Recently an Industry Friend of mine posted on Facebook his desire to start a new diet. A fascinating thread of conversation spurred off of this Facebook post. Many people weighed in on the topic, giving food and diet advise. People from all over the country and from many different walks of life posted a response. Reading the thread back, I started to noticed a trend - everyone seemed to band together to promote quinoa. This supergrain was connecting people in the most unique way. Individuals, stranger from around the country, were finding common ground and starting a dialogue stemming from quinoa. My interesting take-away from the "quinoa-palooza" was that we have more opportunities to find connections with others than we might realize - we just need to look for it! On first blush, many of us tend to categorize and even (dare I say) judge people based on very surface criteria such as: democrat/republican; male/female; gay/straight; vegetarian/carnivore; college education/high school education. We then put people in a category of expectation based on our first blush scan. (I woul
d be remiss if I didn't state the old adage "Don't judge a book by its cover".) If we challenge ourselves to dig a little deeper, I'm sure we will find common bonds with most people we come in contact with - we will find our own quinoa. It's a great feeling when you're talking to someone and you click with them, when you realize that you have shared interests, experiences, values, or world views. Feeling that warm, fuzzy moment of true connection with another person is something to be happy about, something to strive for daily. These connections not only assist us in forming relationships, these interactions can be very rewarding emotionally. Look for your "quinoa moment" whenever possible! I know I will. We might just have more in common with the world-at-large than we ever imagined.
Sarah this is a very encouraging and enlightening post. I am in love with analogy posts and how you can take little things and learn so much from them. You have given much to digest for today since I feel I am like you in many ways. I love my network and I love the connections I have made with people of all walks of life. Thanks for sharing with me!
ReplyDeleteOh Sarah, you had me at quinoa! It was fun being part of that dishy little thread JS had going yesterday & how fun to see your followup. May we all find our quinoa moment this year.
ReplyDeleteLove it Sarah!!! You have such a way with words :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for weighing in @Jonathan, @Renee & @Kim. It's amazing where the mind will wander when thinking about quinoa. :)
ReplyDeleteand by the way...Quinoa or QUINUA is native to the high plains of South America, it grows best at altitudes between 7,000 and 9,000 feet. Quinoa has been cultivated for thousands of years in the high Andes of Peru (we used it in a variety of recipes, including soups), Ecuador, and Bolivia. Recently, quinoa has also been planted in the Colorado Rockies of the United States. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for the info Millie! It always amazes me that we "discover" new foods all the time that have been around for generations. What takes us so long!?!? :)
ReplyDeleteOk when I started reading this, I thought for sure I would get some great quinoa recipe.. However,I am pleasantly surprised with your musings about the 'quinoa connection'.. It is so true.. Humans are too quick to judge people and place labels. Thank you for this well written and very insightful post!!!
ReplyDelete@Athena - so glad you commented, thank you. For you, here is one of my favorite Quinoa recipes:
ReplyDeleteQuinoa Salad with Apricots & Pistachio
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dried apricots (about 10), quartered
1/3 cup dried goji berries (use golden raisins if you cannot find)
1/4 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Vinaigrette:
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple juice or slightly sweet white wine (such as Riesling)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Preparation:
To prepare the salad, combine water, quinoa, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Drain the quinoa mixture through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 3 tablespoons cooking liquid. Combine quinoa mixture and next 8 ingredients (salt through black pepper) in a large bowl; set aside.
To prepare the vinaigrette, combine reserved 3 tablespoons cooking liquid, lime rind, and remaining ingredients in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour vinaigrette over quinoa mixture, and toss well to coat.
This recipe sounds amazing... I can't wait to to eat quinoa for the first time!
ReplyDelete