Sunday, January 17, 2010

Sunday, with Wheat Berries and Recipes

Good morning, kind readers!

I’m enjoying my morning writing, so I thought I’d do it again today.  My trip to the natural foods store yesterday was a success!  Now I have wheat berries eagerly looking for a recipe home.  A batch was cooked last night and part of it was used in this morning’s porridge, a riff on this terrific combination of oatmeal and wheat berries.  I love the chewiness of wheat berries against the creaminess of oats.  Next time I think I’ll pour some milk over the porridge at the end, as it was very thick and a bit sticky.

I’m looking forward to making something savory with the rest of the cooked wheat berries, like this soup, which sounds amazing to me.  The soup calls for a batch of greens to be stirred into it.  Good greens can be hard to come by in my town.  Every time I go to HEB I peruse the vegetables, hoping to find a bunch or two to take home with me.  It’s moments like these that I miss Whole Foods the most.  (Don’t even get me started about the farmers’ market…)

I made out like a bandit yesterday, finding a big tub of Chobani 2% Greek yogurt for two dollars.  Two dollars!  It was a steal.  The catch is that it expires tomorrow.  Do you have any baking suggestions for how to make the most of my good fortune?  Shannon tells me she uses it in place of sour cream with good results.  (Thanks, friend!  So kind of you to share your findings with me.)

The big item on my agenda today is a long run.  I’ve signed up for a half-marathon in March.  It’s called The Armadillo Dash.  I’m hoping that the race will keep me motivated to get out there and run.  The hardest part of a long run is always the last ten or fifteen minutes—the part where endurance is being built, step by step.  I’m happy to see that the weather outside looks good for a run—sunny and clear, with a touch of winter chill.

This weekend has been quiet.  I’m looking forward to doing some science reading on my blue couch to prepare for a fresh new week in the lab.  But if a nap overtakes me, I won’t fight it.

5 comments:

daine said...

I have a recipe for a great middle eastern cake that uses Greek yogurt. If you haven't used it up, shoot me an e-mail and I'll send it along.

Rosiecat24 said...

Yay, Daine! E-mail sent :-)

Unknown said...

what about a panna cotta? you could use agar instead of gelatin :) i've done them before, but i just came across one here that you could use greek yogurt instead of sour cream...
http://www.visionsofsugarplum.com/2010/01/vanilla-bean-sour-cream-panna-cotta.html

that is quite a score! i am sure it will be ok if you eat it in a few days, too ;)

Anonymous said...

RA,

I read many years ago, in
"Good Housekeeping" or a similar publication, that both milk and yogurt are good for a week past the printed expiration date. I have never had any kind of food poisoning problem living by that rule as long as both are strictly kept refrigerated.

AMPD

Rosiecat24 said...

Wow, Shannon, that panna cotta looks amazing! I'm intrigued. I fear, however, that the best place to find agar in my little town is the lab... :-P Yikes! At least I know it works!

AMPD, you are so sweet to stop by and ease my worries. Thank you. I'm pooped tonight, so I don't think anything is getting baked before I go to sleep. Tomorrow though...tomorrow is a whole new day!