[Lee Stewart]

This plant grown high in the Andes was cultivated for centuries by native people for its nutrition and taste. Yet hardly anyone outside of the small region even knew of its existence. It was "discovered" in the 1970s and sold as a health food, but it didn't really catch on until the last decade. Now it's so popular that the Peruvians who farm it can't afford to eat it. There's a good reason for its new status as a superfood though, Werth says. "It's the only plant food that is a complete protein, containing all the necessary amino acids," she explains. "As vegan and vegetarian diets have risen in popularity, they've increased the demand for quinoa."

Being a meat eater, all I can say is . . . that looks like bird seed!