Jacqueline Mallorca turned what could have been a devastating diagnosis into a new career.

Santa Fe-style quinoa salad, shown above, makes use of quinoa, a mild-flavored, gluten-free starch from South America, where it has been cultivated for centuries.

More than a decade ago, the food writer and former editorial assistant to culinary legend James Beard discovered she was gluten intolerant. Suddenly, so many of the foods she loved and worked with were forbidden.

Also known as celiac disease, a gluten intolerance means avoiding foods containing wheat, rye or barley (which have the protein known as gluten). Some 3 million Americans are thought to have celiac disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.

But rather than focus on what she couldn’t eat, Mallorca became an expert in gluten-free cooking. And the more than 100 recipes in her recent book, “The Wheat-Free Cook” (Morrow Cookbooks, 2007), show it.

Mallorca offers inventive dishes such as chicken breasts with a hazelnut-parmesan crust and 5-minute trout with crispy caper sauce. She also includes an impressive selection of breakfasts, side dishes and baked goods.

Coming out in April is another book for those with gluten sensitivities, Donna Klein’s “The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen.” It covers 225 recipes, including black bean enchiladas, zucchini lasagna and blueberry cheesecake.

Nutritional analysis of each recipe in this book is a plus, allowing cooks to focus as much on fat and sodium as gluten.

Among the many grains the gluten intolerant turn to for their starches is quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), a mild-flavored South American grain that has been cultivated for centuries.

Quinoa is lower in carbohydrates than most grains and is an excellent source of protein. It can be found alongside the rice and other grains in most natural food stores and large grocers.

Try quinoa in this hearty Santa Fe-style salad from Klein. Before cooking quinoa, be sure to rinse the grains well under cold water to wash away the bitter resin that defends the plant against insects.

Santa fe-style quinoa salad

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup mild or medium picante sauce

1 cup quinoa, rinsed under cold water

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels, cooked, drained and cooled

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon canola oil

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the water, picante sauce, quinoa, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Uncover and toss with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly.

Add remaining ingredients to the quinoa, tossing well to combine. Serve slightly warm or let cool to room temperature.

Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days and serve chilled.

Makes 4 servings. Start to finish: 40 minutes, 10 minutes active.

Nutrition information per serving: 357 calories, 15 grams protein, 7 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 63 grams carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol, 398 mg sodium, 8 grams fiber.

(Recipe from Donna Klein’s “The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen,” 2007, Home Books, $18.95)