Canihua / Kaniwa

Kaniwa (pronounced kah-nyee-wah), is a whole grain. Like quinoa, kaniwa is actually a seed and not a grain, so it's gluten-free. Dry kaniwa looks very much like a small, auburn brown quinoa. The grains are tiny, and look a little bit like teff. Cooked, it resembles, well, tiny grains of quinoa.

However, kaniwa is not the same as quinoa, though it is very similar. The confusion may be not only because of their similarity in name but also because many people actually call kaniwa "baby quiona". In fact, when I purchase kaniwa at Whole Foods, it rings up as "baby quinoa" on my receipt. Let me be clear: Kaniwa and quinoa are related, but are not the same thing, even though kaniwa is colloquially called "baby quinoa".

But don't let this fool you! Kaniwa is a delightful addition to your diet, no matter how you feel about quinoa! Like quinoa, kaniwa also comes from the Andes in Peru and has been a staple of local diets for generations, only to recently be discovered by Western palettes. Though they sound alike and look alike, kaniwa and quinoa are two very different plants.