Sprouted Lentil Bread

May 24, 2012June 21, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 7 Comments

This week I worked on cultivating lentil sprouts. It took several days, but it was well worth the wait.

I watched the lentil-filled mason jars on the windowsill diligently, rinsing them twice a day to ensure they were cared for properly. When those tiny green leaves finally emerged at the top of the sprout, it was chow time. I immediately went to work on incorporating them into meals. For lunch, they found themselves sprinkled on our sandwiches. For dinner, they ended up on pizza. And as for the weekly baked good, I baked them into a hearty wheat loaf of delicious sprouted lentil bread.

I’ve heard of people using sprouted flour in their hippie breads, but the recipe I looked up from Trusted Earth called for simply kneading them into the dough. So I did. And it was good. Beyond good.

The crust was artisan-tough, while the interior was soft and springy. Lentil sprouts punctuated the bread with a coarse quality akin to sunflower seeds. It was a fun balance.

I had to refine the recipe a bit, mainly because when the dough hits the mixer to knead on the bread hook, the consistency has to be correct before you can let it rise. At first the dough was too dry and wouldn’t combine. So I had to add water. But I added too much water….so went the game of adding flour and water to get the consistency correct. Typical me, I overlook such things as “let rise in pan”. So I ended up letting this loaf rise 30 extra minutes total. Which in my opinion, is never a bad idea. I find that the longer you let bread rise, the better the end result. Patience is a time honored skill in bread making.

This entire process was extremely cost effective. The dried lentils turned sprouts cost less than a dollar per cup, and we all know flour, sugar etc. is equally inexpensive. The priciest ingredient is the yeast, and I started to buying that in bulk.

I thought I was a true homemaker when I bought my first bag of flour by the 5 lb. denomination, but then I bought mozzarella in a 10 lb. bag and blasted through a quarter of it in the first week. All I could do to cope with this rapid change in lifestyle was sit in the corner and rock myself gingerly, while eating veggie pizza on homemade dough.

Splendid, delicious, life changes.

How to Cheat at Homemade Tortillas

May 23, 2012June 21, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 3 Comments

While I can testify to the culinary skills of my grandmother and aunts on my Mexican side, I was never really allowed in the kitchen as a kid to pry into the how. My cousins and I were often ushered outside to play out of ear shot from the adults who were always deep in conversation about this or that. Most of the time, we were happy to just get a warm tortilla or slice of sweet pan between games of tag, or whatever other weird games we came up with; which invariably ended in some kind of injury requiring stitches,–I’ve got the scars to prove it.

Anyway, I’ve always felt simultaneously at home and totally lost in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. The candies and breads were always familiar items, but the staple goods and dry products were over my head.

This week I finally braved the flour/dried goods section of the ‘Mexican aisle’ at Saar’s Market and committed to making tortillas by hand. But guess, what? Making these tortillas is so much easier than any restauranteur or Hispanic wants you to believe.

Here’s how to cheat at homemade tortillas:

1. Buy yourself some pre-mixed tortilla flour – I used Juanita’s Brand Masa- Mix.

2. Follow the instructions on the side label (most just call for adding water, seriously).

3. When the mixture is the consistency of play-dough, portion it out into golf ball size balls.

4. If you don’t have a tortilla press, use wax paper and a large book to flatten the dough into tortillas.

5. Using the oven, heat up your cast iron to 400º F then transfer over to the stove top. Keep heat at medium to medium-high.

6. Cook your tortillas for a minute on each side. When they puff up, they’re done.

Store in a tortilla warmer, which you can buy for a whopping $1 on the same aisle you got the flour, or wrapped in a paper towel wrapped in foil. You can freeze these and use for later, or serve fresh with dinner. We’re making quinoa avocado tacos for dinner tonight. Can’t wait!

So there you have it, there is truly no science to tortillas. Hispanics have been making it sound difficult for ages because of only one thing: the language barrier. Probably.

Try it!

Tell-Tale Signs That You Are Bored

May 10, 2012June 20, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 5 Comments

Don’t get me wrong, I freaking love being a house wife, but my daily duties only add up to a few hours a day. It’s a part time gig until kiddos come along. Until then, I fill my open time with chasing the dogs around the house, reading, Netflix, and this.

Related: the MacBook is a gift that keeps on giving.