Whole Grains Sides - Buckwheat Groats Black Beans & Sweet Potato Pilaf

Another dish using staples in the pantry….

When I had to go gluten-free, I had no clue what to eat other than avoid wheat. I, as I am sure most in the same situation, started buying things that said ‘gluten-free’ without taking into account whether it was nutritious or just plain ‘junk food’.

As I was learning which grains to avoid, I became aware of other gluten-free grains that I had never heard of.  So of course, I went out and bought some of those grains!

I bought sorghum, oat groats, buckwheat groats, amaranth, millet, quinoa, kasha(roasted buckwheat), and hulled buckwheat (outer skin removed).

Amaranth is just too small to really make a meal, so it is best ground into flour. Millet is great added to whole grain bread.  Kasha has a short shelf-life, but is good overall.  Quinoa and buckwheat groats are very similar in cooked texture.  I like both.  The hulled buckwheat was not something I liked.  I finally just ground the sorghum into flour.

I have also tried a few other whole grains, like Wehani (whole brown rice; outer covering intact).  It reminds me of wild rice.

I have learned that when you want to try something new (and can’t find it at the local grocer), take a trip to Whole Foods Market or Trader Joe’s.  You will find things that may not be in your typical neighborhood grocery stores.

For instance, I bought 365 Rice & Lentil Medley,  Germinated Brown Rice, Black Lentils and Black Rice (not japonica, all black).  Of those, I love the Germinated Brown Rice.  Was a bit tepid on the Rice & Lentil Medley because I do not like mushy.  Maybe I overcooked the mix.  I haven’t tried the Black Lentils yet, still looking for a good recipe.  I know I will like the Black Rice, because I love Black Japonica and Wehani.

I also bought some grain mixes at TJ’s, but had to pass on to one of my sisters, because, it was discovered that they had barley or some other member of the wheat family.  But I do love those salt-free chips and brazil nuts!

There was this small sweet potato lying on the counter, so I picked it up and decided I was going to cook it today. Well, I need to step back a bit on sweets, so that meant an meal.  I have added sweet potatoes to collards, quinoa, black beans and just shredded and sautéed.  This needed to be a little different!
Well, back to the pantry of whole grains. I use rice and quinoa quite a bit. I needed to use the Buckwheat groats before they started going rancid, so it got picked.

So the beginning of Buckwheat Groats Black Beans & Sweet Potato Pilaf came about with black beans, buckwheat groats and that small sweet potato!



Buckwheat Groats Black Beans and Sweet Potato Pilaf


Ingredients


1 6-oz. sweet potato
1 16-oz. can black beans, rinsed drained


Seasonings
2 tbsp olive oil (EVOO)
1/2 tbsp dehydrated onion
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt-free spice mix (like Mrs. Dash)
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 small garlic clove, cooked


Groats
1/2 cup whole grain buckwheat groats, uncooked
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon

Buckwheat groats and quinoa  compared

Procedure


1. Peel and slice sweet potato very thin.  Optionally julienne the slices.



2. Place the EVOO in an iron skillet and heat to hot. Add sweet potatoes and sauté for about a minute.  Reduce heat and stir a few times.

3. Rinse and drain the buckwheat groats.  Place in a pot with 1 cup boiling water.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.  When tender add Better Than Bouillon and mix.



4. In the meantime, rinse and drain the black beans.  Add to the skillet and stir.  Add all Seasonings and stir.



5. Once the Groats are ready, stir into the skillet. 



Serve





Servings: 4
Yield: 4 sides

Nutrition (per serving): 225 calories, 8.1g total fat, 5.1g monounsaturated fat, <1g polyunsaturated fat, <1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 32g carbohydrates, 7.5g fiber, 24.5g net carbohydrates, 2.1g sugar, <1g starch, <1g fructose, <1g galactose, <1g glucose, <1g sucrose, 0g maltose, 342.2mg sodium, 394.1mg potassium, 8g protein, 31mg calcium, 1012.7IU vitamin a, <1mg vitamin b6, 0mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin c, 1mg vitamin e, 4.3mcg vitamin k, 2.9mg iron, <1g lysine, 2.2mcg
selenium, <1mg thiamin, 1.2mg zinc, 0mg caffeine.

Tips
If the cooking steps aren't coming together quite right, remove the skillet from the heat to prevent over-cooking the sweet potatoes.  It can be returned to the burner to heat to hot again, once everything is mixed.
The sweet potatoes can also be further cut into julienne strips.
Feel free to substitute Quinoa for the Buckwheat Groats.
Substitute 1 1/2 cup cooked black beans for the canned beans.

Notes
Buckwheat Groats used are the whole grain version without any processing.  They are sold by Bob’s Red Mill.

Cooking for One or Two - A Quick Meal in Less Than One Hour

I prefer baking  to making meals, so I am always looking for quick meals that are nutritious. Today was one of those days; I baked cookies instead of cooking a meal. Of course, they were chocolate!

