Another "good thing about quinoa" is that it's an option for gluten-free cooking, as well as whole grain and quick. The red quinoa can sub for bulgur. If there are no restrictions, bulgur is another quick sub for couscous.

I only had a spoonful but the quiona was delightful. I will sample it again tonight. The couscous was from a discount store, who knows how old it was. I also had it for quite a while. It had a distinct rancid odor (I have a supersniffer.)

Quinoa is a good substitution and cooks up perfectly in a rice cookerif you have one. 2 arts water to one part rinsed dry quinoa and some salt.

Thanks, hardlikearmour and healthier kitchen for the helpful info on quinoa. foodpickle and you PicklePals are the best!! ;o)

The only way it can go rancid really is if you find insects living in it. Which can happen. But I agree with the quinoa consensus, and multi-cultural as well from Peru to Morocco.

You could use orzo, if you have it, or rice, or barley; any grain-like substance. And yes, I think quinoa would do admirably. Can't say I'd ever heard of couscous going rancid, though; how long had you had it, and how had you been storing it? (Wondering if I need to do a couscous check in my pantry....)

I like to cook my quinoa for less time than the instructions say as I don't like it mushy. I cook it with the amount of water or stock recommended, but instead of covering the pan and waiting for the quinoa to absorb all the liquid, I cook it more like pasta and once the little circle appears around the outside (the endosperm?) - usually 10 or 12 minutes tops - I drain it over a mesh colander. A little toothier that way.

Plus it is healthier! http://www.cookingquinoa.net/how-to-cook-quinoa-perfectly/

Quinoa would be delicious. As a rule you use double the amount of water as quinoa and cook 15-20 minutes or until water has absorbed. Be sure to rinse quinoa in a sieve until water runs clear.

The quinoa would be a fine substitute.