Quinoa.....The experiment

[Polly]

Sara,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the suggestion of using a nut cream instead of tahini in recipes! One of my most reactive foods on MRT was sesame, which, of course, is what's in tahini. Now I can enjoy babaganoush again and maybe even hummus, if I test OK to garbanzo bean.

Mary Beth recently shared a recipe that uses pecan cream sauce and it is awesome! And so easy. All you have to do is grind up the nuts and add water to the desired consistency.

Thanks again.

Hugs,

Polly

[framedame]

Two thumbs up Joe for presentation! To me, that's a huge part of feeling the meal is gourmet. I'm using my best plates these days to make everything look and feel special.
ciao,
Lassie

P.S I think a lot of my present good attitude is Entercort induced

[sarkin]

Polly, I totally forgot about pecans - YUM!

I am really looking forward to expanding the experimentation. I'm saying that in a smiling way at the moment, but I think the whininess and impatience may be just around the corner. Will try to consider that to be a sign of improving health ;)

I've always done nut-soaking first, and then grinding. But I bet you could get a variation in texture grinding first, and then adding water... I really notice a change in the taste of almonds and walnuts after 12-24 hours of soaking. They seem sweeter to me, but I can't quite figure out why. It would make sense if they were germinating, but I very much doubt there's enough viability left in them to do that.

I look forward to hearing how the baba & hummus experiments turn out, when you get to them.

Sara

[Mags]

Thanks Sarkin!

That's the way I've been making it lately--I just felt like I was leaving something out! I learned the yogurt version from a Syrian restaurant owner...it's good like that too. I am so grateful that I seem to be able to tolerate sesame and garbanzo beans, so far at least.

Do you know I actually fry my falafel in a wok?!

Mags

[Zizzle]

Joe,
I am absolutely drooling. You combined 2 of my most favorite foods - shrimp and tabuleh!! I'm going to make that ASAP, although I wonder if I'll tolerate all the lemon and parsely. Who cares!! We make quinoa regularly at home and often boil it in half coconut milk, half water or broth. Quinoa really needs something to help flavor it. It makes a great cold "pasta" salad. Just add mixed veggies and a vinaigrette. It makes a great hot cereal too with nuts and dried fruit. OK, I'm starving now. I'm hitting Whole Foods on the way home...

[sarkin]

Falafel in a wok! Great idea. I've made baked falafel - I sort of flatten them. They're better the next day than the fried ones. If I can reacquaint myself with chickpeas, I'll try that again. I did a chickpea-flour/sweet-potato mashup that was yummy, and easy. I can't remember what else might be lurking in that ingredient list... but I bet it could be adjusted in the kitchen lab.

This kind of cooking really does remind me of Iron Chef, only backwards. They're trying to work some required, special ingredient into their menus, and we're trying to keep pervasive, widely available ingredients out. In fact, I think GF/DF/SF Iron Chef would be a great episode. To make it super-realistic, the audience would keep shouting out additional ingredients that can't be used.

I would pay to watch that.

Sara

[Mags]

Sara--

I'd pay to watch that too! A couple of tricks I use with the falafel that seem to help is soaking the mix in warm water instead of cold, and poking a dent in both sides of the ball to make sure it cooks all the way through more quickly so it spends less time in the oil. They are still pretty good crisped up in the oven the next day...

Where are your relatives from?

Mags

[randyh]

This looks wonderful. I have not tried Quiona but have a friend who recommended it.

Will have to try this.

Randy

[sarkin]

Mags, I'll keep your falafel tips in mind. My maternal grandmother was born in Beirut (and falafel wasn't part of my childhood foods, unlike many other fabulous treats from the middle east). How about you?

Sara