Last week I had my first Plant People Interactions exam.  Two things happened, first, I studied far too much; and second, I didn’t study the easiest stuff sufficiently and therefore I can tell you about the essential amino acids (the protein building blocks that the body cannot create) but didn’t remember how the banana ended up on two continents.

I did however; make some very delicious food to help me study.  My Spicy-Sweet Potato and Pea Sauté with quinoa is a nutritious and of course delicious vegetarian meal. The natural sugars in the sweet potato take on carmel notes, which enhance the smoky toasted cumin. The brightness of the peas adds a fun visual and flavorful compliment.

Ingredients

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 tbsp Whole cumin seed

1 ½ tsp Ground Cumin seed

1 tsp hot curry powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp cayenne

1 sweet potato cubed (1 inch sides)

A smattering of frozen peas

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

Salt and pepper

1 cup quinoa

As frequent readers know, my spices are always flexible. I tend to use them liberally and “to smell” so whatever hits my fancy aromatically, I toss into the mixture. Feel free to adjust per availability or appetite.

In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered until the grain is cooked, about 15 minutes. (Times will vary considerably, careful!)

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan until hot but not smoking. Then add the cumin seeds until brown and aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add cubed sweet potato and sauté until cubes have nice brown edges about 5 minutes. Next, add the spices and stir until potatoes are coated and spices fragrant, about 30 more seconds.

Now its time for the rest of the ingredients, dump in the can of tomatoes, a handful of frozen peas and just enough water to allow the sauce to simmer and cook the potatoes. Cover and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Finally, remove the cover and cook on high to thicken sauce. Enjoy your veggies on top of the quinoa. Perhaps you would also like a simple green salad with sliced radishes and oranges, but that’s just a passing whimsy.

Ok so what did I eat? My sweet potato is a tuberous root, simply a puffed up root that gets all starchy. It’s a great source of vitamin A because like other orange vegetables, it’s rich in beta-carotene which the body changes into Vitamin A which helps keep eyes in good shape. The green peas are seeds and are 21% incomplete protein. This means they lack some of the essential amino acids (those which need to be eaten ‘cause the bod can’t make ‘em). Luckily, the other ingredients like quinoa and sweet potato help complete the protein combos and deliver usable energy.

Haven’t learned about tomatoes yet….don’t worry , I’m getting there.

Well, that’s it for now…. pretty soon I get to share my weekend adventures, which include all together to much eating and imbibing.

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Bread, that is, bread. What did you think I meant?

Well I am back in action, the oven is hot and I have set off my fire alarm at least three times this week. Although I am just getting used to the ancient oven — the door doesn’t close all the way and the dial has no temperatures listed– I think the loaves are starting to have a good crust and crumb.

Let’s break it down: when you want a good crunchy chewy crust, you need to create steam. So as you slide the raw dough onto the hot baking stone you have to simultaneously pour a cup of water into an oven safe receptacle and slam the oven door shut. It’s not as complicated as it sounds, I promise.

The crumb is the inside of the bread. My current loaves are made from a combo of all purpose and rye flours, which yields a cakey interior, and a great depth of flavor.

Different flours mean different protein contents, a crucial concept in baking. High protein flours provide more structure and make more chewy bread, Lower protein flours, like cake flour make for a soft buttery inside. Rye flour generally hovers around 7-10 % protein content by weight whereas all purpose has about 12-14%. This all adds up to the best kind of bread, at least in my opinion.

So here is my proposal. I want to bake. I hope you want to eat. Want to barter? Want to buy some flour?

I should never have made a promise (or a statement) I couldn’t stick to.  I failed greatly at my blogging last week, which will hereby be known as the “Week of Bread.” But actually, the Week of Bread was something of a triumph, if  an undocumented one and from the looks of it this summer will be full of homemade boules.

In fact, my oven is beeping right now.  I just check, my semolina needs 3 more minutes.  The top is nicely brown and the diagonal score mark I cut just before baking has opened and allowed the loaf to rise.

I have always loved the concept of making my own bread for a lot of reasons.  First, it makes my house smell great, second, it’s incredible cheap and third it is therapeutic.  This all being said, it can be a time consuming activity.  Last summer I remember being late to an event or to meet a friend on more than on occasion due to rising or baking loaves.

Not so this year.  I’ve discovered a method developed by Zoë François and Jeff Hertzberg in their book “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”.  The central idea is bread making should be easy, fun, and non-intimidating. (My oven just went off again, the bread is done and cooling now.)

This summer, my family is not buying any artisan bread from the grocery store or a bakery.  Why would we? At $4.99 a loaf the “artisan breads aren’t’ worth it when I’m creating the same thing for about a $1.25. (yes, I did the calculations, and the yeast is the most expensive part.)

Thus far and the week of bread, we have eaten Italian Boule, Sourdough, Whole Wheat and Semolina. The semolina is my favorite. This loaf that came out today was cakey and delicious.  The only problem I am encountering (other than the stomach ache that follows eathing a whole loaf) is a slightly dough bottom.  I think I figured it out tonight: finer milled cornmeal to slide the dough into the hot oven. Tomorrow I’m giving it a go with flour instead.

This method is something I’m going to bring back to Northwestern in the fall.  When I’m not at home my baking stone goes unused so I’m taking it with me.  Talk about a way to make friends. Fresh bread anyone?