quinoa

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A goosefoot (Chenopodium quinoa) native to the Andes and cultivated for its edible seeds.

   “Chenopodium quinoa Will, (quinoa) is native to the Andes, and the seeds are a staple grain in parts of South America. The newly formed Canadian Quinoa Association anticipated growing about 400 ha of quinoa annually (Anonymous 1992e).”

   “Quinoa was cultivated about 3,000 years ago in the Andes mountain region, and was the favored crop of the Incas, who used it as a sacred plant in rituals.”

   “The oldest archeological remains of domesticated quinoa date to 5000 BC (Tapia 1979).”

2. (countable, uncountable)The high-protein dried fruits and seeds of this plant, used as a food staple and ground into flour.

   “Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the quinoa, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.”

   “Quinoa is another of those foods that keeps getting miscategorized—everyone thinks it′s a grain, everyone uses it like a grain, but it′s actually a seed.”

   “To use quinoa in a salad, spread it on a platter or baking sheet after cooking to allow it to cool and, more importantly, dry. Cooked quinoa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.”