Foodie Friday Ingredient Hour: Quinoa

This week on Foodie Friday Ingredient Hour, we're going to talk about my hands-down favorite grain, quinoa! Not only does quinoa pack a punch in the protein department (complete protein, at that!), it has a good amount of iron, amino acids, vitamins & minerals; it's also tasty, texturally interesting, and gluten-free.

Quinoa, pronounced 'keen-wah', unlike most grains, does not come from grass. Nope, quinoa belongs to the family chenopodaciae, making it closely related to amaranth, pigweed, beets and spinach. Also tumbleweeds...

 Our friend quinoa hails from South America, specifically the Andes of Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. It was prized as animal forage long before its domestication for human use several thousand years ago. The Incans regarded quinoa as sacred, referring to it as "mother of all grains", and quinoa was and continues to be a significant component of the Andean diet.

Aside from its nutritional value, quinoa also does well in dry, sandy soils, making it valuable as a crop in otherwise poor growing regions. Though the plant is generally on the tender side, like most chenopods, some cultivars have been selected for increased cold tolerance.

Cooking quinoa is a little different from, say, rice. It needs to be rinsed quite a bit, otherwise the respectable saponin coating the seeds have will make a bitter mess! When cooking quinoa, I just rinse

it until it stops (for the most part, at least) creating a foamy layer on the water, signalling that the majority of the saponins have mad their departure.

Quinoa can be used for a veritable plethora of recipes! Its nutty but very mild flavor lends well to both sweet and savory concoctions. Indeed, it can be eaten with fruit, nuts, and whatever else you like on oatmeal as a delicious, nutritious breakfast just as beautifully as it can lend itself to a savory dinner dish, such as Viva La Quinoa!. Quinoa in flour form is lovely for baking, to make pancakes, or

really anything that strikes your fancy! Gluten free folks will enjoy the versatility of quinoa in all its forms, and being a "pseudocereal" grain, is friendly to Paleo eaters, too... well, there's some debate, but I'm not going to go there...

Before we tie a bow on this little exploration, here's a quick nutritional breakdown for a cup of this week's star:

Total Fat 10 g
Saturated fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated fat 6 g
Monounsaturated fat 2.7 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 9 mg
Potassium 957 mg
Total Carbohydrate 109 g
Dietary fiber 12 g
Protein 24 g

So friends, next time you get the chance, give quinoa a try if you haven't already... it really is amazing, and oh so versatile!

Viva La Quinoa!

Yours truly was craving Mexican food the other day. Yours truly had also been given a beautiful, big bag of quinoa, and was working on cleaning out the pantry a little to start the new year with a clean slate... yeah, yeah, I know January is almost over, but I procrastinate just a little, ok, alot...
So, what was I to do in order to satisfy this little craving, while still keeping things healthy and nutritious? Well... I had cans of black beans, diced tomatoes, olives... and ortega chiles! This is promising! I always have green onions around, and it was produce shopping day anyway, so I picked up some corn tortillas, bell peppers and cilantro. A casserole! I shall make a casserole! And it shall be called... Viva La Quinoa! I rolled up my sleeves and dove in headlong...

The Goods:
3 cups rinsed quinoa
4 small cubes cilantro bullion
4 small cubes chipotle bullion
3 cans black beans
3 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans black olives
2 large cans diced green chiles
1 green bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 orange bell pepper
4 green onions
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 avocado
1 lb ground beef
2 chubs beef chorizo
4 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tbsp black pepper
(1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese)

Make it Happen:
Rinse the quinoa well, until it stops foaming for the most part. Put the quinoa & bullion in crockpot with 6 cups water, set on high.
Head to to the stove, and simmer the chorizo on medium heat, then drain off as much fat as possible. I used a paper towel to pat the surface and wick away as much oil as humanly possible. Add the ground beef, mix well and brown the whole mishmash. Set that sucker aside!

Next up, combine 2 cans drained black beans, 1 can ortegas, 2 tbsp onion flakes & pepper in bowl. set aside. Chop the bell peppers into small cubes, mince cilantro, julienne avocado in the skin, thinly slice the green onions. set aside

When quinoa is cooked, put in large bowl & mix in 1 can tomatoes, 1 can drained black beans, 1 can ortegas, 1 can olives, diced, chopped peppers.

