Quinoa View More

(Chenopodium quinoa)   Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an ancient grain.  Although recently rediscovered in the U.S., quinoa has been cultivated in the Andean mountains of Peru, Chile and Bolivia for over 5,000 years. The grain was prized by the Incas who believed it to be sacred and referred to quinoa as the “mother seed.”  … Continue Reading

Kidney Beans View More

(Phaseolis vulgaris)   Kidney beans are legumes which are plants with seed pods that split into two halves.  Some of the more common legumes are beans, lentils, peanuts, peas and soybeans. The legume family also includes alfalfa, clover and even the beautiful flowering plant wisteria.   Like all legumes, kidney beans benefit from bacteria (rhizobia)… Continue Reading

Copper is an essential trace mineral that is the third most abundant mineral in the body (after iron and zinc).  Copper is found in skeletal muscle and skin but the highest concentrations are found in the brain and liver.   Several enzymes require copper making this mineral important for a number of enzymatic reactions.  Copper… Continue Reading