Super Grain Pasta Dinner with GoGoQuinoa and Giveaway

Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.

One of my go-to dinners is a hearty meat sauce with a gluten-free pasta that doesn't go limp in the pot. As we all know, GF pasta can be temperamental and quickly wind up being a gluey mess. When I was recently approached by GoGo Quinoa to give their Super Grains Fusilli Pasta a try. I jumped at the chance to cook up one of my favorite meals and test out this new pasta.

The brand new package of GoGo Quinoa Super Grain Fusilli Pasta

Super Grain Fusilli Pasta
Nutrition Facts

The brand new GoGo Quinoa Super Grain Fusilli Pasta is made from sorghum flours, organic white quinoa flour, organic amaranth flour, and organic chia flour. These pastas are certified organic, gluten-free, vegan, rice free and corn free. They are also part of the NON-GMO project. GoGoQuinoa is based in Canada and most of their ingredients are imported from Bolivia.

We should all be familiar with quinoa by now, but sorghum and amaranth are just starting to gain popularity in gluten-free products. Sorghum is rich in antioxidants, very nutritious, packed with carbohydrates, fiber, iron, protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Amaranth is another naturally gluten-free grain, high in protein, and lysine (an essential amino acid). Partner these with quinoa and you pack a healthy punch!

As you can see from the nutrition panel, this pasta is higher in protein than your average gluten-free pasta. It also contains iron, potassium, and calcium. While you might be watching your carb intake, you can feel good about the other ingredients that are essential to a healthy, balanced diet.

TIME TO EAT! 

I boiled up a big pot of water, added a little extra virgin olive oil, and added the Super Grain Fusilli pasta. I checked on the pasta about 5 minutes into cooking to avoid overcooking but it definitely needed more time. GoGo Quinoa suggests about 9 minutes to get the perfect al dente texture. I cooked for about 10 minutes to get the texture I prefer.

I really enjoyed this new GoGo Quinoa pasta. It was firm and didn't turn to mush. The pasta held up to the meat sauce which is really important. No one likes when their pasta absorbs all of the sauce and gets mushy. This Super Grain pasta has a nice taste, texture, and given the excellent nutritional benefits, I would definitely buy this pasta again.

Good news! This GoGo Quinoa Super Grain pasta is launching in Costco in Northern California in mid-September. This includes San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Santa Cruz (where I live) and beyond. Be sure to visit the GoGo Quinoa website for a complete list of locations and to see a full list of their other products.


GoGo Quinoa Super Grain Fusilli Pasta with Erin's Turkey Meat Sauce

Pasta Cooking Instructions: 
Bring 3-4 liters of water to a boil. Add salt if desired. When the water is boiling well, add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes for an Al Dente texture while stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse promptly with cold water. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce and condiments.

Naked but cooked GoGoQuinoa Super Grain Fusilli Pasta

My meat sauce has no set instructions. I usually just brown turkey meat or ground beef, throw in a bunch of garlic, basil, spinach, and other spices, and then pour in a jar of my favorite tomato sauce. I let the pot simmer for about 30 minutes (if I can wait that long) and then add to my pasta. If I have it on hand, I will top with shredded cheese and then dig in. I think I could seriously eat pasta every day and not get bored. I am sure my waistline would disagree with that life choice. ha!

Pasta with meat sauce... DINNER!

In addition to pasta, GoGo Quinoa has a full line of quinoa-based products including cookies, pancake mix, cake mix, and quinoa flour. They also have some really interesting products that I am excited to try like lentil flakes and quinoa flakes. I see some veggie patty experimentation in my future. To learn more, please visit www.gogoquinoa.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Do you want to win your very own GoGo Quinoa Super Grain Pasta? Enter to win below! All entries must be submitted by September 1st. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quinoa Recipe from Westside Market NYC

Ever since I tried quinoa about five years ago, I've been a fan. This little gluten-free grain packed with protein should be in every Celiac's pantry. Recently, I was sent an email from Westside Market here in NYC. It looks like my fellow New Yorkers are also embracing quinoa. Here's what Westside Market has to say...

