It already has. See egg prices.
I've been trying to eat more beans and legumes, but thanks to my EPI it's been next to impossible since I can't digest legumes well. Tofu looks to be a good source of protein, but not iron. Any vegetarians out there that can't eat legumes? I'm interested to hear about it. Comment and let me know!
As for my sourdough adventure, I finally have a fool proof perfect loaf consistently. Making the starter is easy, and so is getting an insanely high oven rise. I bought a digital scale, and got a great recipe that I altered to accomodate my flour and my kitchen, it wasn't hard. If you're struggling with your loaves being flat, cut back on the water, don't let it proof for more than two hours, and preheat your pan and lid for a half hour at 500. Put one ice cube under your parchment paper when you put your dough in to bake, cover and follow the recipe. I've been leaving the temp at 500 for ten minutes, then turning it down, since opening my oven door releases so much heat. Twenty minutes after first putting the loaves in, I remove the lids. I get even more rise after that, my last loaf was almost pointy. I'm using a banneton and for my second loaf I use an oil smeared bowl to let the loaves rise in. Both are very tasty.
I recently learned that sourdough is a great choice for diabetics since the way the natural yeast that cause it to rise eat the sugars in the wheat and make those lovely CO2 bubbles in the finished bread is very, very different from using yeast in the way most bread is made. Adding sugar to feed added yeast for a fast rise leaves all the wheat basically undigested by the yeast, where as is sourdough, the yeast has nothing else to eat except the wheat (flour). So the finished sourdough has so much less sugars in it and is a better choice for diabetics looking to watch their glycemic index. Amazing! I love chemistry and science! Happy eating!
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Sourdough Starter, part 1
While shopping at Eastern Market, I came across a new vendor, a baker, who was selling sourdough bread. Since it had only three ingredients, flour, water, and sugar, all GMO free, I bought it. It was delicous, and motivated me to finally get a sourdough "starter" started. A starter is basically a simple mix of flour, water, and yeast that's left to sit out and ferment (yeast ferments, like for beer), which is how the classic sourdough bread gets its unique flavor.
I opened up my Joy of Cooking, read about it, and followed the basic recipe, water, flour and yeast mixed in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon, then I loosely covered it with cheesecloth, since it needs to "breathe" and isn't supposed to be covered. It took less than five minutes, and I just set the bowl off to the side where I could mostly ignore it until it was time to stir it the next day.
I waited about 24 hours, and stirred it, then covered it up with the cheesecloth again. I waited about another 24 hours, and my better half did the stirring this time. I didn't know he'd stirred in the "hooch" (a greyish liquid that formed on top) until the next day, when I decided to stir in the hooch, too. Then I separated it by splitting it in half into two bowls, using measuring cups, one cup into each bowl, and "fed" it by adding more water and flour since the hooch meant that the yeast was hungry for more flour to eat. I'm waiting to see how it looks tomorrow, and if there is more hooch, I'm going to pour it off before I add more flour and water. This is my first time making a sourdough starter, so far, it's much easier than I had imagined.
I opened up my Joy of Cooking, read about it, and followed the basic recipe, water, flour and yeast mixed in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon, then I loosely covered it with cheesecloth, since it needs to "breathe" and isn't supposed to be covered. It took less than five minutes, and I just set the bowl off to the side where I could mostly ignore it until it was time to stir it the next day.
