How To Cook Amaranth, Beans, Buckwheat, Cocoa Nibs

Posted by Jennifer Cote

This is part of a series on Core Ingredients (how to cook them). Find more in this post: How to Cook (and Use) Millet

Grateful-Table-About-Grains-Beans-Seeds-NutsI could imagine that you really do want to know how to cook every grain. That you want to know all these details. But I’m coming to realize… most folks aren’t as “into” this as I am! My son stopped by the office, seeing my photo of grains on the computer. “Whatcha doing?” I told him I was adding text to the photograph, so people would know what the various grains looked like. What does he say? “Mom, you’re a nerd.” Guess that settles that!

But hey, my buddies kept asking, “So, what’s amaranth again?” (I’ve been adding it to a breakfast bar recipe I’m developing, so they keep seeing it pop up…) If they’re wondering, I figured others might too. So I decided to go through the grain list, in alphabetical order below, and tell you what I’ve come to know about these various grains, nuts, and seeds. (There’s more info on these foods in my post on “High Phytate Foods“.)

Here’s the list:

Amaranth: My first purchase of amaranth sat in the cupboard for half a year; after I’d bought it, I did some research. One study showed that, the more amaranth used in a blind taste test of baked goods, the less the test subjects liked it. In other words, positive response was in direct relation to how little amaranth was in any given sample. This did not inspire me!

But I knew it was gluten-free and high in digestible, usable protein. And that it has lots of calcium, magnesium, and iron. And that it’s gluten-free. Amaranth means “everlasting” in Greek, and the Aztecs warriors were sustained by it. So it must have something going for it. So I researched how to actually use the stuff.

It looks like many frazzled cooks have consulted forums on the topic of how to cook amaranth. Made with too much water, it turns into a gelatinous mess; if it’s undercooked, it’s tough.

My solution is to soak the seeds/grains for a full day, before doing anything else. This will make them more digestible, and they should cook better too. Time permitting, I’ll even strain and rinse the amaranth and let it go another day (upon which they start to almost sprout). At this point, I drain them again and do one of two (or three) things:

1.) To 1 c. of soaked grain, add about 2 1/2 c. boiling water; cover, simmer 25 minutes or so, and serve in a pilaf-type recipe. It’s probably best to mix the cooked amaranth with another grain (rice or such), since that will mask the slightly gelatinous nature of the amaranth beast.

2.) Or, after soaking, add to a very hot iron skillet, a few tablespoons of amaranth at a time, stirring constantly. They will start popping; push the done grains to the edge and add more amaranth to the center of the pan, repeating until all of it is popped. Add this to baked goods, or continue on to actually cooking it in some water.

3.) Roast the soaked amaranth. This is easier than popping them in a pan. It lends a slightly nutty flavor; it can be cooked in double the amount of water, after the amaranth has been soaked and rinsed. Add to breakfast bars or other baked goods, or pilaf recipes. (Recipe for breakfast bars here.)

Beans: Easy- just soak overnight, before cooking the next day. Add a tablespoon of vinegar, if desired. Soaking will make the beans more digestible, AND, they cook faster!

Buckwheat Groats: This grain is almost as soft as oat flakes, which means that, even without a flour grinder, one can make buckwheat flour. A small, electric coffee grinder (or small food processor) will do the trick. Perfect for fresh-ground, gluten-free pancakes!

Buckwheat is also a nice grain to add to breakfast recipes (see this breakfast bar recipe). Or, toast the groats first, to use (like rice) in meals. Toasting brings out flavor, and improves texture. Some places sell buckwheat toasted, or toast your own by adding to a medium hot pan, stirring until all grains look toasty.

To cook as for rice, add 1 1/2 c. boiling water to 1 c. toasted buckwheat in a small pot. Bring back to a boil, then turn on low for 10-20 minutes, until water’s absorbed and groats seem tender.

Cacao Nibs/Chocolate: I’ve enjoyed “raw cacao nibs” in my smoothies, and in coconut bark. But I’ve started baking the nibs a bit, as I’ve heard that cuts down on the phytates, and brings out the flavor. Best of both worlds!