In casserole dishes or loaf pans, arrange a layer of corn tortillas on the bottom, then add a thick layer of quinoa mixture. Smooth it out and pack it down! Then spoon a little tomato over it. Lay down another layer of tortillas. Then, spread a thin layer of black bean/ortega mixture, and little more tomato. Next, layer on some of the meat. Sprinkle the top with more diced olives, finely chopped cilantro, green onions and avocado. Sprinkle with mozzarella shreds if ya want it cheesy! I'm told it's tasty with cheese, but since I was using death cheese, I couldn't comment. BUT, I think it would be tasty with cheez!

Finally, cover dem pans with foil and bake 'em at 350 for 20 minutes or so, until they're heated throughout, and the cheese/cheez is melted if you're using it. Serve with tortilla chips, salad, by itself, or whatever suits your fancy!

Note: the proportions for this recipe makes ALOT. Like 6 large loaf pans alot. So, if you're not cooking for a small army (or bunch of firefighters), you can scale things as much or little as you want!

Dried Fruit and Wine: A Love Story

Oh, dried fruit, how I adore thee! As someone who hardly eats refined sugar, save half a donut at church once a week (Father, Greta has been overcome by temptation and eaten the fateful apple fritter... please forgive her), dried fruit is my go-to snack when I'm craving something sweet. There's still plenty of sugar there, oh yes, but fruit is nutritious, so that makes it okay. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

As such, I always have a decent selection of it on hand. Yesterday, while perusing the aisles of the local discount grocery store, I noticed that blackberry merlot was on sale. Now, I am not much of a drinker, but I do like trying new things, and a glass of wine in the evening can be cathartic once in awhile. Growing up, my parents would get fruit wines once in awhile, and being a good Eastern European family, naturally I got to have a little too. So not only was this particular creature on sale, it looked interesting and awoke a little of my nostalgic side. Sold!

This morning, I decided at random to make a dried fruit compote, with my newly acquired wine as the liquid component... compote-nent? 

Armed with this whim and a host of ingredients, I headed for the kitchen.

The Goods:

• 1 cup unsulphured, unsweetened dried mango
• 2/3 cup unsulphured dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried figs
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries/craisins
• 1/2 cup raisins (I use a 50/50 mix of golden and thompson, but any raisins will do nicely)
• juice of 1/2 small lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• just a tiny pinch of ground cardamom
• 2 cups blackberry merlot

 
 Keep in mind, the amounts for the dried fruit are once it's been chopped... the volume before you chop all the tasties might be quite different. Start off by putting the raisins and cranberries in a medium-sized tupperware. Next, it's time to chop up some delectables!

I began by cutting the apricots into quarters. Small enough to absorb flavor and liquid well, but big enough to be hold their own and keep the texture interesting.











Next up, figs. These I cut in half lengthwise, then quartered each half. Figs being a little tougher than the apricots, I wanted them a little smaller so they could soak up the good stuff with ease. Plus the seed factor needed to be balanced. pieces too big, too much crunch in one place... messin' with my program bro!

I didn't take a picture of the mango chopping. My hands were kinda sticky at this point, and I didn't feel like stopping to wash my hands, so... no picture, sorry. BUT, there was no knife involved. Pure dried mango isn't exactly a piece of cake to chop with a knife. Enter the kitchen shears. I cut the mango into roughly 1" pieces, and threw it in the mix.

When all has been chopped and the stickiness has been washed from thy hands, something that looks akin to this should be residing in the tupperware.

Now we're going places! Add all the dry spices, followed by the lemon juice, vanilla and vino. Then close the lid of the tupperware (Tightly, or you'll be decorated with a medal of kitchen combat!) and give it a good shaking to thoroughly mix everything top, bottom, up, down and sideways. You'll wind up with something like this.

Friends, they say patience is a virtue... in this realm, I am not the most virtuous, so this for me is the hardest part of making this concoction.

Put the closed tupperware someplace out of the way. I put it in a cupboard. Out of sight out of mind. And leave it there. For at least 6-8 ours or overnight. This gives the fruit time to absorb the wine, and all the spices to blend and infuse the fruit with flavor.

When all is said and done, the compote is ready! There should still be a bit of liquid left, something of a syrupy consistency. Let me tell you, it smells fantastic. And fruit wines being quite low alcohol (this one is only 6%), you won't get smashed from enjoying this. 

