LiveKuna sources quinoa from small farmers in the Andes Mountain region.

LiveKuna was started by two entrepreneurs, Ecuadorian Carlos Gutierrez and Canadian Santiago Stacey. Carlos and Santiago have a passion for bringing ancestral wholesome foods from small Andes mountain farmers to the worldwide market. The word “Kuna” means “to give” in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Andes mountains. LiveKuna’s mission, like their namesake, is to “Live to Give.” Wow, who couldn’t get behind this company with a story like that. I was sold on LiveKuna before I even bought the package!

LiveKuna produces products from three main ingredients: chia seeds, quinoa, and rice. Today we’re going to try their organic superfood quinoa flour. Quinoa has been quite the buzz word for the last several years, popping up in gluten-free, vegan, and healthy eating conversations everywhere. Quinoa is the “golden grain” of the Incas and even though we eat it like a grain, it’s really a seed. Because it’s a seed, quinoa has a better nutrition profile than a grain with a nuttier taste and texture. LiveKuna’s organic quinoa flour is gluten free and can be used in baking and cooking. You can find all of LiveKuna’s products on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Taste Experience – Score: 10 out of 10

LiveKuna Organic Quinoa Flour is off-white with a grainy texture, almost like cane sugar.

At first sight LiveKuna’s Organic Quinoa Flour is nothing to write home about. It’s a white powder that looks like a fine, grainy version of regular white wheat flour. But, stick your nose in that bag and you’ll immediately be reminded of the nutty smell of cooked quinoa. I find the nutty taste of quinoa to be a great addition in baked goods like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and breads. I like to mix LiveKuna quinoa flour with regular flour. If you only use quinoa flour in a recipe, the final product will be heavy and dense. No one wants hockey puck muffins, so when cooking with the quinoa flour, I mix one part quinoa flour into two or three parts traditional baking flour. If the recipe you’re working with calls for 1 cup of flour, I recommend using 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup LiveKuna quinoa flour and 1/2 – 2/3 cup traditional flour. If you’re using quinoa flour in a large baked good or bread, consider increasing the baking soda or baking powder amount by a dash or two. This will help prevent any sinking with the extra weight and protein of the quinoa flour.

I’ve baked many goodies with LiveKuna quinoa flour and I’m consistently amazed at how well it mixes in and how delish the final product is!

Nutrition – Score: 10 out of 10

At this point you’re probably thinking “great, quinoa flour works well in baking and is gluten-free, but I’m not doing gluten-free so why should I buy a more expensive flour?” Let me explain. Quinoa has all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Essential amino acids are the base elements of proteins and cannot be made in the body, so we must consume them from foods. Plant-based foods don’t always contain all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is the exception and the reason us vegans should consider adding quinoa flour to our diets. LiveKuna quinoa flour has four grams of protein per 1/4 cup serving, giving your diet a complete protein boost.

Quinoa is also a great source of iron. In 1/4 cup of LiveKuna quinoa flour you’ll find 8% of your daily iron needs. Iron helps transport oxygen in the body, maintaining your energy levels. Plant-based sources of iron (non-heme) are better absorbed with Vitamin C, so consider having some OJ or adding sliced strawberries on your quinoa infused bread for better absorption!

LiveKuna Organic Quinoa Flour Nutrition Facts

Quinoa flour is truly a superfood that every vegan should have in their diet. There’s a reason the Inca’s prized quinoa so much. It’s an amazing source of quality nutrients and complete proteins. You can get your very own bag of LiveKuna quinoa flour on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Oh lord, the carnivore is up next. Note: the opinions expressed below are solely of the non-vegan husband and we vegans neither condemn nor condone his statements. Continue at your own risk.

The Non-Vegan Review – Score: 10 out of 10

I don’t like cooked quinoa. The little slimy pods remind of tadpole embryos with little heads and long curled up tails. Just yuck. Don’t tell my wife though, because she loves the stuff and force feeds it to me on the regular. But, quinoa flour is different. The slimy tadpoles have been ground down to a beautiful off-white flour that really is great in baking. Yes, I bake, and cannot lie. I enjoy baking bread in my wife’s bread machine that I gifted to her but it really was for me. And, I like to make pancakes and waffles on a regular basis. Quinoa flour is great for breads, waffles, and pancakes because it adds some texture and heft. I’m not a big fan of the taste like styrofoam wonder breads and Waffle House pancakes. I like my baked goods to have a grainy, nutty texture with lots of body. No point in going through the effort of making a waffle of pancake that’s only going to satisfy you for an hour. The protein in quinoa flour gives my waffles the power to keep you going for several hours. If you interested, here’s my simple quinoa flour waffle recipe:

  1. Throw these in a bowl: 1/2 cup quinoa flour, 1/2 cup regular flour, two tablespoons of chia seeds, 1/4 cup of sugar, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and one teaspoon of baking powder.
  2. Add 1/4 cup soy milk (preferably unsweetened) and mix. This is not an exact amount of soy milk, so you may have to add more until you get the consistency to be like a thick smoothie, not watery, but fluid enough to pour on the waffle iron.
  3. Let the mix sit for 10 minutes. You don’t want to skip this step.
  4. The chia seeds may have sucked up some of your milk, so you may need to add some more viscosity.
  5. Spray your waffle iron with coconut oil non-stick spray
  6. Pour mix onto waffle iron. This recipe usually makes two small waffles or one big Belgian waffle.

Enjoy! Non-vegan husband out.

The keep you running all day LiveKuna quinoa waffle.

Parting Thoughts

Whether you’re gluten free or a creative baker, LiveKuna Organic Quinoa Flour is a great addition or alternative to regular flour. The product is well developed and finely milled for baking convenience. It adds a delicate nuttiness and a complete protein boost to help meet your nutrition needs. If you’d like to try LiveKuna Quinoa Flour, consider buying it from Amazon using my link HERE. It’s the same price buying it from my link or going directly to Amazon. Thanks for checking out my review!

LiveKuna Gluten-Free Organic Quinoa Flour Review

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