If you're a vegetarian, chances are that you get much of the protein in your diet from milk, cheeses and eggs.
While these are great sources of protein, cheese and eggs are high in cholesterol.
Milk is also high in cholesterol unless you use skim milk.
Soy is a good protein supplement, but there is an even better option.
It's called quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah).
Quinoa is a grain like seed which contains between 14% and 18% protein.
Unlike other grains, quinoa's protein is complete and doesn't need to be supplemented with other foods like legumes.
Quinoa is high in the eight fatty (amino) acids that are the building blocks of life and also contains Vitamin E and B vitamins.
It is a source of calcium and iron.
Quinoa has been a staple crop for the natives of the Andes Mountains since about 3000 BC.
Along with corn and potatoes it comprises an important part of their diet.
Quinoa is easy to grow.
It prefers high elevations and does well in poor quality, slightly alkaline soil.
Two young Americans discovered this crop in the 1980s and brought it back to the United States where they began growing it in the Rocky Mountains.
Quinoa is also being grown in Canada.
There are many varieties of quinoa, but the three best known are white, red and black quinoa.
The plant is related to beets and spinach and is not a grain, but a seed.
It has many properties of a grain, but it is gluten free.
Quinoa can be milled into flour and is commonly mixed with tapioca and other ingredients to create gluten free flour for baking.
Quinoa can be cooked in the same way as rice and used as a substitute for rice or couscous.
It has a light fluffy texture with a slight crunch.
For extra flavor, it can be toasted in a dry frying pan until it pops and then cooked.
Quinoa is a great additive to soups, stews and casseroles.
If you choose, you can use fruit juice instead of water for cooking.
It makes a delicious breakfast cereal.
If you want even more benefits from quinoa, you can germinate it by soaking it in clean water.
It takes two to four hours to germinate.
This releases active enzymes and enhances the vitamins in the quinoa seed.
You should rinse quinoa in a sieve before cooking.
The seed is covered in a resin called saponin.
This bitter tasting resin is used as a detergent and an antiseptic by the people of the Andes.
Quinoa which is sold by retailers has usually been rinsed, but it is best to rinse it again to make sure there isn't any residue of saponin left on the seed.
This little seed is more versatile than any grain and more nutritious.
Try it cold in salads, as a cereal for breakfast, added to soups or in place of rice or potatoes as a side dish.
You can also try pastas made from quinoa instead of whole wheat.
Quinoa and products made from quinoa are available at local and online health food stores.