Fire Roasted Freekah Adds Flavor to Salads

 

The harvesting of this spring wheat is fascinating. The wheat is picked green and set on fire where only the straw and chaff burn. The grain is threshed and dried, then cracked similar to bulgur but with a distinctive smoky flavor. Here’s how I cooked it to maintain that savory flavor.

Freekeh

(1/2 cup)

Soak 1/4 cup freekah in tap water 10-15 minutes. Drain.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil on stovetop. Add grain. Sauté in oil 1 minute. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add 1/4 cup boiling water. Lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on the pan in case you need to add more boiling water.)

Because I wanted to maintain the distinctive flavor of the grain, I placed the dressing in the bottom of the salad, added layers of fresh produce, grain, then finished with lettuce. To eat, I turned the salad onto a plate.

The dressing per 1 salad has 2 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and 2 teaspoon lemon juice. Drizzle olive oil as desired.

Diversify Your Grains with Millet

 

Millet may be that little yellow seed in birdseed, but it’s also a human whole grain perfect in hot cereal and rice type dishes, soups and salads.

This cereal is much like oatmeal in taste and texture. Unlike oatmeal, which is steamed and rolled, millet requires cooking time. Because I cooked this recipe in the “slow cooker” 6 servings took 3 hours to cook. Here is the recipe:

Millet Porridge

6 (1/2 cup) servings

Combine ingredients in cooker.

2/3 cup millet

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt 

2 Tablespoon brown sugar 

Cook cereal on low setting until liquid is absorbed.

This amount took 3 hours to cook. 

There are many reasons to diversify our foods, try different varieties, especially the ancient ones. Eating many different plant foods in a week leads to a more diverse microbiome.

Fall Goat Cheese Soup

Many things change as we age. Here’s a fall recipe favorite I hope to make every year.

Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Soup

(6 cups)

Quarter pumpkin. Remove seeds. Bake in 425 F oven for 45 minutes. Cool enough to handle and discard skin.

1 pie pumpkin, Hubbard or butternut squash.

Remove from oven and cool enough to handle. Remove skin and discard.

In large saucepan, sauté onions, fennel and celery in olive oil for 3 minutes.

1 small onion, diced

2 Tablespoon fennel heart, diced

2 Tablespoon celery stalk and leaves, diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

Stir in curry powder. Sauté for 1 minute.

1 tablespoon Curry Powder

Add cooked pumpkin, ginger, orange juice, zest and stock. Simmer for 45 minutes.

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Zest and juice from 1 orange

3 cups stock, GMO free, sodium free

4-6 cups baked pumpkin 

Carefully blend. Add goat cheese at end. Return to saucepan. Add salt. If desired add evaporated milk and heat.

4 ounce goat cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

Life Long Learners Take and Bake in Muffin Tin

The catalog said “Bring your own muffin tin to prepare meal components to take home and bake for dinner” and the class filled quickly. My intention is to give ideas for similar recipes or methods  to do at home.

I intended to keep everyone moving so that the food was not at room temperature for more than an hour. This kept the 20 experienced and attentive participants busy as my husband and I kept the assembly lines moving. 

The menu featured 6 recipes: Salmon Rice Bake, Farmers Market Vegetables,  Fruit Crumble, Polenta Marinara and Turkey Sausage. I prepared and baked the Spinach Ricotta Frittata to complete the tin as the raw egg mixture could not be transported.

My nutrition themes included Diversity of Plant Foods (prebiotic fibers) and Protein from Animal Foods. Those who consume 30 different plant foods a week have a more diverse microbiome; the one nutrient aging adults need more of is protein and it’s very difficult to get from plant foods.

Each attendee received a recipe booklet . The links are here: 

Easy Meals with Built in Portion Control https://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2024/06/easy-meals-with-built-in-portion-control.html

Polenta Marinara 

https://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2024/05/muffin-tin-polenta-pizza.html

Turkey Sausage and Spinach Ricotta Frittata 

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/163097590958514429/1598479345642417342

Each attendee completed a ticket listed the number of plant foods (grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts) eaten yesterday. The drawing prizes were local corn grits and whole wheat flour from The Vegetable Garden and Davis Brother, small measuring spoons and 1/8 cup measuring cup.  The average number of plant foods reported eaten in 1 day was 8.

The Best of Seasonal Produce

 

WVU has apples fresh picked from the Kearneysville Farm. The Honeycrisp Apples are delicious as is and scrumptious in this Strudel. 

Apple Strudel

(1 Strudel, 4-5 Servings)

Peel and slice apples. Mix with juice, sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.

2 large apples. Peeled and sliced thin.

2 Tablespoon turbinado sugar

2 Tablespoons wheat germ

2 Tablespoon apple juice

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Mix butter and olive oil.

1 Tablespoon butter, melted 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

6 sheets phyllo dough

On cutting board place 1 sheet phyllo dough. Brush with butter, oil mix.

Layer 1 sheet at a time and brush with oil and butter. Top with apples, leaving 1 inch strip on short ends and 1/2 inch strip on the long ends. Fold in short ends and roll from long ends. Place seam side down on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with remaining oil. Cut 4 slits in top. Bake at 435 F. For 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Creamy Beet Soup

 

This week is so hot that most people aren’t in the mood for soup. Chilly weather is approaching and local farmers are bringing their root vegetables to the market. I made this soup one morning during a thunderstorm and enjoyed it for lunch (in my air conditioned home). You really don’t need a recipe, just cut the vegetables in small cubes, caramelize, season with salt and pepper, add water or broth to cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Blend and add canned milk. This was filling and delicious.

Creamy Beet Soup

(4 Servings)

Sauté vegetables in olive oil until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.

1 bunch beets, scrubbed and cubed

1 potato, peeled and cubed

2 Tablespoon onion, diced 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small carrot, peeled and cubed

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Add water to cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Blend and return to pot. Add milk and serve .

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

Muffin Tin Frittata and Turkey Sausage

 

Bake and freeze individual portions of breakfast type foods to save time and prevent waste. The sausage, made with 93% lean ground turkey and spices, is non greasy and flavorful. The frittata recipe can be baked in any size pan. Here are the recipes:

Turkey Sausage 

(5)

Mix all ingredients together.

6 ounce ground turkey

1 tablespoon flax meal

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon onion powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Portion 2 ounce scoops into greased or lined muffin tins. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Spinach Ricotta Frittata 

(Serves 9)

Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add spinach. Stir until wilted. Remove from heat. Cool and squeeze moisture from spinach.

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoon onion 

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 cups spinach

Beat eggs. Add cheeses and seasoning. Add sautéed vegetables.

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups Ricotta cheese, part-skim

1/4 cup Parmigiana cheese, grated 

1/2 teaspoon Mrs Dash

 

Pour into muffin tin greased with olive oil spray. (About 6 tablespoon each) Sprinkle with grated nutmeg. 

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes until set.

This can be baked in a 9 inch pie dish for 40 minutes. Test doneness with a pick inserted in center.