quinoa

Noun

quinoa (countable and uncountable, plural quinoas)

1. 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).1997, Derek B. Munro, Ernest Small, Vegetables of Canada, page 142
   • 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.1999 October, Lisa Turner, “Have fun exploring the land of unconventional grains”, in Better Nutrition, page 70
2. 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.2007, Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food, page 560
   • 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.2007, Jonny Bowden, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, page 78