In April, I saw some really neat things while on my honeymoon in Ecuador, including some new foods that I would like to explore.

There is a legume that grows wild called lupin. The plant has beautiful dark purple flowers, and dots the sides of the Andes mountains. The lupin bean is a great source of protein, similar to soybeans, I think that it could offer some great nutritional benefits and would be fun to experiment with. There is a similar plant native to California coast, but it does not produce and edible legume.

Quinoa is another neat grain that is native to Ecuadorian Andes. It is known as a "super-grain" because of it's high protein and fiber content. Personally, quinoa is one of my favorite grains, not only because it is one of the most nutritious, but it is super yummy, and cooks in 20 minutes. Just cook it like rice (2:1 with water)! It is small, kind of like couscous and goes with just about everything.

Stay tuned!