More Grains: What?! I’m only halfway through the “C” grains/nuts/seeds?! I will have to cover the rest of these at a later date… In an upcoming post, I’ll go through these:

  • Corn, Dried
  • Corn Meal
  • Millet
  • Nuts
  • Oats, Rolled
  • Oats, Steel-cut
  • Quinoa
  • Rice, Brown
  • Rice, White
  • Rice, Wild
  • Rye Berries
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Wheat Berries

 

Breakfast Bars- High Protein, Highly Delicious & Convenient!

Posted by Jennifer Cote

Warning: Go straight to this recipe for EASY Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, if you’re not feeling too ambitious!

But before I simplified the recipe, I came up with the one below. It was a good vehicle for the amaranth I had purchased, after hearing how high in complete protein it was. (I didn’t know at the time of purchase, that cooking a real palatable amaranth dish could be challenging… Sigh!)
Oat and Amaranth Breakfast BarMy husband had only been looking out for me, hoping to save me some time in preparing his breakfast. (Yes, we’re a pretty old-school household- I do the cooking, he fixes the car. Etc. It works!)

I admit, I was starting to feel like Leave It to Beaver’s mom. So I decided to make a big batch of my own version of Breakfast Bars; then we would have at least a few days a week where breakfast could be extra fast and easy.

Working with amaranth, an ancient seed/grain, was not especially simple though. After my first attempt, one friend thought it had a weird, green aftertaste. It needed work. So, for the following recipe, I soaked the amaranth for a day, then roasted it, then cooked it, before even adding it to a recipe. Doing a taste test, we decided it was still quite good if I skipped the roasting process, which saved some time.

But grains become more digestible when soaked, and soaking the amaranth helps it to cook through, too, while still retaining a nice texture. It doesn’t take any “work” really, just some planning ahead. Ideally, it gets cooked enough to not seem too hard, but not cooked so much that it’s just a gooey blob.  A plus about amaranth: Bonus protein (usable, complete protein). 

If you prefer steel-cut oats, that variation is listed below the recipe. This recipe can be easily doubled; this makes about 4-6 servings (which last up to a week, refrigerated, if you don’t eat them first!).

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 c. amaranth
  • 1 c. boiling water
  • 2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (*or 1 c. steel-cut oats; see note at bottom of page)
  • 2 TBS. chia seeds
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 1/2 c. raisins or dates, diced (about 10 dates)
  • 1/3 c. coconut palm sugar
  • 1/4 c. coconut oil
  • 1/4 c. macadamias (or other favorite nut)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • optional: 1 tsp. cinnamon or other spices

PREPARATION

1.  Soak amaranth for one day. The following day, rinse, drain, and let sit one more day if there’s time; otherwise, one day’s soaking will do. Use: > 1/2 c. amaranth

2. Also soak the oatmeal, to get rid of extra phytates that can interfere with digestion. Use: > 2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

3. After a day (or two) of soaking, rinsing, and draining the amaranth, roast the grain. Spread the amaranth on a cookie sheet and roast in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. **See note at bottom of page if you’d prefer to pop your amaranth, rather than roast it. It will be crunchier, if you prefer that.

4. Cook amaranth in small pot for 10 minutes or so. To the 1/2 c. soaked, roasted amaranth, add: > 1 c. boiling water

5. While amaranth simmers, prepare other ingredients. Add chia seeds and water to a mixing bowl, letting the chia seeds absorb the liquid, stirring some if necessary. Use: > 2 TBS. chia seeds > 1/4 c. water

6. Rinse soaked oats, then let drain while adding the following to the chia seeds in the bowl: > 1/3 c. coconut palm sugar > 1/4 c. coconut oil, melted > 1/4 c. macadamias (or other favorite nut) > 1 tsp. vanilla > 1/2 tsp. salt > optional: cinnamon or other spices

7. Stir until the mixture is blended, then stir in: > The drained oats > The cooked amaranth (or the popped amaranth, if preferred).

8. Add mixture to an oiled 9″x9″ square pan.

9. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

10. If a slightly browned top is desired, broil the pan of bars for a few minutes, until golden.

11. Turn oven off, let finish baking with oven off for 25 more minutes. Serve warm or cold.

* To replace rolled oats with steel-cut oats, use half as much (1 c.). Process the steel-cut oats some, so they’ll cook better. Soak for a day, drain, and rinse.

**To pop amaranth, get an iron pan quite hot, adding a few tablespoons of soaked, drained amaranth at a time, to the pan. Stir constantly, pushing the popped grains to the edge of the pan as more amaranth is added. Continue until all amaranth has been added. Not all of it will pop–that’s OK. Set aside when done. Add to the other ingredients when mixing them all together.