As of now, I've only tasted a little, and boy am I happy with it. It's tasty. Really tasty. I also envision it being heavenly over a scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream...

Foodie Friday Ingredient Hour: Scotch Mix

This is the start of something new. Every Friday, I'm going to post about one of my favorite ingredients or pantry staples, something I've just discovered and fallen in love with, or maybe even something that is on my culinary bucket list! Friends, Welcome to Foodie Friday Ingredient Hour!

This week, I will be waxing poetic on Scotch Mix, or as you will often see it labelled on bulk bins, 4 Grain Cereal. Scotch mix is, in essence, oatmeal. Except it has more than just oats.

The Scotch Mix I always keep on hand involves equal parts of wheat, rye, barley and oats. Now, that's all fine and dandy, but let's explore each of these great grains a little and get to the nuts and bolts of why I never eat "just oatmeal"

At first glance, your average grain field looks just like the one before it, and just like the next. Grain is grain. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Well, not exactly. Yes, most grains come from one type of grass or another, and yes, they do look similar in raw form. But we will soon discover that when you get to the nitty gritty, not all grains are created equal. Roll up your sleeves, let's get started!

Wheat

Wheat is the third most produced grain in the world, falling behind only corn and rice. It was one of the first commercially cultivated grains, being easy to grow on a large scale, and convenient to store.

Once the kernels are separated from the straw, 

the straw can be used for animal forage and roof thatch, among other uses.

The kernels can be used whole, ground into a flour as-is (whole wheat), or milled to remove the bran before grinding, giving us the ubiquitous white, all-purpose flour we know so well.

Wheat is used for a plethora of food and beverage, from cereals and bread to fermented beverages

When used in whole grain form, wheat boasts a compliment of vitamins and minerals, plus protein and starch. Once processed, mostly starch is left.

1 cup of whole wheat contains:

Total Fat 4.7 g
Saturated fat 0.9 g
Polyunsaturated fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated fat 0.7 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 4 mg
Potassium 828 mg
Total Carbohydrate 137 g
Protein 26 g

Rye

Rye is grown as a food source for humans, but also extensively as animal forage, and used as a winter ground cover crop. It has been cultivated since the middle ages in Eastern and Central Europe, and is still a main bread cereal there to this day.

One problem with rye is its tendency to suffer from ergot fungus. Eating ergot-infected rye can lead to serious illness for us humans, known as Ergotism. Symptoms include seizures, hallucinations and tissue breakdown (necrosis). Ergotism is suspected to be the cause for many being persecuted as witches during the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. 

Rye is higher in protein and has better ability to grow in poor soil than many grains, making it a valuable food source where soil is sandy or nutrient-starved. Rye does not contain gluten as wheat does, making it a good choice for those who are gluten-intolerant. Not containing gluten does, however, make for a denser bread if only rye flour is used.




1 cup of rye contains:

Total Fat 2.8 g
Saturated fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated fat 0.4 g
Trans fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 3 mg
Potassium 862 mg
Total Carbohydrate 128 g
Dietary fiber 26 g
Sugar 1.7 g
Protein 17 g

Barley

Barley was one of the first cultivated grains, and is now grown widely as both human and animal food. Barley currently ranks fourth in worldwide cereal grain production. It is used in a compliment of dishes, including soups, breads and simply cooked whole and used. We also know and love barley in fermented form as a main ingredient of beer!

Barley has many cultivars, including a "naked barley", with a thinner, easier to remove hull. Naked barley is easier to digest by animals, making it popular as a forage crop. It was also used at one time as a form of currency.

Barley contains eight essential amino acids, and has been shown in studies to regulate blood sugar for up to 10 hours after eating it in whole grain form (no, beer doesn't count. sorry!). It also retains much of its germ after hulling, making it nutritious even after processing.

1 cup of barley contains:

Total Fat 4.2 g
Saturated fat 0.9 g
Polyunsaturated fat 2 g
Monounsaturated fat 0.5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 22 mg
Potassium 832 mg
Total Carbohydrate 135 g
Dietary fiber 32 g
Sugar 1.5 g
Protein 23 g

Oats

While it most likely originated in the Near East, the were not cultivated for quite some time, and when they were, it was in Europe, during the Bronze Age.
Oats enjoy temperate climates, and are much more tolerant of moist conditions than most cereal grains, making them valuable where even the summers are cool and wet.