Westside Market NYC, a top market that has been in business in New York City for almost 50 years, has seen a rise in the number of people purchasing quinoa at their four locations. Benefits of eating quinoa include that it is packed with protein and calcium, great for dieters as it keeps eaters fuller longer and boosts brain power due to the high level of iron.

Maria Zoitas, wife of Westside Market NYC’s founder John Zoitas, and creator of the Made by Maria line of prepared foods available at Westside Market NYC, has the below quick and healthy quinoa recipe to share with your readers.

MARIA’S HOME MADE SPINACH QUINOA MEDITERANEO 

Makes 4 Servings

8 OZ. QUINOA

1 BUNCH SCALLIONS

1 SPANISH ONION

4 CUPS SPINACH

2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL (PREFERABLY FROM THE ARTISANAL KITCHEN)

1 BUNCH PARSLEY

1 BUNCH ANISE

1 BUNCH DILL

2 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT

1 TEAPSOON BLACK PEPPER

6 CUPS OF WATER

Preparation:

·         SAUTEE ONIONS, SCALLIONS, PARSLEY AND ANISE, IN OLIVE OIL.

·         ADD 6 CUPS OF WATER AND COOK FOR 5 MINUTES.

·         ADD QUINOA AND COOK FOR 15 MINUTES.

·         ADD THE SPINACH AND COOK UNTIL WILTED.

THIS RECIPE SERVES 4

About Westside Market NYC 
Established in 1965 Westside Market NYC has been deeply engrained in the fabric of Manhattan’s Upper Westside life. A rare find in the food market business, Westside Market NYC is family owned and operated in the truest sense. Born and raised on a farm in Roupakia, a village on the island of Lefkada, Greece, John Zoitas arrived in the U.S. from Greece more than 45 years ago. He brought with him a love of fresh-grown produce, authentic cooking, and a steadfast commitment to service and quality. Each of our locations enjoys a remarkably loyal following, which is no surprise; it’s a direct result of the fact that the Zoitas family takes great pride in every aspect of their business. Under the tutelage of his father John, George Zoitas has taken the reigns of Westside Market NYC and made it into the premier market it is today. Our mission is simple: to become your favorite neighborhood food market and caterer of choice by offering the highest quality foods and hard-to-find products supported by friendly, personalized, efficient service. Discover Westside Market NYC, and experience the difference! For more information visit www.wmarketnyc.com

Yay for Quinoa!

I have recently introduced quinoa into my diet. I am one of those people that are afraid of new grains after eating the same thing for so many years. I keep hearing rave reviews about quinoa being the perfect food and found it at my local C-Town Supermarket so I decided to buy it. My first attempt at cooking it was successful but the flavor was too salty due to the chicken broth I used to cook it in. Since then I have decided to cook only with the water as suggested on the package. I had a bad case of food poisoning last week and the only thing I could eat when I started feeling better this weekend was plain quinoa. My body was craving both protein and calcium and the flavor was definitely plain enough for my stomach to handle at that time.

Quinoa is the seed of a grain typically found in South America for many thousands of years. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and is cooked similarly to rice. This seed is high in protein, calcium, and iron. Since it has an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids, it is a complete protein and is often referred to as the perfect food.

I am excited that I now have quinoa in my pantry and look forward to explore many more recipes using it. Do you have any favorite quinoa recipes? Below is a recipe for Gluten-Free Tabouleh from Whole Foods that I can’t wait to try especially since I never had tabouleh in my life!

Whole Foods Market: Gluten-Free Tabouleh

Serves 4
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 5 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 cups small grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 to 2 lemons, more to taste
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a large serving bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition Info
Per serving (About 8.5oz/238g-wt.): 340 calories (180 from fat), 20g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 7g protein, 38g total carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium