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I have been cooking for more than 20 years, specializing in ethnic cuisines, and I have always been a believer in a diet of moderation. I think you should be able to eat what you want as long as you don't eat too much and balance your diet.

When I opened MANA Food Bar, I wanted to show that you could have a delicious meatless meal at least once a week and really enjoy it.

I am always looking for small ways to be healthier and introduce more grains and less animal proteins into diets. This is why I love quinoa.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has been used for more than 6,000 years in South America as grain, and it's starting to appear on menus and grocery shelves everywhere.

It is an excellent grain comprised of a balanced set of amino acids, including lysine, which makes it a complete protein as opposed to wheat or rice. It is a great source of fiber, magnesium and iron. It also is gluten free and easy to digest.

You can find quinoa in several different colors. In my experience, the darker it is, the longer it takes to cook, but I always cook it the same way for a light grain salad, similar to couscous or tabbouleh.

Quinoa will triple in volume during cooking. At the restaurant, we drain it after cooking, so I suggest you use plenty of water - about 1 quart of water to 1 cup of grain.

Approximate cooking times are 10 to 12 minutes for tan or light quinoa, 18 to 22 minutes for red quinoa and 28 to 30 minutes for black quinoa.

Before cooking quinoa, place it in a bowl and rinse well. Quinoa has a natural coating of saponin, which protects the plants from fungi and also acts as a repellent to birds. It is removed during processing, but traces may remain.

After rinsing the quinoa, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the quinoa in the water until al dente - tender but still with a bite - then drain, place on a sheet pan and cool.

When the quinoa has cooled, I add chopped vegetables and herbs - roasted corn off the cob, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, cilantro or oregano - and dress it lightly with lemon juice and some olive oil.

Or, try adding toasted nuts (pine nuts, almonds, chopped hazelnuts) and any form of dried fruit.

This salad goes great with any grilled meat, poultry or fish. I hope you love this dish - and this grain - as much as I do.

Jill Barron is the chef and owner of MANA Food Bar, 1742 W. Division.