# Store bought quinoa



## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

The other day I was at the store and noticed several brands of quinoa and some of them were labeled as organic. Has anyone ever tried to grow plants from the seeds in a box that you can buy at the store? I wanted to add the seeds to what I have already but wasn't sure if it would be better to just buy a pack from an online store. The price seemed reasonable for the amount of seeds in the box (it was a little over $5). The label said it was pre-washed but didn't say anything about it being pre-cooked.


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

You need to read up on it, the only place in the USA that seems to grow it is I think Arizona . Needs high country I believe .


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

after reading it is a great flour but is does not keep

it breaks down as far as being able to absorb water and looses its 
protein level quickly and has to be held in cold stasis and only a 2 month
window of freshness / usefulness.

I don't shoot it down but unless your able to keep a fresh stock 
and have access or can grow it I would not see it as a long term storage 
MUST HAVE 
The water insolubility after a short time and the cold storage limits it usefulness.
and make me think it would collect off flavors and oxidate quickly.
here is the link I garnished the information from 
http://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/properties-of-quinoa


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

nightwing said:


> after reading it is a great flour but is does not keep
> 
> it breaks down as far as being able to absorb water and looses its
> protein level quickly and has to be held in cold stasis and only a 2 month
> window of freshness / usefulness.


That is about the flour, which is very rare, at least 99% of it's use is as a whole (though processed) grain. Most quinoa you buy has been processed to remove the bitterness, this may make it unable to germinate, it depends. The whole grains will last for a long time without degradation and have an excellent nutrient content.

It can be grown in many places, it doesn't like extreme heat and some varieties take a long time to mature.


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## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

Elinor0987 said:


> ...The other day I was at the store and noticed several brands of quinoa and some of them were labeled as organic. Has anyone ever tried to grow plants from the seeds in a box that you can buy at the store?...


You may be confusing "heirloom" for "organic." 
Organic is free of synthetic chemicals, heirloom are plants which reproduce seeds which will sprout.

Many organic foods are in fact, sterile plants and hybrids, but they are chemical free.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

cowboyhermit said:


> That is about the flour, which is very rare, at least 99% of it's use is as a whole (though processed) grain. Most quinoa you buy has been processed to remove the bitterness, this may make it unable to germinate, it depends. The whole grains will last for a long time without degradation and have an excellent nutrient content.
> 
> It can be grown in many places, it doesn't like extreme heat and some varieties take a long time to mature.


good to know for those that have a local access here it is not more than 
something different to try and I try most things but not Quinoa 
just have not had the opportunity I have probably ate it and did not know 
we have a lot of bakeries and I like trying new breads and such.

I tried some of my white flour I put up in 1999 still works 
sugar looked like a animals salt block but it is still good 
I had to cut the honey out of the bottles and use a double boiler 
to reconstitute them but still tastes like honey keep it in mason jars now.


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## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. I had no idea that organic foods are mostly sterile. I bought some beans a while back from Whole Foods because I thought the ones from Wal-Mart might be gmo and not germinate. I'll order them from a seed company later. With all of the craziness that's been going on I've really been trying to step up the preparations. Things are getting worse every day and there's no end in sight. At any moment WW3 could start and it wouldn't take much to push our economy over the edge. Vladimir Putin is openly talking about an end to the petrodollar. Add to that the droughts, rising inflation, ebola, the Ferguson incident, etc.,. I know I'm not the only one here in hyper mode. I think a lot of people have been under stress and on edge lately and we're starting to feel the weight of watching our fears materialize into reality before our eyes.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Elinor0987 said:


> Thanks for the replies. I had no idea that organic foods are mostly sterile. I bought some beans a while back from Whole Foods because I thought the ones from Wal-Mart might be gmo and not germinate.


Organic=not GMO, old fashioned "natural" hybrids are allowed though. Sterile crosses are quite rare but extremely variable plants are to be (somewhat) expected with the seeds of hybrids of many plants. They do not "breed true".

nightwing, I have seen a few baked good with quinoa but it is usually used like rice or couscous. It has a relatively unique texture and mild savoury flavour imo.


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