There are always food in the pantry, fridge or freezer, I just have to decide how to ‘mix it up’ to make a meal.  My preference is a vegetarian meal.

I attended a class at the Celiac Center of Minnesota on Monday night and came away with a better understanding  between fat and carbohydrates.  At least, I accept the explanation. The impression I came away with was that in order to digest carbohydrates without all of it going to sugar, was to be sure to add fat.  Normally, I try to go low-fat.  Future meals will include added EVOO where necessary.

Sweet potatoes are one of those vegetables, we used to eat raw when growing up.  My mother had this garden where she always had sweet potatoes.  When it was time to harvest, we always had to eat a few pieces raw.  They were really sweet even raw. We always had the pink fleshed ones.

There were no left-overs in the refrigerator, so I either had to open a can, microwave a bag or pare and cut something up.

Now back to the sweet potatoes, I picked up one and decided I would be having it for dinner, but had to think quick about what to make with it.  Stir-fries are the quickest way to make a meal with little fuss.  Out of the fridge came a red pepper, baby bellas and eggplant.  I hadn’t decided at that time whether to make rice or use beans.  Well the rice had to be cooked, so I chose the beans.

This is basically a simple way to get a meal real quick…..


Black Bean & Sweet Potato Stir-fry


Ingredients
1 small sweet potato, peeled and shredded
1 small eggplant, diced ( about 1 cup)
1/2 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby bellas, sliced (cooked)
1 15-oz can  black beans, rinsed and drained
Seasonings
1 tbsp ginger(squeeze tube) or 2 tsp ginger powder
1 tbsp Mrs Dash original spice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp low-sodium Cajun spice
2 tsp chili oil
2 tbsp olive oil
Topping
2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

ProcedurePrepare all of the vegetables
Heat a large iron skillet with the olive and chili oils.
Cook the peppers, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and eggplant until eggplant is tender.



Rinse and drain the beans.  Add to the skillet. 



Cook on high for about a minute, reduce to low, stirring to mix.  Cover on low heat for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to merge.



Serve, topped with 1 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese



and/or optionally with chips




Servings: 2
Yield: 2 meals or about 6 sides

Nutrition FactsNutrition (per serving - 1/2 half of recipe): 486 calories, 21.9g total fat, 13.2g monounsaturated fat, 3g polyunsaturated fat, &lt;1g linoleic acid, 3.2g saturated fat, 3.6mg cholesterol, 59.2g carbohydrates, 18.5g fiber, 40.7g net carbohydrates, 11.8g sugar, &lt;1mg stigmasterol, 9.4g starch, 1.3g fructose, 0g galactose, 1.3g glucose, 1.9g sucrose, 0g maltose, 879.8mg sodium, 2208.1mg potassium, 19.1g protein, 161mg calcium, 10437.6IU vitamin a, &lt;1mg vitamin b6, &lt;1mcg vitamin b12, 51.7mg vitamin c, 3.8mg vitamin e, 30.1mcg vitamin k, 5mg iron, &lt;1g lysine, 27.6mcg selenium, &lt;1mg thiamin, 4.4mg zinc.

September 2010 Recipe Challenge - BakeSpace.com

Quinoa is the challenge ingredient for September.

It is so easy to make a dish with the whole grain because it really has no taste of its own.

For my meal, I planned to have quinoa seasoned with garlic and sweet red peppers, mixed with black beans over a grilled Portobello cap. My side dish would be Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash.

There is really no recipe, per se.

To prepare the quinoa

Measure 1 cup tan quinoa into a wire strainer and wash under running water for about a minute. Drain and set aside to finish draining as much water as possible.
Heat a large iron skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil.
Add in 5 garlic gloves, 1/2 sliced, chopped sweet red pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon of minced ginger (fresh or jarred)
Sauté until the garlic is soft (or use pre-prepared garlic in oil)



Stir in the quinoa, turn heat to high and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the quinoa starts to change to a golden color.

Add in 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock and 1 cup hot water.
Stir to move all of the grain down into the liquid.

When the mixture is bubbling, turn heat to low and place a cover on skillet. Let it cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, open a can of black beans, dump in the same wire strainer as used for the quinoa (after you have rinsed out the strainer) and rinse under water until all foam disappears. It will be quicker, it beans are placed in a bowl or container with water then poured into the strainer.

When quinoa is finished cooking, add in beans and stir with a fork to prevent smashing the grain.

Portobello Caps

I prepared these the day before. Just spray 4 Portobello caps with olive oil and grill on a ‘George Foreman’ type grill or an iron skillet until done.

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash.

This is an existing recipe, find it here: Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash.
Makes 4 meals





So, what exactly is quinoa?
Wiki:

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is a seed originally grown in South and Central America, with some of the crop now grown in Canada. Quinoa has a high protein value; complete with all eight of the essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans.