The Phytate-Sphere: Soak Grains, Eat “Sensibly”, Don’t Worry

Posted by Jennifer Cote

Foods High In PhytatesBran is not  as trendy as it was ten or twenty years ago. I remember the days- we used to stop by our favorite bakery and consume mass quantities of sugary, sweet bran muffins (probably loaded with unhealthy oils too). I was having a bran fest- I even added raw bran flakes to my cereal. All in the name of “FIBER”!

Was it any wonder that I had some serious anemia? Bran is particularly rich in phytates, which can bind with the iron and other minerals in our system, which can lead to that anemia. Who knows what other health issues might have been connected to my “bran diet”?!

Bran is quite high in phytates; phytates can also be found (in lesser quantities) in grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.  So I’m not a bran fiend anymore. And I do try to soak my grains. Or I ferment them–I’ve really been into homemade, whole-grain sourdough bread lately. (Now that I have a Vitamix that grinds my whole wheat berries into  fresh whole wheat flour…)

Not that I’m not going on a Phytate Rant here. Phytates can be good. Consuming them in our foods probably isn’t going to upset the average person’s health. One caveat: but it might.

Just as in the bran days of yore, any one food trend might lead to unbalance, as the misinformed attempt to overcompensate, adding too much of a good thing to their diets. One of the latest trends is the “Gluten-free” craze (and the GAPS diet). One catch: folks might start chowing down on that gluten-free cake, made with almond meal instead of flour, on a fairly regular basis, telling themselves that this will help them to avoid gluten and regain health. The cost might be a phytate overload…

That was me. After bran went out of style, I forgot about it and prided myself instead on eating “healthy” breakfasts of raw, soaked grains topped with nuts, cacao nibs, and coconut. Another vegetarian meal or two might follow, featuring beans and/or grains. A snack or dessert might include a treat high in cacao nibs and nuts. Ironically, that particular diet of “wholesome” whole foods might have been slightly unbalanced. (Ya think?!)

Not to sound the alarm. There is a plus side to ingesting those phytates. Yes, they are enzyme inhibitors, but also: They can bind to excess minerals in our system. This is a valuable service, considering that excess iron generates free radicals in our bodies. So, while excess phytates might be a problem for an anemic person (like I’m prone to be), they would help someone else who was prone to an excess of iron.

Also, phytates act as antioxidants. They can even fight the proliferation of cancer cells, and improve cardiovascular health. One other feature: They might lower a food’s glycemic load, for the very reason that they slow digestion.

In conclusion: Moderation is our friend. We might consider reducing a potential overload of phytates by soaking some of our grains, beans, seeds and nuts (this will break down phytates, allowing for easier digestion). We might make bread (the yeast/fermentation process decreases phytates), and we might toast some grains, seeds (which also decreases them).

But, unless you’re going off the deep end (like I’ve often done), you can probably just adhere to this simple rule: Eat a sensible diet, be aware of the danger of raw nuts, grains, and seeds consumed in excess, and then… don’t worry about it!

I Drunk My Kefir (Did That Have Alcohol In It?!)

Posted by Jennifer Cote


Grateful-Table-Alcohol-in-Probiotics-NOTI was going to post on the pros and cons Kombucha vs. Kefir. But that post will  have to wait. For now, I don’t even know if this is a pro or con: You won’t get drunk from your Kefir. You can try to ferment it for twice as long, but before you open that bubbly drink, put on your face-mask and helmet.

Fortunately, my 30-year-old son suffered no damage when experimenting. But he’d tried to up the alcohol content by letting his kefir ferment a full four days. He’d put the brew into an old Grolsch bottle–the kind with a ceramic stopper, rubber ring, and metal straps to hold it on tight. Well, it got quite carbonated; when he went to open it, the entire metal casing shot right off the bottle, like a rocket, along with the ceramic stopper. Seriously, watch out when playing with kefir!

Alas, my son did not get drunk off the brew. But I’m sure his gut was happy.

Meanwhile, I brought some “kefir soda” to my women’s group. I was anticipating squeals of delight as they all began to imagine how they, too, could brew this stuff. (I even brought along some extra grains, in case anyone was so inspired.) Instead, one of my friends decided she could taste the alcohol, and that she was in fact feeling tipsy. She admitted that she’s very sensitive to alcohol, but… really?!

