Scratch Cooking October 16th

In praise of quinoa. I don't love the taste, but what a great thing when you don't feel like a 'main' course protein but you know you need protein! Last night I really just wanted roasted fall veggies for dinner but I hadn't eaten any protein all day so I knew I needed some. It was red quinoa (mixed with hato mugi) to the rescue. Hato Mugi is also known as Job's Tears and that seemed appropriate given the week I've been having.

It tasted a little stale, I have to admit. Probably because the hato mugi have been in my refrigerator since my last boyfriend bought them, and that was over a year ago. My how time flies! I'm not quite as bad as Ruth Reichl's mother (if you haven't read Tender at the Bone, stop what you are doing right now and go pick it up. I mean it! Stop reading. Now. Go to the library or book store. Cancel your weekend plans. Read that book!) but I really do hate to let things go to waste. If they don't have visible signs of having gone bad, I am prone to use them.

On the other hand, having gone there with the hato mugi, I believe it is time to relegate them to the compost pile along with any lingering thoughts of that louse of a boyfriend. Out with the old, and all that jazz...

The veggies on the other hand were super yum. Squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes and broccoli roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. My daughter actually said "delicious broccoli, mom". WOW!

Not sure what cooking projects are up for this weekend. I am carless so whatever it is, it will be with very local ingredients, like the ones already in my house!