Quinoa is a typical ingredient from the high plains that has recently gained popularity in international cuisine. Its nutritional value and easy preparation have made it a favorite of professional chefs and amateur cooks alike, who use it in many ways.

While as versatile as rice, quinoa is a seed, not a grain. It grows in cool climates, despite the limited water and cold winds of high altitudes. This ability to survive has allowed quinoa to become a main food source among the indigenous people of the Atacama Desert and other parts of the Andes Mountains.