Of course, that encouraged the entire group to suspect that the real reason for my effervescent mood was just the alcohol talking. My pride was a tad wounded. I take this health stuff so seriously!

But I had to be a good sport. It was all in jest. I pretended I was drunk, but put the extra grains back in my bag. No one seemed too eager to take on a new kefir project.

Kelly the Kitchen Kop (see her post here) had the same concerns as me, what with an extended family suspecting she might be turning her kids into boozers. So she went to quite a bit of effort to determine just how much alcohol is in kefir. Her findings: Less than 1%, which concurs with other findings.

Cultures for Health goes into detail, but basically, alcoholic content of normally-brewed water kefir is lower than 1%. They say that all cultured and fermented foods contain a small amount of naturally occurring alcohol, but it is usually significantly less than 1%.

However! If you actually wanted more alcohol in your kefir, you could use 100% juice in the first ferment (along with the sugar), adding the grains right to the juice/sugar mix. (But only go for 24 hours, lest you have an experience like my son had…)

Oh, and if you love the idea of Kefir Beer, this page goes into detail.

I will have to do a home-brewery experiment at some point, if only out of curiosity. I’m considering that I could brew something very strong and alcoholic, and drink it before the next women’s group meeting. Just so we could compare the “really” drunk me with the regular one. But… I probably won’t go that far.

Fun Kid’s Birthday Party: “Spaghetti and Meatballs” Cupcakes

Posted by Jennifer Cote

My friend loaned me her “Hello Cupcake” cookbook. What fun that was! I browsed through the whole thing, but realized that most of the cupcakes were far too elaborate to meet my time constraints.

So I narrowed down the list, and settled on making the Meatball Cupcakes for my son’s birthday. He was turning 21, but his favorite candy is Ferrero Rocher, so it just seemed so right!

I made a few changes in the book’s recipe. Homemade frosting would be way cooler (for a number of reasons), right? I used some olive oil in the cake too (although it could be made with all butter). One thing I didn’t change: Using low-sugar raspberry jam for the “tomato sauce” (it has more color than other jams).

Enjoy making this for your next kids’ party- young or old! Makes 2 dozen cupcakes, with some extra frosting left over.

Fun Kids Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 stick (1/2 c.) soft butter, plus 2 sticks (1 c.) for frosting
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla (plus 1 tsp. for frosting)
  • 2 1/2 c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 lb. confectioner’s sugar (8 1/2 c. or so)
  • Yellow food coloring
  • 15 oz. jar low-sugar strawberry jam (better color in low-sugar jam)
  • 1 bar white chocolate (3 oz. or so)
  • 24 pieces Ferrero Rocher candy
  • 2 zip-lock bags (large, freezer-quality)

PREPARATION

1. Prepare muffin tins using cupcake liners (or butter tins). Beat on high until light: > 1 stick room temp. butter (1/2 c.) > 1 c. sugar

2. To creamed butter/sugar, add, mixing after each egg: > 3 eggs

3. In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients:  > 2 1/2 c. flour > 2 tsp. baking powder > 1/2 tsp. baking soda > 1/2 tsp. salt

4. Using whisk attachment (or hand-folding), gently mix dry ingredients into the creamed sugar/butter/egg mixture. Add just some of the dry ingredients at a time, alternating with the milk/oil/vanilla mixture.

5. When mixed together, spoon the batter into a large (freezer quality) zip-lock bag. Snip a small corner off (1/2″ or so), and squeeze the batter into the muffin liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and cupcakes are set. Let cool on a rack. Arrange on platters, ready to frost.

6. Ahead of time (even a day early), melt white chocolate 1 minute or so in microwave, pouring into the corner of a loaf pan (or similar), lined with plastic wrap, in order to make a little “wedge” of parmesan cheese. Use: > 1 bar white chocolate (3 oz. or so)

7. (You can forego the above “parmesan” instructions if you can find a chunk of white chocolate.)

