Funky Grains Are in Da House
Long time, no blog! What were you up to this past week? Here’s what I did:
I ate a lot of this:
Greek yogurt with banana and Aletheia‘s GREEEEEENola! With added coconut and goji berries as flair :D
And some of this:
Savory oats topped with a sunny-side up egg, cheese, and fresh ground black pepper … mmm-MMM!
I did some of this:
And some of this:
I presented some of this:
And did lots of this:
Only I wasn’t driving a Smartcar. And I wasn’t smiling.
I did some of this:
Only my belly is not so adorably fuzzy.
Lastly, my classmates and I had our “Funky Grains” food lab, where we used unusual grains to make delicious dishes. What dishes, you ask? I shall tell you, my friends. I will also give you links to the recipes so that you, too, can enjoy some funky grains.
First up: Chicken, Green Bean Corn, and Farro Salad with Goat Cheese
I’ve been so excited to try farro ever since I saw how much Nicole loved it, and I can see why she does! This dish was full of fabulous tastes and textures, and the farro was chewy and nutty. I want to make this dish again!
You know, I usually like really strong flavors, but the buckwheat soba noodles were a little much for me. I think of noodles as a vehicle for sauce, so I don’t like them to have a lot of taste. Even so, if you like earthy noodles, try these! The sauce on this dish was wonderful. I’d love to try it over some regular whole grain pasta.
Black Rice with Scallions and Sweet Potatoes:
Remember when I tried Forbidden Rice? I love that nutty flavor, so I was excited to try this recipe – but, the dish itself is a little bland. I would add some soy sauce and/or cayenne.
Barley and Shiitake “Risotto” (I couldn’t find the recipe online – sorry! I’ll keep looking.)
This dish was my favorite! I can say that it contains cream and Parmesan, and boy, was it creamy! I think I’ll try making a lighter version of this dish, although I’m not sure if I can replicate the creaminess.
Molasses Muffins with Flax and Dates:
I thought these muffins were perfect – the dates added just the right amount of sweetness. I prefer my desserts a little less sweet than other people, so some of the girls added honey to theirs, which they seemed to like better :)
The almond flour used in this recipe isn’t a grain, but one of the main ideas of this food lab was to explore alternatives to grains with gluten (other than the barley, of course, which contains gluten). Have you ever roasted fruit? You should! Roasting brings out the natural sweet flavor of the fruit. I loved this dish.
Quinoa Cakes with Eggplant-Tomato Ragù and Smoked Mozzarella:
As a lover of all things quinoa, I knew I would like this dish. This recipe contains just about all you would ever need, especially since quinoa is a complete protein (vegetarians and vegans, take note!). Besides, it’s so darn delicious.
Fluffy and eggy, this dish is pretty bland on its own, but I’ll bet it would be good with a little honey or maple syrup drizzled on top as a nice contrast to the cheese. Amaranth looks like a small version of quinoa, and when cooked it resembles a pudding:
Mixed with peanut butter and chocolate chips, you have the most amazing whole grain pudding ever made.
I ate more than my fair share of that deliciousness.
Kristen and I were assigned to make White Bean and Vegetable Cassoulet with Millet Crust:
Have you ever tried millet? This tiny grain reminded me of Grape Nuts after we baked it. I’d never tried it before, but I’m going to look for it in the stores now. This recipe is a great way to get a lot of veggies in one meal!
And that’s it!
Early on this week, I knew I wasn’t going to be blogging much during this past week. With last-minute projects and papers this week and finals coming up next week, I’ve been running around like a Maddies during one of her midnight crazies. In the interest of getting as much sleep as possible (a priority right now, which it hasn’t always been), I’m not going to be blogging much over the next week. School and work and sleep and Peter come first, of course! :)
Q: How do you keep balance in your life during crazy busy times?
Also, have you ever tried any of these crazy grains? What did you think?