I waited about 24 hours, and stirred it, then covered it up with the cheesecloth again. I waited about another 24 hours, and my better half did the stirring this time. I didn't know he'd stirred in the "hooch" (a greyish liquid that formed on top) until the next day, when I decided to stir in the hooch, too. Then I separated it by splitting it in half into two bowls, using measuring cups, one cup into each bowl, and "fed" it by adding more water and flour since the hooch meant that the yeast was hungry for more flour to eat. I'm waiting to see how it looks tomorrow, and if there is more hooch, I'm going to pour it off before I add more flour and water. This is my first time making a sourdough starter, so far, it's much easier than I had imagined.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Breakfast salsa with scrambled eggs
Sometimes I feel like something other than the usual scrambled eggs, or eggs and cheese, so I made a delicious and fast salsa. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Ingredients:
three tomatoes, plum or beefsteak, I used plum, diced
half an onion, diced
jalepenos, seeds and pith removed, diced finely
rice wine vinegar
slice fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
freshly made scrambled eggs (three eggs, beaten, cooked on low while stirred in a preheated frying pan)
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, toss. Serve over scrambled eggs.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
three tomatoes, plum or beefsteak, I used plum, diced
half an onion, diced
jalepenos, seeds and pith removed, diced finely
rice wine vinegar
slice fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
freshly made scrambled eggs (three eggs, beaten, cooked on low while stirred in a preheated frying pan)
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, toss. Serve over scrambled eggs.
Enjoy!
Beets with goat cheese, and steamed beet greens.
Beets are easy to grow, and high in iron. Their greens are edible too.
Beets and goat cheese
Ingredients:
beets, at least three
coconut oil
salt
pepper
goat cheese
Steaned beet greens
Ingredients:
beet greens, trimmed of stems
sliced onion
diced clove of garlic
salt
pepper
bacon fat or peanut oil
Wash your beets, cut the tops and bottoms off, and peel them with a paring knife or peeler. Slice into 1/4 inch slices (give or take, it's not critical to be exact). Toss beet slices with a tablespoon of coconut oil and either grill, or saute over low heat in a frying pan until tender, may take about 20 minutes. While they cook, place beet greens, onion, garlic and oil or fat in a preheated on low frying pan. Cover and let steam, stirring occasionally while the beets cook until tender in your other pan (or on the grill).
When the beet slices are tender, remove from pan, place in serving dish, and spoon some goat cheese (1 tsp or as much as you like) on top, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
About the same time your beet greens should also be done, the onions will be soft. Place steamed greens in serving dish, salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
Beets and goat cheese
Ingredients:
beets, at least three
coconut oil
salt
pepper
goat cheese
Steaned beet greens
Ingredients:
beet greens, trimmed of stems
sliced onion
diced clove of garlic
salt
pepper
bacon fat or peanut oil
Wash your beets, cut the tops and bottoms off, and peel them with a paring knife or peeler. Slice into 1/4 inch slices (give or take, it's not critical to be exact). Toss beet slices with a tablespoon of coconut oil and either grill, or saute over low heat in a frying pan until tender, may take about 20 minutes. While they cook, place beet greens, onion, garlic and oil or fat in a preheated on low frying pan. Cover and let steam, stirring occasionally while the beets cook until tender in your other pan (or on the grill).
When the beet slices are tender, remove from pan, place in serving dish, and spoon some goat cheese (1 tsp or as much as you like) on top, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
About the same time your beet greens should also be done, the onions will be soft. Place steamed greens in serving dish, salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 23, 2015
Apples with Brie and Brown sugar
One of my favorite fast and easy to make treats!
Ingredients:
four apples, any kind
Tablespoon butter
Tablespoon brown sugar
2 oz brie cheese
Peel and slice apples, place in baking dish. Cut butter into four smaller pieces and place on top of apples. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Brie is soft and doesn't slice well, so do your best to put it evenly over the top of the apples so when it melts it covers the tops. Place in oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for ten minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
four apples, any kind
Tablespoon butter
Tablespoon brown sugar
2 oz brie cheese
Peel and slice apples, place in baking dish. Cut butter into four smaller pieces and place on top of apples. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Brie is soft and doesn't slice well, so do your best to put it evenly over the top of the apples so when it melts it covers the tops. Place in oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for ten minutes. Enjoy!
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Tonight's dinner utilizes my bumper crop of zucchini. This time of year, someone always has some, and wants to give them away. Find that person and become their friend! This recipe serves one person; for more than one, increase the pasta and zucchini proportionately.