8. Meanwhile, make frosting. Microwave 1 minute or so: > 2 sticks (1 c.) butter

9. To melted butter, add and microwave 1 minute more, to get soft: > 8 oz. room temperature cream cheese > 1 tsp. vanilla > several drops yellow food coloring

10. To a mixing bowl, add: > 2 1/2 lb. (about 8 1/2 c.) confectioner’s sugar

11. Add to the confectioner’s sugar in bowl: > The melted butter/softened cream cheese/vanilla/yellow food coloring

12. Beat all frosting ingredients, slowly at first, then on higher speed until creamy and smooth. If necessary, add a bit more yellow, to make a “noodle” color frosting. Spoon the frosting into a zip-lock bag. Cut a small hole out of one corner, and start piping the frosting out onto the cupcakes, piling it on each cupcake like a small pile of noodles. Refrigerate some to firm up frosting.

13. For “tomato sauce”, warm jar 1 minute or so: > 1- 15 oz. jar low-sugar strawberry jam

14. Roll in some of the melted jam, to coat: > 24 Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Candies

15. To the tops of cupcakes, add one “meatball”, spooning extra jam on as needed for “sauce”. Sprinkle with a touch of grated white chocolate (for “parmesan”). And enjoy!

 

Sourdough Bread Recipes: Whole Grain Raisin Rye Bread

Posted by Jennifer Cote

This whole-grain bread recipe is somewhat dense, and full of flavor. A hearty addition to a meal! Use it with a sourdough starter, for a more wholesome food that’s easy on the digestive system. (Some celiacs even claim they can eat homemade sourdough bread.)

Use more whole wheat flour for better rising, or more rye flour for a denser loaf. Fresh flour from whole grains is the best, easily ground in a minute and a half in a Vitamix (though other grinders are fine). If that’s not an option, store-bought “whole wheat” will do. It is often just all-purpose flour with bran in it; it won’t be quite the same, but it will still pretty good!

Makes one small loaf, for 6 or so.

Grateful-Table-Sourdough-Raisin-Rye-BreadINGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 c. or so starter
  • 1c. water
  • 1 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1 c. rye flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 2 TBS. molasses
  • 2 TBS. cocoa powder
  • 2/3 c. raisins

PREPARATION

1. To 3/4 c. or so starter, add: > 1c. water > 1 c. whole wheat flour > 1 c. rye flour

2. Let double (up to half a day or so), then add: > 1 1/2 tsp. salt > 1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds > 2 TBS. molasses > 2 TBS. cocoa powder

3. Knead 9 minutes, adding flour as necessary , then roll (or pat) into a rectangle, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

4. Sprinkle with: > 2/3 c. raisins

5. Roll up like a jelly roll, shaping some into a round. Let rise overnight, or several hours, until doubled.

6. Bake in an iron pan (or pan of choice) at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or so.

Special Deals: Great Price on Coconut Oil (Act NOW!)

Posted by Jennifer Cote

Jar of coconut oil, handy broken pieces to useI run low on coconut oil every now and then, even though I do buy it in large quantities. It’s cheaper that way. It has a long shelf life, so why not?! It’ll keep up to five years (way longer than polyunsaturates).

But I hadn’t been able to buy my usual  organic, extra virgin coconut oil (54 fl oz. size) for the last week or two. Out of stock, apparently, at Costco, and on Amazon.

I checked today though, and Amazon was offering that great price of $25.01 (plus free shipping on orders over $25). I snagged some right away. Thought I’d mention it to my readers in this post, just in case you happened to be needing to restock as well.

By this evening, that same coconut oil is now on special for $24.99. Yes, two cents cheaper than this morning. But that can be a problem, if you’re only buying that one item. You’ll only get free shipping if your order’s over $25, so you have to come up with another Nutiva item to add. Unless you have Amazon Prime, with all its perks (free shipping whether you meet the minimum or not, in most cases).

In any case, click on the link if you’re needing to restock. If you act fast, they’ll hopefully still have this special deal. (When I’d checked last week, it was at least ten dollars more- not what this bargain-hunting gal was hoping for!)

Adventures in Sourdough: How & Why Make it from Scratch?!

Posted by Jennifer Cote

Grateful-Table-Sourdough-Bread-Making

When I found out that even those with gluten intolerance can often partake of homemade sourdough bread, I was intrigued. Apparently, the sourdough fermentation process renders the gluten more harmless. A friend of a friend (who has celiac disease) can eat the sourdough bread she’s been baking. Awesome!

