Shipetaukin Fonio for Couscous - Gluten Free - Vegan - Non GMO - Alternative to Traditional Wheat Couscous Pasta (28 Ounces)

I’m not a big grain fan but wanted to find a gluten free whole grain that I could incorporate into my diet. So happy I found this; it more than fits the bill. For starters, it takes 5 minutes to make and couldn’t be easier: boil 2/3 cup water, add 1/3 cup Fonio and let sit for 5 minutes covered. Voila. Perfectly done every time. I eat it for breakfast a few times a week by adding a small packet of stevia, some PB2, mashed banana, a cup of blueberries and a handful of walnuts. It’s incredibly tasty, quick and nutritious. Can’t ask for anything more!

Although this product is labeled ‘Fonio for Couscous’, I also ordered ‘Fonio for Tabbouleh’ and it is the exact same product. I am guessing that this is a marketing decision... IMO I think the focus should really be on the versatility rather than the package/marketing geared towards a specific substitute. Putting that aside... this is incredibly versatile and can be substituted for couscous, grits, bulghar, rice, quinoa, and probably others that I can’t think of right now. The fact that it is gluten free, high in protein, AND high in fiber is awesome. From a purely nutritional standpoint it outperforms all of the things it can be substituted for. The grains are very small - uncooked it looks similar in texture to a very light brown sugar. When cooked the individual grains become larger (about the size of uncooked quinoa). The flavor is extremely mild... very slightly nutty but extremely mild. Typically I don’t think you would be eating this plain so the mild flavor is perfect to allow whatever else is being mixed in or served on top to shine through. The consistency reminds me more of quinoa than couscous - it is slightly chewy although the individual grains are smaller than cooked quinoa. It is extremely easy to ‘cook’ (you literally boil water or broth) and seems to be a little more forgiving than couscous or quinoa which don’t like to be overcooked. The volume is deceptive - I cooked 1/3 cup fonio with 2/3 cup of water and it yielded almost 3 cups of cooked grains. So... I would anticipate 28oz to actually go much further than I would have thought before using it. It also has a long shelf life (Use By Date on what I received is Feb. 2023 - so 2.5 years away). Overall I really like the product and love the versatility - although I do love couscous, bulghar, quinoa, etc., they are not quite as versatile as this grain (not to mention not as nutritionally beneficial either). In late 2019 Whole Foods declared this one of the Top 10 food trends for 2020 so apparently it is starting to become more well known. If you are interested do a search on fonio and learn a little more about the backstory and where this grain originated - it’s pretty fascinating!

I have been searching for a gluten free product that has the texture and consistency of couscous and I have finally found it. Incredibly easy to make, this has become a staple in my house. The only issues: 1- the taste is a bit grainy. I have tried to make it with different broths in the hopes it would take on those flavors but it doesn’t quite do it the way real couscous does and 2/ it is expensive! Other than that, my family loves it. Definitely worth it if you absolutely cannot eat regular couscous because if the gluten.

As someone who is gluten intolerant, I was interested to find this product. I made it with chicken stock instead of water and a hefty amount of olive oil and salt. But even these did not really help it to have any flavor at all. The size of the ground grain is rather small, giving it the texture of sand instead of cous cous. I am disappointed. I'll try again, bumping up the strength of the cooking liquor and adding things like pan-roasted pine nuts, raisins and sauteed poblano peppers, but I don't hold out too much hope for it. If you need truly gluten free products, this might be an alternative that you find worth-while. But for me, there is not too much I can recommend. I am sorry to have to say this, as it has both the environmental and the gluten free aspects that I was looking for.

The fonio grains are a very healthy product to love and eat with the family. All organic and gluten-free.

Delicious and versatile however, the price is on the hefty side. First time I ever paid +$20 for an average sized bag of fonio.

I like the larger bubble sized couscous and this was tiny little grains. Not bad, just not my favorite. Tasted fine.

Shipetaukin Fonio for Couscous is a gluten free grain that is parcooked so doesn’t need to be soaked or rinsed. That is a good thing because the fine, sand like, grains drop right through the small holes in a rice washer.I did use a fuzzy logic rice cooker to make this and it turned out light and fluffy. I used one part of grain to two parts of water. This really does expand when cooked. A quarter cup is considered to be one serving and it really does fluff enough enough when cooked to fill a bowl as well as an appetite.It is fairly bland on its own and a bit chewy. Like couscous, quinoa, rice, etc. it tends to carry the taste of the seasoning or other added ingredients, very well. I did notice that it tends to cool very quickly when served but it is still tasty when cool. A quarter cup contains 160 calories, 37 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein. There is zero fat, cholesterol or sodium.Shipetaukin Fonio for Couscous is a good option for a small 100% whole grain that contains no preservatives or artificial ingredients. It is non-GMO, vegan and easy to cook. It is versatile enough to use in various dishes.