Believe it or not I have no up-coming reviews. Because of lack of time and no Internet I haven't had any time to research. I HAVE however had some pretty amazing food! This morning I wanted to share with you my newest creation....Brace yourself, this is going to be goooood. Want to take a peak??? Ok!
Let me tell you how this delicious creation all started!
I was at the grocery store on Saturday and saw this:
I though "Quinoa flakes!!! Could this be my new and improved oatmeal?" That was until I saw that this lovely box had a price tag of $6.99. Ouch! I did not get the box but I did start thinking...I have had brown rice for breakfast, oatmeal of course, even couscous but never quinoa. Why not!?! I just never thought of it! I stood there and thought for a moment. I picked up some essentials and then I went to the health food store to pick up some bulk items. When I arrived, quinoa was what I was after. I got about three cups worth some other items and scurried home to make something new to me.I am never nervous when I set out to invent a new dish, it's exciting! It was 6:00 p.m., raining and oh so nice at my house. I took this whole grain and made flour!
Put in a food processor (or magic bullet) for a a minute or two and you get the most amazing quinoa flour base.
Check it out! Can you believe it?!?
What you see here is just quinoa! The photo on the right is start of the batter that made this:
Sweet Cherry-Pecan Muffins
1 1/2 cups quinoa flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz plain yogurt greek yogurt (you can use whatever flavor you want though)
2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups pitted halved fresh cherries
1 cup toasted pecans
1 1/2 cups quinoa flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz plain yogurt greek yogurt (you can use whatever flavor you want though)
2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups pitted halved fresh cherries
1 cup toasted pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Fill muffin tin with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and nutmeg and set aside. In another bowl combine the egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, milk and agave nectar. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixing only until just incorporated. Stir in cherry halves and pecans. Fill muffins tins 3/4 full. Top each muffin with sliced cherries and a sprinkle of brown sugar and pecans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Preheat oven to 350. Fill muffin tin with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and nutmeg and set aside. In another bowl combine the egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, milk and agave nectar. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixing only until just incorporated. Stir in cherry halves and pecans. Fill muffins tins 3/4 full. Top each muffin with sliced cherries and a sprinkle of brown sugar and pecans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Simple but absolutely amazing! Quinoa is so filling and Oh so good for you. I wanted to include some yummy facts about the whole grain that is now making appearances almost daily in my diet!
Quinoa is a high protein seed that is used as a grain. The plant was cultivated by the Inca Indians, and used in religious ceremonies for centuries in South America. Even though it is actually a seed, the Incas referred to quinoa as the "mother grain." The use of quinoa was partially although not completely suppressed by the catholic Spanish conquerors of South America because of the perceived non-Christian (hence pagan) religious rites associated with its use. Vegetarians in the United States today are very enchanted with the plant, and it is now gaining popularity in the U.S. Currently, the quinoa used in the United States comes mainly from Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru but it has also been cultivated in Colorado and Canada in recent years. The Ecuadorian variety is a whole grain import, while quinoa imported from Bolivia and Peru is polished and refined. Quinoa has many nutrients, and is recognized widely as a good source of complete protein as well as magnesium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, dietary fiber, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese. The plant is related to the spinach and chard family. The "polished" or refined quinoa contains about ½ the fiber that the whole grain variety has although this is still a substantial amount of fiber. Besides having less fiber, the refined quinoa tastes better because it has less of the bitter tasting saponin which can also be removed by repeated rinsing. (Interestingly enough, the bitter saponin keeps birds from eating the seeds, and an attempt at raising less bitter quinoa resulted in the entire crop being eaten by birds.)
Quinoa is easy to cook. One part quinoa is added to one and one half to two parts water, and is boiled for about 15 minutes. The grain (or more correctly, the seed) can also be cooked in a rice cooker. The germ separates after it is done, and the quinoa becomes clear, and the germ is squigly shaped. Cooked quinoa has a nutty taste to it. Quinoa is gluten free, and can be used as a high protein flour for unleavened bread. Some people consider unleavened bread made from quinoa to be kosher. To make bread products that rise, wheat and yeast can be added to the quinoa flour. Quinoa can be stored in a dry place, and maintain its edibility for a long time. The Vitamin E that quinoa contains makes it less likely to become rancid. Some people still store quinoa in the refrigerator just for added safety.Quinoa is found in health food stores across the nation. Whole Foods has a number of tasty sounding recipes for quinoa on its website. Top examples of the Whole Foods recipes are cranberry banana quinoa bread and quinoa stuffed peppers.One feature of quinoa that makes it popular is that people with allergies such as to wheat or gluten are not as likely to have an allergic reaction to quinoa. Thus, quinoa is a good base for gluten free diets, and many references can be found on the web to quinoa in relationship to gluten free vegan eating. One tasty sounding recipe calls for adding ground quinoa instead of flour to a recipe for cornbread. Even if you are not vegetarian, vegan or allergic to gluten, adding quinoa to your diet makes for a more varied diet, and an high protein alternative to wheat, rice or pasta. Happy eating!
See you very soon and I hope to have some great up coming posts for you all. Don't worry if I am in and out, things are a bit crazy for everyone right now. August is known for that!
xoxoxoxox
-Heather
