New Quinoa Cookbook is a collection of over 400 recipes that feature quinoa. There are recipes for Pasta Dishes, Meat Dishes, Poultry Dishes, Meatless Dishes, Casseroles, Soups & Stews, Pilafs, Salads, Breads, Breakfast, and Desserts. Although meat dishes are included, most of the recipes require no meat, making this an excellent source for High-Protein vegetarian and vegan recipes. Quinoa is a seed which is related to leafy green vegetables such as spinach, chard, and beets. It has been cultivated in the Andean mountain regions of Bolivia, Chile and Peru for over 5,000 years and has long been a staple food in the diets of the native Indians. The Incas revered it as a sacred food and called it the "Mother Seed." Quinoa is one of the rare plant-based foods that supplies all nine essential amino acids, including lysine (which is essential for tissue growth and repair), making it a complete protein. This makes quinoa an excellent option for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa is a great source for iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and fiber. It’s also naturally gluten-free and has a low Glycemic Index.