Oats are primarily rolled and eaten as oatmeal, granola or porridge. They are also ground into a flour and used for assorted baked goods. Our friends across the pond also use oats in brewing oatmeal stout (it's deliciously hearty, try it if you get a chance!)

Oat extract boasts soothing properties, so is also used in soaps and skin care concoctions. In fact, the skin care line Aveeno takes its name from the Latin name for oats, Aveena sativa.

Oats contain the most soluble fiber of any grain, and have been shown to help lower cholesterol, making them a heart healthy choice. Oats have the highest lipid content of the common cereal grains, mostly healthy unsaturated fat. They also contain high quality protein, nearly that of soy, milk, eggs and meat.

1 cup of oats contains:

Total Fat 11 g
Saturated fat 1.9 g
Polyunsaturated fat 4 g
Monounsaturated fat 3.4 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 3 mg
Potassium 669 mg
Total Carbohydrate 103 g
Dietary fiber 16 g
Protein 26 g

Still with me? I know, probably more than you ever wanted to know about your morning oatmeal. I tried to make it interesting, hey, even a little history thrown in! All this to say, I love scotch mix. I really do. Every grain brings a little something special to the table nutritionally, not to mention different textures just making life a bit more interesting! No, not all grains are created equal, but they sure are tasty and nutritious in their own special ways, and when we bring them together, it's just the best of everything. So friends, next time you go to buy oatmeal, humor me and give Scotch Mix a try. You just might fall in love with it!

Bountiful Breadmaking: Portuwaiian Sweet Rolls!

On a whim yesterday, I decided to try making Hawaiian sweet rolls. On my last trip to Costco, I had acquired a massive amount of yeast, so how better to start chipping away at the bag than to attempt replicating a favorite bready indulgence? I knew generally what went into those tasty items, and really, how hard could it be to make them myself?

I rolled up my sleeves, and dove in...

The goods:
6 cups flour, plus 1/2 cup more
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
5 tsp (or 2 packets) dry yeast
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp powdered ginger

Make it happen:

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs & sugar.
Melt the coconut oil/butter and mix in, along with the pineapple juice, vanilla & ginger
Add 3 cups flour and mix well.
Slowly sprinkle in the yeast, making sure it's well mixed with no clumps
Mix in the other 3 cups of flour (you can use your hands if a wooden spoon ain't cutting it)
The dough will be a bit sticky, this is okay!
Cover the bowl with a clean towel, let rise in a warm place for an hour

Mix in the extra 1/2 cup flour. divide into rolls (a ping-pong ball size will turn out about the size of the average dinner roll), or 3 medium sized loaves. Re cover and let rise for another hour, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.

These turn out somewhere right in between Hawaiian and Portugese sweet bread, hence, Portuwaiian! In my opinion, the direct cross type of flavor is awesome, because I love both varieties, so it's almost like having your cake and eating it too!

Aside from munching plain, these make great sandwich rolls, hamburger buns, or just about any other application you can think of for a super-fluffy bread that has just a bit of sweetness to it.

Once again, I apologize for lack of pictures. I admit, taking pictures while cooking is most definitely *not* my strong point. BUT, the next batch I make (and there WILL be more, trust me), I will do my best to chronicle the process and add the pictures here

Adventures in Cheez-Making, Episode 1

Well friends, I made my first attempts at death free cheese (cheez) the other day, with mixed results... I didn't have my camera on hand, so sadly have no pictures of the venture. Next time, there will be pictures!

Anyway, I decided to try a few different approaches to making cheez, along with the help of my friend Gayle, a fellow non-dairy soul with a flair for experimental cooking and a vegan fiancee - hence more experienced than I in adapting recipes.

Our first batch involved blending a 12 oz block of silken tofu to a cream.
Added to the tofu cream was:
1/2 cup raw cashew meal
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

We blended the entire mixture and set it in a coffee filter to drain off the excess moisture. It turned out something akin to sour cream; not really similar in flavor, but creamy and tasty in its own right.

