Quinoa

The Andean pseudocereal whose tiny seeds, technically dried fruits of Chenopodium quinoa, sustained civilizations in the highlands of Chile and Peru long before reaching world markets. Cooked, they turn fluffy and faintly nutty; milled, they make gluten-free flour and breads. Nutritionists prize its complete protein with all essential amino acids, plus generous iron and vitamin B1, a profile rare among plant staples. Rinsing or processing removes the bitter saponin coating on the seeds, a step essential to its pleasant taste.