Amaranth

Amaranth is a seed, not a true grain, and it is naturally gluten-free with more protein than white rice. Those tiny seeds are high in fat for a grain, which means they go rancid faster than you'd expect. Buy from a store with good turnover, smell for anything musty or oily, and store it airtight in the freezer where it keeps 8 months (versus about 4 in the pantry). No need to rinse most packaged amaranth, but if it tastes bitter, a quick rinse in a fine-mesh strainer before cooking washes off the saponins.

Amaranth is the one grain where you should embrace the mush. It cooks up thick and porridge-like no matter what you do, so stop fighting it: use a 1:2.5 water ratio, simmer 20–25 minutes on low and serve it right away because it congeals fast once it sits. If you want texture instead of creaminess, pop it dry in a screaming hot pan like tiny popcorn and use it as a crunchy topping. I think popped amaranth on a salad or soup beats the porridge 9 times out of 10.