Are you getting tired of oatmeal or need a gluten-free alternative to wheat? Then you might just like quinoa flakes as a breakfast and baking substitute. Quinoa isn’t just a great Scrabble word — it refers to an ancient grain native to South America that is highly nutritious and also easily digestible by many. The flake form can be found in natural foods and specialty foods stores, usually located near products like dried cereals.

Quinoa flakes do require cooking. Yet for those who love quick cereal, cooking time is blissfully short, about 90 seconds. Resembling rolled oats when uncooked, cooked quinoa flakes tend to look like wheat cereal or some compare them to grits. A hot bowl of quinoa flakes will add great nutrition to your morning breakfast, with no cholesterol, no sodium, no gluten, and about 10% of your daily requirement for dietary fiber.

Many people have found quinoa flakes a fantastic alternative to dried oats, and use them in place of oatmeal in baking recipes. Oatmeal cookies can easily become quinoa cookies, and some people testify to the more filling nature of this South American grain. Maybe you will be able to save some of those cookies for later rather than eating the whole batch. You can also use the flakes in place of oatmeal called for in recipes for fruit crisps, or add some to granola for additional nutrition.

Even though quinoa is an ancient grain, its use in North American cooking is fairly recent. Many people are curious what quinoa flakes taste like. The taste is described by many as “neutral” or not that flavorful, but others are quick to point out this doesn’t exactly mean the flakes or grain are bland. The grain just tends not to interfere with other flavors, much like oatmeal or wheat flour.

Recipes for quinoa flakes aren’t in tremendous proliferation, though you will see their use recommended in a number of baked goods. In particular, muffins, breads, pancakes and waffles can all be made healthier when the flakes are used to substitute for white wheat flour. Fans of the grain say the baked results are delicious and hearty. For more ideas with quinoa, look for recipes in cookbooks designed for people with gluten free needs, or in vegetarian and vegan cookbooks.