When I found out that the VitaMix could grind whole grains into flour, I was even more intrigued. My husband loves bread, and doesn’t seem to suffer any ill effects from it. But I figured, if I could feed him freshly-ground, whole grain, sourdough bread, he’d have the best of all worlds. What could be wrong with that?!

I had been disillusioned with store-bought whole wheat flour for some time, ever since finding out that it’s usually just all-purpose flour with a bit of bran mixed into it. If it was actual fresh-ground whole wheat berries, it would have a shelf-life of four days or so, and you know the stuff at the grocery stores sits around longer than that.

Not that I’m complaining. White flour (or “whole wheat” that’s just white flour with bran in is) has the benefit of not being rancid. Better that than some old 100% ground wheat berry flour that’s gone bad.

But back to this sourdough project. I got a Vitamix, partly so I could grind fresh flours. The Vitamix is pretty versatile, and I was due for a new blender anyway. (Most blenders don’t last all that long…) I love my Vitamix! I CAN grind my whole wheat berries in it!

So the next step was to brew up some sourdough starter. It would take a week before the starter would be ready to use for bread making, and it would be like a pet, taking some attention two or three times a day, so I waited until after vacation.

My first batch was a dud. After two full days, nothing had happened, but I waited a bit longer, just in case. After four days, I realized it really wasn’t going to work. So I tried a slightly different method.

There are two great sites full of details on how to go about this; I tried  “Sourdough Home” first. Mike gives some great tips, but he didn’t mention stirring the brew several times a day. Is that why mine failed? I had left the first batch alone the whole time; I suspect it would’ve rather that I’d stirred it up a bit.

My second attempt was a hybrid of the first method and a method shown on “Breadtopia“. Eric also has some great tips and info, but I always want to streamline. I didn’t want to measure 2 TBS. of this, then 5 1/4 TBS. of that. It made it seem too complicated.

For my streamlined directions on how to make sourdough starter, check out this page!

Easy Sourdough Starter Recipe: Pineapple Juice, Wheat, Water

Posted by Jennifer Cote

Sourdough Starter Using Pineapple JuiceThis is the sourdough starter recipe that worked for me I love making this bread with my starter. (Or use it for any fave recipe, like this whole wheat bread or this wheat/rye raisin bread). My friend Joanna didn’t have to resort to using pineapple juice for her original sourdough starter, but then, she lives ten minutes closer to San Francisco. Could that be why hers was easier to come by?

My first batch had failed, so for my second attempt, I took ideas from several places (like, here and here), and combined them into what I thought was an easy recipe for success. It worked.

I had liked the idea of 100% whole wheat, but in that first week, while the starter is still maturing, one has to dispose of half the starter each time it gets fed. So I mainly used quality all-purpose flour for that, from the health food store. It saved me time and resources, as I didn’t have to fresh-grind my wheat berries into flour, for a mix that would (partly) be thrown out.

What was the reason for using half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour for the initial mix? Because, the whole grain flour actually has more wild yeasts in it (and other things too). So there’s a better chance of introducing those wild yeasts, when starting out. But switching to white flour afterward makes sense too, as the white flour provides all the necessary starch for “feeding” the wild yeasts that have been cultivated.

Some experts claim that by using whole wheat flour the whole time one is cultivating the initial starter, other organisms will continue to be introduced too, as whole grains are a source for many different microorganisms. But we’re aiming for the culture of the yeast and lactobacillus bacteria, so we don’t want to introduce too many others along with that. Hence, the white flour feedings.

The whole sourdough starter process will take a week to mature. The initial mix may take 1-3 days to begin bubbling. If the starter does nothing by the third day, throw it out and start over.  Be aware that certain grinders make the flour too hot, killing the yeasts. My Vitamix  grinds 3 cups of wheat berries in a minute and a half, but the flour became quite warm to the touch. So I use frozen wheat berries, to resolve that issue. 