Quinoa is a protein rich grain which is also high in unsaturated fat and lower in carbohydrates than most grains. It may be used in any dish in place of rice or similar grains.

Though it’s not technically a grain (it is a seed from a leafy plant), quinoa can be substituted for grains in cooking (like rice or couscous). Quinoa is rich in protein, iron, potassium, a good source of fiber, and is easily digested.

Called the Mother Grain by the Incans, this grain was a staple in the diet of that civilization. Quinoa is coated with saponin and must be thoroughly rinsed before it is cooked. Some brands have already been rinsed, but to be on the safe side, always rinse it!

Black Bean Brownies

 Black bean brownies are today’s brownie buzz. I responded to a question on MixingBowl.com today about making a black bean brownie with no flour using agave nectar. A Mixer had tried one that was best described as unsweetened and awful tasting.

I took on the challenge to try to make the brownie. Some of the question that arose are:

• How does agave measure in sweetness to sugar?
• Are all agave nectars the same in sweetness?
• Is there really a fool proof measurement cup for cup to sugar?
• Should a baked dessert use all agave nectar as the sweetener?

 I gathered my ingredients as follows:

• Can of black beans
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cayenne pepper
• Vanilla powder
• Rum flavoring
• Brown sugar
• Cornstarch
• Butter
• Unsweetened chocolate
• Chocolate syrup
• Egg

I wasn’t sure if I would use all of the flavorings or the cornstarch, but wanted to have it handy.

 Black Bean Brownies (no flour)

Ingredients

1 egg

-----Puree in food processor-----

1 16 ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained) yields -- 1 1/2 cups

1 cup amber agave nectar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp rum flavoring

1/2 tsp baking soda

-----Melt together-----

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp ginger

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

2 Tbsp Hershey's Special Dark Syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

 Procedures

• 
  
  Process black beans, agave, brown sugar, cornstarch, rum flavoring and baking soda, together in a food processor until pureed.
• 
  
  Melt the chocolate along with butter, ginger, Hershey’s Syrup, vanilla powder, cinnamon and cayenne pepper
• Add the Chocolate mix to the food processer and pulse until blended. Add egg and pulse until blended. Stir in nuts.

• 
  
  Pour into a greased 9x9 cake pan.
• 
  
  Bake at 325 F for approximately 30 minutes. Check for doneness with toothpick
• 
  
  Let cool completely before cutting.

Servings: 20

Some bakers recommend baking goods containing agave nectar at a lower temperature. Oven temperature was reduced to 325 F for this recipe.

 Notes:

One tablespoon of cornstarch was added to guarantee that the brownie would not be too brittle. It possibly could be omitted, if all agave nectar is not used.

I do not recommend using all agave nectar in a recipe. The taste does not match the ‘sugar’ taste most of us are familiar with.

To reduce calories, try 1/3 non-calorie sweetener, 1/3 granulated sugar and 1/4 agave nectar. This will be my next version of this brownie.

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)

----------------------------------------------

Calories: 111

Total Fat: 3g

Cholesterol: 13.6mg

Sodium: 68.2mg

Potassium: 77.4mg

Carbohydrates: 6.5g

Fiber: 1.8g

Sugar: 14.6g

Protein: 1.9g

My rating: Could be sweeter, 3 of 5 points  I have since modified my recommendation of this one.  After sitting overnight on the counter, the flavors melded a bit and it appeared sweeter.  I will make it again and double the cinnamon.

  

This is one of my usual black brownies modified to substitute one-half of sugar with agave nectar.

Black Bean Brownie with a Kick (agave)

One half of the sugar was replaced with amber agave nectar.

 Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed, drained (yields 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 egg or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup amber agave nectar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Gluten Free Pantry All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Procedures

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; prepare a 9 x 9-inch pan with an oil spray like PAM.
•  Rinse and drain beans until water runs clear. Blend beans, ginger and egg in food processor until smooth.

• Melt chocolate, vanilla powder, cinnamon, cayenne,sugar, agave nectar and butter in a microwave safe bowl or pot on stove top until starting to melt. Remove from heat. Do not over heat. Stir until fully blended and smooth. Set aside.

•  Pour bean puree into a large bowl. Fold in chocolate mix until blended, fold in flour until combined.

• Stir in nuts. Pour mixture into pan. Bake 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into 20 bars.   forgot to stir in nuts, so sprinkled on top and pressed in

Servings: 20

  Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 160 Total Fat: 6.3g Cholesterol: 13.6mg Sodium: 51.7mg Potassium: 111.7mg Carbohydrates: 18.7g Fiber: 2.3g Sugar: 16.6g Protein: 2.7g

My rating: Cake like, light texture, the cayenne flavor comes thru and is not too overwhelming, 5 of 5 points