The second batch was a cashew based cheez. I was going for something along the lines of chevre; a tangy, relatively firm finished product, but still with a creamy base consistency.
We began by soaking 1 cup of raw cashew pieces in warm water for about 45 minutes (or until soft), then draining well.
After blending as much as possible in the food processor, I tasted the stuff. It had a sweet, nutty flavor that I quite fancied. This would work great with a sweet-hot flavor profile! I headed to the pantry, and retrieved a bottle of just such a sauce, Pickapeppa. This delightful Jamaican product involves not only peppers, but also mango, ginger, tomatoes and raisins among a few other things. It has a wonderful sweet tang, with just a bit of kick. I put about 3 tsp in the food processor along with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and blended it as smooth as I could get it.
The result was definitely not a "chevre", but an absolutely amazing substitute for savory cream cheese. Definitely going to make it again!

Next up, the challenge was to emulate the best cheez I've found commercially available, Daiya. The stuff is primarily arrowroot starch & tapioca flour, with oil as a binder. It tastes pretty close to "the real deal", and even melts! The melt factor is something akin to Velveeta; a bit slick, a bit stretchy. Not bad!

So, we combined
3 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup warm water

If you ever played with cornstarch and water putty as a kid, you know exactly what the consistency was like. Except with a float of oil on top. Once the oil was cut into the mixture with a spoon, the consistency resembled more of a plumber's putty.
Going for a "pepper jack", I added
1 tsp harissa
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika

Flavor? Delicious. Melt factor? not so much. It did melt a little but I think next time I'll cook the mixture before adding the seasonings to get the starches to clarify, and it just might be spot on. Melting problems aside, it did work just fine on a pizza!

Stay tuned for Adventures in Cheez-Making, Episode 2!

2 tbsp arrowroot starch

Eggplant and Chicken and Quinoa, Oh My!

This Monday, I made my occasional voyage to Berkeley to visit my own personal Mecca: Berkeley Bowl. The only drawback to this place is the 1.5 hour drive to get there, but it's well worth it! The produce section is AMAZING. Just about every kind of fruit or vegetable you can imagine, and all at very reasonable prices. They also have a delightful selection of bulk items, herbs, and all kinds of other lovely items. Berkeley Bowl. Go there if you get the chance

So, aside from the requisite unusual fruit, my primary reason for going to Mecca, I also acquired a couple of discount eggplant and wonton skins, among other things. Enter this particular experiment.


I already had some Harissa on hand, which is a match made in heaven with roasted eggplant. Harissa, a Moroccan spiced chili paste, has a delightfully complex, smoky flavor that  brings out the eggplant's natural sweetness and depth of flavor. I also had quinoa, so figured that would probably fit into the puzzle somewhere.


So, with Harissa, wonton skins and eggplant, I would do... what exactly?
I started by roasting the eggplant, figuring if all else failed, I would fall back on my usual application for eggplant, Baba Ganoush (a recipe for that lovely concoction can be found here). So, I cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, brushed them with a little olive oil, and roasted them at 350 for a couple of hours. The stage was set.

After the eggplant had cooled, the epiphany happened: Baked spicy eggplant wontons! And with the quinoa and the help of my trusty crockpot, Moroccan quinoa! But wait, I have a bunch of chicken thighs too (props to costco). Curry chicken wontons too, to use up what wrappers will be left, and add more protein to the mix. Yes, it was settled.


I began by marinating the chicken:
4 chicken thighs
1/2 cup Thai Red Curry Sauce (Trader Joe's)
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

Throw it all in a ziplock bag and banish to the fridge while the rest of the prep happens.

Start by separating the eggplant flesh from the skin, scooping as closely as you can to the skin to get all the smoky flavorful edge bits. chop it in the bowl using just a knife, so you get a relatively smooth consistency, but still with some chunks left intact for texture.
Add to the eggplant:
1 tbsp harissa
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp curry powder

Set that tasty mess aside, it's quinoa time!

The goods:
1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp harissa
3 tbsp dried parsley
1 large clove garlic
juice of 1 large lemon

Rinse the quinoa a few times, or until it stops creating that foamy layer on top of the rinsewater for the most part (that foamy stuff will leave a bitterness in the quinoa if you don't rinse it). Put the quinoa in the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients and add 3 cups of water. Set the crockpot on high and get back to the rest of the show.

Retrieve the chicken from the fridge, and dice it into small cubes. Return it to the bag, mash it around a bit to cover with the marinade, and re-banish to the fridge.

Diced, back in the bag, ready to rock

Dicing in progress

The quinoa will start to make its presence known as it cooks and absorbs water. You'll notice it starting to become more translucent starting at the edges of the grains. Give it the occasional stir and leave it be.