After culturing this starter for a week, it will make a scant cup or so of starter. After it gets “fed”, half is refrigerated for the next project, and half is used to make a loaf of bread.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c. pineapple juice (canned or from concentrate is fine)

1/4 c. all-purpose flour (organic, if possible)

1/4 c. fresh, home-ground whole wheat flour (or from a reputable supplier)

1-2 lb. more all-purpose flour, for follow-up feedings

Spring water (non-chlorinated), for follow-up feedings

PREPARATION

1. In a glass measuring cup (2-4 cup), or other bowl, mix together: > 1/4 c. pineapple juice (room temperature or slightly warm) > 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (organic, if possible) > 1/4 c. fresh, home-ground whole wheat flour (or from a reputable supplier)

2. Cover the container with plastic wrap and let sit. A warmish spot, at anywhere between 65-80 degrees should work.

3. Stir the mixture several times daily.

4. Note when the mixture starts to get a bit bubbly. It’s working! This should happen at some point in the first three days.*

5. When the mixture has gotten bubbly, and has doubled in size, it is ready for its “feedings” to begin. First, mix in the water: > 1/4 c. spring water (non-chlorinated)

6. To the water/starter mixture, add: > 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

7. Cover the container with plastic wrap and let the mixture double in size.

8. When it’s doubled in size again, start throwing half of it out. Even if it hurts. I hate to “waste”, but the starter is gaining in momentum. It’s still not matured, but if you kept all the premature mix, you would have too much.

9. After throwing half the starter out, feed again. Mix in: > 1/4 c. spring water

10. To the water/starter mixture, add: > 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

11. Keep repeating this process of letting it double, throwing half out, and feeding again, for one week.

12. After a week, you can start feeding it with freshly-ground whole wheat flour, if desired. Begin making bread with it, reserving half the starter in a jar in the refrigerator, and using the other half.

Note: I use red winter wheat berries (found here on Amazon for a good deal), for my whole-grain bread making. Delicious, and healthy!

 

Zucchini Soup Recipe (Putting that Garden Produce to Work!)

Posted by Jennifer Cote

You’re practically looking at my latest Zucchini Soup recipe, in the picture below. It was SO EASY to make, using some of the garden surplus I got from a friend. (We all get extra zucchinis from “friends” this time of year, right?)

Grateful-Table-Artichoke-Garden-Soup

And I had some frozen artichoke hearts from Trader Joe’s. You did know about those, didn’t you? They’re reasonable priced, and their texture is much better than that of their canned friends. Plus, the canned ones usually have extra ingredients (salt, and sometimes a weird marinade). Such a product might substitute in this soup, but I prefer the unadulterated, frozen ones.

If you want to go to the extra work, you could use fresh artichokes. I didn’t, but I’m still taking the last few photos for the Soups’ On cookbook, so I had to throw an actual fresh artichoke into the picture for aesthetics’ sake. But I really didn’t want to go to that much work.Sneak-Preview-Jens-Soup-E-cookbook

So this recipe was perfect!

I had gotten inspired by a recent trip to the Stinking Rose. And even though we WERE the stinking roses, for a day or two afterward (garlic fumes emanated from our pores for a good while), I was inspired to roast some garlic of my own. And put it into a recipe.

I didn’t want to go to too much bother though. Some folks roast the whole head of garlic, skins on and all. Then they squeeze the soft, roasty garlic “meat” out onto bread and such. But I just peeled several cloves and stuck ’em in the slow cooker with a large zucchini, and let them roast/stew/cook for 30 minutes or so.

Then I just pureed all that with some thawed, frozen artichoke hearts, some olive oil, and some salt. I added a bit of my homemade chicken stock too– it was awesome!

Artichoke Garden Soup

Zucchini is elevated to new heights with the addition of artichokes and garlic. It adds body to the soup, allowing the other flavors to come through. It’s an easy soup; serves 4-6.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 c. zucchini, in chunks (about 3-4 standard sized)
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1 c. chicken stock or water
  • 1 1/2 c. frozen artichoke hearts (about half of a 12-oz. bag)
  • 1/4 c. virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Optional: green onion or chopped herbs for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Use slow-cooker or other favorite pot to steam zucchini and garlic until tender, about 30 minutes. Use: > Approx. 4 c. zucchini, in big chunks > 3 cloves fresh garlic > 1 c. chicken stock or water

2. When zucchini and garlic are cooked, add: > 1 1/2 c. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed > 1/4 c. virgin olive oil > 1 tsp. salt

3. Let all the ingredients heat up, then process them in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender, until smooth. Add enough boiling water (or extra stock) to make it the right consistency.

4. To serve, add chopped green onion or other herbs for garnish.

PS I’ve linked this post to Diana’s page for “Simple Lives Thursday“. (Diana of “My Humble Kitchen“)