Gluten-Free Naan Recipe with Quinoa Flour - Simply Quinoa (2024)

FAQs

Can I use quinoa flour instead of bread flour? ›

Use quinoa flour instead of all-purpose flour or bread flour so the pizza crust still benefits from the flavor and texture of yeast but remains gluten-free. This makes your pizza indulgence turn into a healthy and delicious nutrient-rich meal.

Ratio: For every 1 cup of all-purpose flour, use approximately 3/4 cup of quinoa flour. Flavor: Expect a nuttier taste in the final product.

To roasted and even baked quinoa. And the most magical of it all- you can also grind it into flour and make gorgeous pastries out of it. Quinoa, like many other types of grain, easily gives in to the blender's blades and is ground easily into soft airy flour.

So my recommendation would be to make a small batch of something (like half a batch of these coconut oil chocolate chip cookies) and see how they taste to you. If you do find that quinoa flour is bitter, there's an easy solution. Toast it! Toasting quinoa is really easy and completely removes the bitter aftertaste.

Quinoa flour can be used as a single-flour replacement for wheat flour in some recipes. Not all, but some. This is great information for family or friends who really want to bake for you.

Pros and Cons of Using Quinoa Flour in Baking and Cooking

Quinoa flour offers numerous advantages such as being gluten-free, high in protein, and packed with essential nutrients. However, its distinct nutty taste and dense texture may not be preferred by everyone.

Quinoa Flour

It tends to be very dry when used alone as a self-rising flour substitute. That's why it's best combined with another kind of flour or very moist ingredients. You will need to add a leavening agent to any recipe in which you substitute quinoa flour.

Quinoa has a high water absorption capacity (147.0%) and low foaming capacity and stability (9.0%, 2.0%). The flour has a least gelation concentration of 16% w/v. Protein solubility of the flour was also evaluated and found to be pH dependent, with minimum solubility at about pH 6.0.

The dietary fiber content in quinoa is also higher than the content for many other grains. This means that quinoa can be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes, since fiber and protein are considered important for keeping blood sugar under control.

With its mild nutty flavor, this edible seed packs a powerful nutrition punch, containing anywhere from 17-27 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein per cup cooked. Quinoa is also considered to be a whole grain, gluten free and contains anti-inflammatory properties.

What is quinoa flour best used for? ›

Quinoa flour is especially great for baking gluten-free bread because of its protein content. Since gluten is a protein, it is important to use higher protein flours (such as quinoa) when baking gluten-free. The protein in quinoa flour helps to give your bread some structure, and will improve the overall texture.

Do you need to soak quinoa before cooking it? In short, no, you don't need to soak quinoa. However, doing so is said to remove phytic acid, which may make it easier for people to digest quinoa. If you just want to remove the bitter flavor from quinoa, rinse it under cold water for about a minute.

For people who still find quinoa difficult to digest, soaking your quinoa can help release the phytic acid (which binds to certain vitamins and minerals and keeps us from absorbing them) and activating phytase, the enzyme that helps us digest them. What you'll need: Quinoa. Lemon juice or white or apple cider vinegar.

You definitely don't need to toast quinoa flour, but if you find it to have an off-putting flavor then it's something to consider. With the recipes on the site, you can always opt to use untreated quinoa flour, as the texture remains the same, but the taste of the finished dish will vary slightly.

Unopened quinoa flour typically lasts for 6-12 months if stored correctly in a cool, dry place. Once the packaging is opened, the shelf life tends to decrease; however, properly sealing and refrigerating or freezing the flour can extend its usability.

Analyses suggested that starch digestibility was reduced and resistant starch content increased significantly. Taken together, quinoa flour improved dough rheological properties, enhanced the textural properties, and increased resistant starch content in crispy biscuits, thus adding to high nutritional value.

You can use all-purpose flour as a 1:1 substitute for bread flour and vice-versa. For example, for 1 cup of bread flour, you can use 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Bread and pizza crust made with all-purpose flour may have a little less chew than those made with bread flour, but the results will still be good.

You definitely don't need to toast quinoa flour, but if you find it to have an off-putting flavor then it's something to consider. With the recipes on the site, you can always opt to use untreated quinoa flour, as the texture remains the same, but the taste of the finished dish will vary slightly.