  

After the diced chicken has marinated 20 minutes or so, it's time to get cookin'. Put the chicken in a skillet and cook on medium heat until cooked through and tender. Drain off most of the juices, so the wonton wrappers won't get soggy and suffer a structural emergency.

Now, the busywork begins...
Preheat the oven to 400
Beat one egg in a small bowl and have at the ready for wonton construction.
Have a couple of ungreased cookie sheets on standby

In the center of each wonton wrapper, place a teaspoon of eggplant mixture and brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. pinch the corners together to (mostly) cover the filling. It will look something like a pinwheel. you can leave it as is, or gently fold all the corners in one direction to make it look even more pinwheel-ish. Repeat until the all the filling is gone.

With the remaining wrappers, do the same thing with the chicken. I found it easier to brush the wrapper with egg before filling the chicken ones; I kept throwing chunks of chicken off the wrapper when I tried to brush them after. But I'm a klutz, so you might have no trouble at all.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the wrappers are golden brown on the "wings". Pull 'em out of the oven and let cool. Ohh yeah!

Spiced Eggplant

Curry Chicken

The finished quinoa will look something akin to this. It has the consistency of a casserole, not soupy, but nice and moist, bursting with flavor!

Et voila! You're done! Sit back, relax, and enjoy your handiwork with a cuppa tea, a beer, or whatever suits your fancy

Sweet Potato Oatcakes: Stealthy-Healthy Treats

The other day, I was craving sweets in the worst way, but darn if I was going to go after those chocolate chip cookies that were sitting on the counter staring at me temptingly... Not a chance. So, I consulted my stash of random ingredients. Welp, there was that lovely big tub of dates from Costco (great value by the way), some assorted cans of fruit, and a couple sweet potatoes that needed to be used before they made friends with mold. I always have oatmeal or scotch mix (I'll wax poetic on scotch mix at a later date) on hand... et voila! Sweet potato and tropical fruit oatcakes. Sweets without feeling too horribly guilty!

The goods:
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can sliced peaches, drained & rinsed
1 can chunk pineapple, drained & rinsed
1 large mango
1 cup dates
1 1/2 cups oatmeal or scotch mix
4 egg whites
1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract



Make it happen:
Preheat oven to 350

Peel & dice the sweet potatoes, put in a 2qt saucepot with just enough water to cover, boil until soft
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, dice the peaches, pineapple and mango, combine in a bowl. Mince the dates and set aside.
Once the sweet potatoes are done, drain them well and put in a second bowl. 
In the same pot, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup of the oats, the chopped dates and 1tsp vanilla extract. Cook until the oats are soft and dates are blended. Add to the mashed sweet potato and allow to cool.
Once cool, add the fruit and 1/2 cup dry oats to the mixture. Lightly beat the egg whites with 1tbsp vanilla extract, add to ingredients. Mix well. 
Drop 1/4 cup at a time onto parchment paper (I used an ice cream scoop) and form into cakes. Bake for 45 minutes or until set and the oats begin to brown. Cool and enjoy 

It Begins, or my entrance into the world of food blogging

Growing up, I always loved experimenting in the kitchen. Never really used recipes, just threw together stuff that seemed like it might taste good together. As I got older and life got crazier and more complicated, I kind of fell out of the habit, with the exception of baking and cooking a bit more when the weather turned nippy, aka "the winter domesticity".

Well, this year, the winter domesticity has spawned a return to my love of cooking, and this time, I don't think it's just the usual winter episode. No, this goes deeper in returning to my kitchen experimentalism, this time with a healthy twist that my more recent lifestyle changes have brought. Does having space to spread and the use of industrial ovens at the firehouse have something to do with it? Probably...

As a kid, most meals included milk, cream, butter, cheese or all of the above. Over the past couple of years, I've become completely intolerant of *all* dairy products, so I'm now enjoying the adventure that is making all my childhood favorites and beyond dairy-free, or as I refer to it, death-free

When I post about something that has materialized in the kitchen, people have been asking for the recipe. Well friends, I still don't really use recipes except as springboards or inspiration... BUT I'll try to write down something that resembles a recipe for all y'all. Oh yeah, and I'll attempt to take a reasonable number of pictures in the process of making stuff too for what it's worth.

So welcome to my food blog adventure. It'll be fun to see where this goes!