Quinoa Flour - a HIT!

Charski · 04-04-2010, 05:36 PM

I bought the Bob's Red Mill quinoa flour at Whole Foods, based on I think Fawn's recommendation that it could be used to thicken stuff.

I've used it twice in the past week - the first time to thicken a beef stew. I browned the beef in bacon fat, then browned the veggies, add a little olive oil, then added 1/4 cup quinoa flour and stirred with the veggies til the flour browned a bit, then added red wine and beef stock and it thickened beautifully! Add the beef back in and let it simmer and the end result was a velvety luscious beef stew.

Today, I used it to thicken turkey gravy. I made a roux with 1/2 cup butter, melted, and 1/2 cup quinoa flour - again, stirred those together in the pot until the flour browned up just a bit, then added in the strained pan drippings from roasting the turkey, along with enough chicken stock to make an appropriate gravy. It was delicious, with NO trace of the sliminess that can happen with too much Thicken Thin Not/Starch or other gums.

I will use the quinoa flour from now on for all thickening purposes for soups, stews, and gravies!

There is no weird taste as there can be with other flours, it thickens just like wheat flour, it's not overly expensive, and given that 1/2 cup thickened up about 6 cups of gravy, it's not very carby per serving either! Plus it's high in protein and gluten-free. LOVE it!

ouizoid · 04-04-2010, 06:12 PM

Thanks for experimenting for us!

Charski · 04-04-2010, 06:42 PM

It was a big sacrifice, Ouis, but I was happy to do it for the good of all....

ravenrose · 04-04-2010, 06:49 PM

That sounds interesting! I know quinoa is supposed to be the most nutritious grain.

I am wondering about the carb count though. If it's 4 grams of net carbs per tablespoon, and whole wheat flour is 4.5 grams per tablespoon, do you think quinoa thickens enough better to make a huge difference in carbs?

When I used to use flour, I never measured that carefully, but from my reading tonight, I see that it's usually recommended that you use one tablespoon of white flour (5.8 net carbs) to thicken a cup of gravy, and probably half again that much of whole wheat flour (6.75 for 1.5 tablespoons).

How much quinoa flour do you think it would take to thicken a cup of gravy? I know you stated 1/2 cup, but I don't know how much you were making.

Thanks so much for your experiments with this.

Charski · 04-04-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charski

and given that 1/2 cup thickened up about 6 cups of gravy, it's not very carby per serving either! Plus it's high in protein and gluten-free. LOVE it!

Ravenrose, it made at least 6 cups. I just looked at what's left from dinner, and it's in a 4 cup Pyrex measuring bowl, and is full. Five of us ate freely of it for dinner, so I'm guessing we used at least 2 cups of it.

1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons, so 1.25 tablespoons per cup of liquid did the job, maybe a bit less if we had more gravy than my eyeball guesstimate measured!

Given that quinoa isn't a grain, and is high protein, and eaten in its seed state has never caused me any kind of cravings or problems, I'll use it for gravies and thickening from now on! I'm certainly not experiencing any problems from eating the gravy either, but of course it was part of a meal, and not eaten on its own - so the other meal components also entered into the total glycemic load.

Anyway, for US, it's a wonderful alternative to flour and gives a nicer result than the gums, and isn't as finicky either.

DBrown8614 · 04-04-2010, 08:29 PM

Wow, that sounds like great stuff! Thank you for letting us know your results!

I guess I have a shopping trip to make LOL.

Linny · 04-05-2010, 06:11 AM

Thanks for testing it and sharing results!!!

Jennifer Eloff · 04-05-2010, 10:24 AM

Char, is this like a real flour consistency or is it the granular stuff that I've got. Ian is going overseas soon, so I'll ask him to find it for me. Thanks for all your experimentation with this product.

ravenrose · 04-05-2010, 11:35 AM

Thank you Char, that really sounds great!

CarolynF · 04-05-2010, 11:38 AM

Char: While we were visiting ds at college, I went to their hfstore there and was looking at quinoa flour..No kidding..Didn't buy any, but will be back there in a month, so I will definitely pick some up.

Charski · 04-05-2010, 12:33 PM

Jen, it's a true flour consistency. I made a perfect roux with it, just like flour makes.

Ravenrose, try it and see what you think!

Carolyn, grab a bag when you get a chance.

There are recipes on the bag too, one for muffins or brownies, I forget which, and I think Bob's Red Mill has recipes on the website too IIRC.

Dixie Barkley · 04-05-2010, 12:34 PM

I've got m fingers crossed on this one. I hope it works in all flour applications. What do you think?

Charski · 04-05-2010, 12:41 PM

I've not tried baking with it, Dixie, so can't speak to that aspect, but I will give it a try one of these fine days and report back. Hope if anyone else tries it they also report results!

Beeb · 04-07-2010, 01:58 PM

Hey Char, think we can grind this ourselves? Or better to buy! Thanks!

tulipsandroses · 04-07-2010, 02:20 PM

Cool! - I have some Quinoa in my pantry that I bought a couple of months ago. It made a very nice fried "rice" when I was doing a low fat diet.

Charski · 04-07-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeb

Hey Char, think we can grind this ourselves? Or better to buy! Thanks!

Beeb, I tried grinding some myself in my VitaMix a few months back, and tried making some crackers with it, which were pretty close to inedible. Not sure if that was a product of the homeground quinoa, or just because the recipe was crappy though!

DBrown8614 · 04-07-2010, 03:32 PM

I just was able to finally pick some of this up last night. Can't wait to see how it works out!

