Quinoa - NASA Approves

I recently read that quinoa was made known outside of Bolivian borders by NASA. Seems when they were looking for the perfect food stuff for space missions,quinoa made the cut. Because of the grain's current popularity, the population of Bolivia is increasingly unable to afford eating the very grain they've cultivated for centuries. Why? We're eating it. Quinoa has become a large export grain putting it out of reach of the average Bolivian. 
   
It seems strange that we pay so little for this grain and yet Bolivians can't afford to buy it at all. Something's not right. Where can we buy Fair Trade grains?


Despite the rocky politics with this (and so many other) food stuff, I still love - and will still eat it. So many ways to enjoy quinoa and this is just one of them: two cups of quinoa, one yellow pepper, one large Spanish onion, 1/3 cup each of chopped pistachios, sunflower seeds and slivered almonds. You have to soak quinoa and rinse it well or else you'll have a bitter tasting grain. While you soak - pan brown the nuts, put aside. Brown the diced onion in a little butter, add the diced yellow pepper and cook until just a little soft. Then once you've cooked the quinoa, toss all ingredients together. It's a very simple savoury salad.

And - it keeps. Two days later I added a handful of chopped herbs (mint, oregano, garlic scapes, sage, parsley) with a little olive oil and course salt. I will now enjoy this grain with full awareness that I'm lucky to have it.