Quinoa
Some information from Ancient Harvest - Quinoa
Pronounced KEEN-wah.
I can buy a gigantic bag of organic Quinoa from Costco for the same price as a teeny-tiny bag at the grocery store. I have also seen quinoa and red quinoa in bulk at the store. It is actually a very common grain so you might be surprised to see it next to the bin of bulk granola. I don't care for the red quinoa. It doesn't have much flavor and I thought the texture of the cooked red quinoa was less appetizing. I am totally in love with regular quinoa.
You cook it just like rice: Rinse a cup of quinoa in cold water until it is not "sudsy" looking. This removes any dusty impurities and a weird bitterness. I put it in a mesh strainer and run it under cold water for a few minutes. Dump the grain in a pot that has a lid and add twice as much water (2 cups). Bring it to a boil, cover the pot, turn the heat to low and let it cook for about 20 minutes. I have found that adding 1/4 more water than the 2-to-1 ratio prevents it from drying & burning. Maybe this is just my heat-loving, copper-bottomed pans.
If you add some herbs, spices, dried fruit, chicken broth, etc to the quinoa while it is cooking it is magic! Because it is gluten-free, it will not get clumpy or sticky. The leftovers do not dry out in the fridge. I like to make plenty of extra and then quickly reheat it the next day. Still delicious! Try adding sea salt, saffron, and dried apricots.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Muffin Pan Liners
The very best paper, muffin pan liners that I have ever used are a brand called IF YOU CARE. Nothing, nothing, nothing ever sticks to them. They are unbleached. They don't fold in on themselves or fade or get oily. Not only are they healthier for you to use because they are not made from dyes & chemicals, but they do their job without complaint. I buy them at Whole Foods and sometimes in the organic section of grocery stores. Or on Amazon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buckwheat Flour
There is no wheat in buckwheat. It is an old-world, gluten-free grain that adds a distinctive, rich, earthy flavor to baked goods. It is denser than most other flours, and is generally best mixed with a milder flour to balance it. [from Allergen-Free]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agave
Agave nectar is a lightly floral, nutritive unrefined sweetener that is suitable for diabetics because it is low on the glycemic index. It can be quite expensive at the grocery store. I was once able to buy 2 very large bottles of it at Whole Foods for $10 because it was on sale. Agave is being sold in tiny bottles and is sometimes vanilla or hazelnut flavored. This is marketed to flavor coffee. Don't buy it this way! Look online or at a natural food store - or Costco - it doesn't have to cost so much. Because agave is used to replace sugar in many non-sugar recipes, it can become very pricey to bake a cake that has 3 cups of agave in it. I like to use half maple syrup, or brown rice syrup, or even sugar {just do it!} if I'm not dead set on a sugar-free pastry. Agave is an awesome way to add sweetness to smoothies. Just a tablespoon or two can make a huge difference.