04-04-2010, 05:36 PM	#1
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,803 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Quinoa Flour - a HIT! I bought the Bob's Red Mill quinoa flour at Whole Foods, based on I think Fawn's recommendation that it could be used to thicken stuff. I've used it twice in the past week - the first time to thicken a beef stew. I browned the beef in bacon fat, then browned the veggies, add a little olive oil, then added 1/4 cup quinoa flour and stirred with the veggies til the flour browned a bit, then added red wine and beef stock and it thickened beautifully! Add the beef back in and let it simmer and the end result was a velvety luscious beef stew. Today, I used it to thicken turkey gravy. I made a roux with 1/2 cup butter, melted, and 1/2 cup quinoa flour - again, stirred those together in the pot until the flour browned up just a bit, then added in the strained pan drippings from roasting the turkey, along with enough chicken stock to make an appropriate gravy. It was delicious, with NO trace of the sliminess that can happen with too much Thicken Thin Not/Starch or other gums. I will use the quinoa flour from now on for all thickening purposes for soups, stews, and gravies! There is no weird taste as there can be with other flours, it thickens just like wheat flour, it's not overly expensive, and given that 1/2 cup thickened up about 6 cups of gravy, it's not very carby per serving either! Plus it's high in protein and gluten-free. LOVE it! __________________ It's easy to be miserable. Being happy takes more work. ~~from Ondine, the movie~~ Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I stuck. I reject your reality and substitute my own! ~~ Adam on Mythbusters

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04-04-2010, 06:12 PM	#2
ouizoid Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,920 Gallery: ouizoid Stats: 225/165/145 WOE: JUDDD	Thanks for experimenting for us!

04-04-2010, 06:42 PM	#3
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,803 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	It was a big sacrifice, Ouis, but I was happy to do it for the good of all....

04-04-2010, 06:49 PM	#4
ravenrose . Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: California Posts: 9,061 Gallery: ravenrose Stats: lost 130 lb so far, and miles to go before I sleep WOE: low carb controlled calorie Start Date: June, 2009	That sounds interesting! I know quinoa is supposed to be the most nutritious grain. I am wondering about the carb count though. If it's 4 grams of net carbs per tablespoon, and whole wheat flour is 4.5 grams per tablespoon, do you think quinoa thickens enough better to make a huge difference in carbs? When I used to use flour, I never measured that carefully, but from my reading tonight, I see that it's usually recommended that you use one tablespoon of white flour (5.8 net carbs) to thicken a cup of gravy, and probably half again that much of whole wheat flour (6.75 for 1.5 tablespoons). How much quinoa flour do you think it would take to thicken a cup of gravy? I know you stated 1/2 cup, but I don't know how much you were making. Thanks so much for your experiments with this.

04-04-2010, 08:29 PM	#6
DBrown8614 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 1,575 Gallery: DBrown8614 Stats: 200/165/125 WOE: Dr. Atkins Start Date: November 2003	Wow, that sounds like great stuff! Thank you for letting us know your results! I guess I have a shopping trip to make LOL.

04-05-2010, 06:11 AM	#7
Linny Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NW PA Posts: 4,803 Gallery: Linny Stats: Lost 50 lbs WOE: Organic & Natural Whole Food version of Atkins	Thanks for testing it and sharing results!!!

04-05-2010, 10:24 AM	#8
Jennifer Eloff Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tropics Posts: 3,075 Gallery: Jennifer Eloff WOE: Atkins/Moderate Carbs Start Date: 1999	Char, is this like a real flour consistency or is it the granular stuff that I've got. Ian is going overseas soon, so I'll ask him to find it for me. Thanks for all your experimentation with this product.

04-05-2010, 11:35 AM	#9
ravenrose . Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: California Posts: 9,061 Gallery: ravenrose Stats: lost 130 lb so far, and miles to go before I sleep WOE: low carb controlled calorie Start Date: June, 2009	Thank you Char, that really sounds great!

04-05-2010, 11:38 AM	#10
CarolynF Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Kansas Posts: 36,819 Gallery: CarolynF Stats: 195/141/139 WOE: Eat Fat, Get Thin Start Date: January 2001	Char: While we were visiting ds at college, I went to their hfstore there and was looking at quinoa flour..No kidding..Didn't buy any, but will be back there in a month, so I will definitely pick some up.

04-05-2010, 12:33 PM	#11
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,803 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Jen, it's a true flour consistency. I made a perfect roux with it, just like flour makes. Ravenrose, try it and see what you think! Carolyn, grab a bag when you get a chance. There are recipes on the bag too, one for muffins or brownies, I forget which, and I think Bob's Red Mill has recipes on the website too IIRC.

04-05-2010, 12:34 PM	#12
Dixie Barkley Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 440 Gallery: Dixie Barkley	I've got m fingers crossed on this one. I hope it works in all flour applications. What do you think?

04-07-2010, 01:58 PM	#14
Beeb Why wait, just do it NOW! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Where Super Storm Sandy Wiped Out All My Childhood Memories!! Posts: 11,753 Gallery: Beeb Stats: 152 WOE: Thintuition - Intuitive Eating	Hey Char, think we can grind this ourselves? Or better to buy! Thanks!

04-05-2010, 12:41 PM	#13
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,803 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	I've not tried baking with it, Dixie, so can't speak to that aspect, but I will give it a try one of these fine days and report back. Hope if anyone else tries it they also report results!

04-07-2010, 02:20 PM	#15
tulipsandroses Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3,932 Gallery: tulipsandroses Stats: 206/164/140 WOE: Atkins Start Date: March 2010	Cool! - I have some Quinoa in my pantry that I bought a couple of months ago. It made a very nice fried "rice" when I was doing a low fat diet.

04-07-2010, 03:32 PM	#17
DBrown8614 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 1,575 Gallery: DBrown8614 Stats: 200/165/125 WOE: Dr. Atkins Start Date: November 2003	I just was able to finally pick some of this up last night. Can't wait to see how it works out!