted to compare healthy food with healthy food.

So, let’s take a look at what I found out.

Quinoa vs Rice –

I took a look at the nutritional information for this very popular brand of Quinoa (which also happens to be my favorite brand that I talked about in my Quinoa buying tips here at QuinoaKitchen.com).

I then compared quinoa to rice. Yes, a Rice vs Quinoa battle!

Let’s see what I found out…

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Exactly What is Gluten Free Beer?
Gluten is found in many common ingredients of today’s diets. Most commonly associated with barley and wheat, gluten is found in beer and other alcoholic beverages as well as anything made from wheat. Until the invention of gluten free beer, it was extremely difficult for someone with celiac disease or gluten allergies to enjoy a beer with family or friends. Nearly all other types of beer contain some level of gluten, so finding a safe beer for someone with gluten associated health issues can be challenging at best.

Determine your Gluten Tolerance Level?
Before choosing a beer based on the level of gluten it contains it is best to speak with your doctor to find out exactly why gluten bothers your stomach. Some beers do have lower levels of gluten in them than others that may be possible to drink in small quantities for people with a mild allergy to gluten. Even those with mild allergies to gluten may find that gluten of any kind in their drink causes serious discomfort as drinks lack the bulk of other foods that have gluten. The smallest trace amounts of gluten can cause serious, life threatening reactions to those with Celiac disease, however. Beers that are clearly labeled gluten free are your best bet if you are unsure of what causes your gluten reaction.

How is Gluten Beer Made?
It is typical to wonder how gluten free beer can taste as good as regular beer as most beers are made from wheat and barley. Rice, buckwheat, and sorghum are the main ingredients in gluten free beer. Buckwheat is a completely safe ingredient, as it is a member of the rhubarb family and unrelated in any way to wheat. Despite the fact these are not the traditional forms of beer making, you will be surprised to find the taste of beers made from these ingredients is excellent. You will find that doing a little research will greatly reduce the amount of trial and error you will undertake to find the perfect beer and reading the many online reviews of the various types of gluten free beers can help you get started.

Gluten Free Beer – Who Has It?
Gluten free beer may not be readily available at all restaurants and bars. Finding a restaurant that carries gluten free beer prior to planning a night out is a good idea if you are gluten intolerant. You will find that many managers are more than willing to accommodate a request for gluten free options if they do not currently offer any. For home consumption, there are many websites online which offer a wide variety of low gluten and gluten free beer choices in case your local spirits store does not provide what you need.

Coping with a gluten free life these days may seem like a little bit of a concern, particularly with the advertisements for mouth watering looking fast food staring you in the face everywhere you go. Interestingly, there are fast food places out there that provide some gluten free choices that may not seem perfect. Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell all present at least a few choices. As shocking as it may be that gluten free people can continue to eat out with everyone else, there are some loopholes in several menus that permit for just that. Below is an exploration of the various options available.

For gluten free alternatives at McDonald’s, you can simply look for food items minus the buns, biscuits, McGriddles, and poultry. For breakfast, that may include a “big breakfast”, consisting of hashbrowns, eggs, and sausage, along with a biscuit you merely don’t have to eat. If you possibly can do without the chicken, McDonald’s presents some good chicken salads. Just order without the chicken for lunch. There’s a southwest one along with a fruit and walnut salad, as well as the standard thrown and Caesar. The French fries are good too, and you can finish things off with a fruit and yogurt parfait, as long as you do not use the granola.

On the down side, the french fries at Wendy’s will not be gluten free. Wendy’s does indeed have a variety of side items to choose from that are gluten free, which McDonald’s doesn’t. A few of the most liked gluten free products at Wendy’s comprise of, strawberry yogurt, mandarin oranges, side salads, baked potatoes, and cups of chili. There’s even a gluten free southwest taco salad which comes served with lettuce, cheese, vegetables, chips, source cream as well as chili. Pair this together with your favorite drink, and you can have a healthy meal that is free of gluten altogether.

If you prefer to go to Taco Bell for your gluten free fast food experience, you only have a number of options to choose from. Luckily, you may make a meal of these choices as they all are very filling. The Southwest steak bowl is really a hardy selection, although a lot of Taco Bells took that off their menu nowadays. If you’re able to find a Taco Bell that still features it, the Southwest steak bowl is made with rice, cheese, steak, and beans and all put into a bowl and coated in a spicy, rich sauce. There’s also a few sides which can be okay such as the pintos and cheese or mexican rice together with tostadas. In summary, if you’re searching for a gluten-free fast food experience, there are options available. You just need to know where to look.  Leaving a couple of gluten free recipes here and there probably wouldn’t hurt either.