Zucchini pasta:
One half zucchini, any size
one serving size pasta, any type
two garlic cloves, or 1/4 tsp powdered or granulated
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS olive oil or butter
Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese to taste, I like an ounce or more of it, 1/4 cup grated, give or take.
Put a pot of water on to boil your pasta in, and while you're waiting for it to come to a boil, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut it into 1/8" or so thin strips, trying to keep them stacked as you cut so you can flip it and cut it again making long thin pieces similar to spaghetti. Set aside. Mince the garlic. Put the oil in a skillet on low heat, and when it's warm, usually a minute or less, add the garlic. Give it a slight stir for a few seconds, then add the zucchini. Stir it to coat, add a 1/4 cup of water, and let it simmer for about five minutes, until it's tender crisp, you don't want to overcook it, leave it a bit firm, but tender. By this point the pot of water you put on should be at a boil, and if it is, add the pasta and cook it, about eight minutes. I like mine al dente. Cook yours how you like it. Drain the pasta once it's cooked, put it in a serving bowl or back in the pan you just drained, and add the zucchini mix. Add the parmesan cheese, or asiago if you like that better, and stir. Salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!
Zucchini pasta:
One half zucchini, any size
one serving size pasta, any type
two garlic cloves, or 1/4 tsp powdered or granulated
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS olive oil or butter
Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese to taste, I like an ounce or more of it, 1/4 cup grated, give or take.
Put a pot of water on to boil your pasta in, and while you're waiting for it to come to a boil, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut it into 1/8" or so thin strips, trying to keep them stacked as you cut so you can flip it and cut it again making long thin pieces similar to spaghetti. Set aside. Mince the garlic. Put the oil in a skillet on low heat, and when it's warm, usually a minute or less, add the garlic. Give it a slight stir for a few seconds, then add the zucchini. Stir it to coat, add a 1/4 cup of water, and let it simmer for about five minutes, until it's tender crisp, you don't want to overcook it, leave it a bit firm, but tender. By this point the pot of water you put on should be at a boil, and if it is, add the pasta and cook it, about eight minutes. I like mine al dente. Cook yours how you like it. Drain the pasta once it's cooked, put it in a serving bowl or back in the pan you just drained, and add the zucchini mix. Add the parmesan cheese, or asiago if you like that better, and stir. Salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
I usually just boil my sprouts and cover them with butter and lemon juice, but I thought I'd try something differen: roasted ones.
You'll need:
Brussel Sprouts (enough for two servings or however many you want, it really doesn't matter how much)
Salt (to taste, I like half a teaspoon, nice and salty!)
Pepper (1/8 teaspoon or however much you like)
Juice of one lemon
1 TBS butter or olive oil (or any other kind of oil/fat you prefer)
Wash and trim the brussel sprouts, then put them in an oven safe dish for baking, I used my cast iron skillet. Add salt, pepper, and butter, put it all in the oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for about five minutes, then give it a good stir to coat the sprouts well. Bake for about 20-25 more minutes until the sprouts start to get a bit crispy and are cooked, put a fork in one to see if it's tender crisp if you're not sure.
Enjoy!
You'll need:
Brussel Sprouts (enough for two servings or however many you want, it really doesn't matter how much)
Salt (to taste, I like half a teaspoon, nice and salty!)
Pepper (1/8 teaspoon or however much you like)
Juice of one lemon
1 TBS butter or olive oil (or any other kind of oil/fat you prefer)
Wash and trim the brussel sprouts, then put them in an oven safe dish for baking, I used my cast iron skillet. Add salt, pepper, and butter, put it all in the oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for about five minutes, then give it a good stir to coat the sprouts well. Bake for about 20-25 more minutes until the sprouts start to get a bit crispy and are cooked, put a fork in one to see if it's tender crisp if you're not sure.
Enjoy!
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