Monthly Archives: February 2009

Quinoa, etc.

February 17, 2009 | by Ben 7

Sorry we haven’t been posting much. We’re trying to eat more vegetarian lately, and we’ve been making stuff from Vegan with a Vengeance (which has already been the subject of many blogs). We’re trying to branch out from that book, though. We’re particularly interested in quinoa and tempeh, both of which are complete proteins and more interesting than tofu. Tofu’s versatility can be a bit of a downfall, in that no matter how you flavor it, it’s still a lot like egg whites. Tempeh and quinoa, on the other hand, have a bitter taste if not prepared properly, which might sway people away from them.

Our favorite recipes of late have been Orange Pan-Glazed Tempeh–very sweet, gingery and satisfying–and Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes, which are crunchy and savory, especially with mushroom gravy. I’m currently working on coming up with a tempeh “meatball” recipe, forthcoming if it’s successful. 

We’re still looking for more good vegetarian recipes, though, if anyone wants to guide us to some.… continue reading

Multigrain Seed Bread

February 7, 2009 | by Ben 3

Sarah’s parents recently got us a subscription to Eating Well magazine, and they recently had an article on no-knead breads. While we all enjoyed the no-knead bread Sarah made, we’ve been getting more into whole grains lately. Enter Eating Well’s Seeded Multigrain Boule:

The recipe contains, as the editors put it, “everything but the kitchen sink,” including pepitas, flaxseed, oats and ground brown rice. The bread is unbelievably good, though, and this is the second huge loaf we’ve made. It’s paired well with homemade sausages and soup, but also makes great toast and grilled cheese. Our plan for tonight is tuna melts.

While I love fresh bread, I’m not a fan of kneading, even with the stand mixer. All you do is mix up the ingredients and let them sit.

Seeded Multigrain Boule
(from Eating Well)

Makes 1 very large loaf, 16 slices

ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 24 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

1/2 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice, preferably brown … continue reading

In Defense of Packaged Stock

February 1, 2009 | by Ben 2

I was listening to NPR lately and heard Nigella Lawson discussing her recipe for simple corn chowder. At one point she says, “Then it’s really just a question of cooking that with some hot vegetable stock — and I don’t make my own, I must own up, and I’m not ashamed of that.” The implication of this is that we’ve been told that we should not, even as home cooks, admit to using packaged stock. Michael Ruhlman has repeatedly condemned the use of packaged stocks, and even Mark Bittman, known for championing simplicity, writes in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian that you should just use water if you don’t have homemade stock around.

Finding good packaged stock is easier than it was a few years ago, and, in my experience, it’s usually preferable to water. I’ve used it lately in both carrot soup and Turkish lentil soup with excellent results. 

Admittedly, I half-killed myself making fresh chicken stock for a chicken and mushoom … continue reading