Awesome! thanks again for the wealth of information Jay! I plan to look for some sweet potato flour next time I am in the bulk section of my grocer. They have some of the not so common items and more 'natural' and organic things. :) If I have success, I will definately share! I like that it has fiber included, can't have too much fiber. Heehee. Thanks again!!!

Hi Jay and Corgimomma. Jay, can I get you to do some baking? You are so knowledgeable on the subject. You must have been the best baker in town. I haven't gotten around to any baking yet. The kids like their quinoa grub. My funny honey thinks I should make doggie stew next, so, I plan on trying spelt pasta, as I really want to avoid wheat in their diet. Will let you know how that goes.

CM, let us know how the sweet potato flour works out, and send the recipe, too!

Take care!

 Susie, you are going to do a great job! As long as you have an oven with accurate temperature you are most of the way there. I will give you a hint in case you do not know, cook in the oven center  with the rack placement, put the oven temp about 10 degrees higher on the preheat and lower after you load the oven. If your recipe calls for butter, try and use clarified butter for a cleaner taste. I will bet almost nobody will do it better.

Jay, you are the best cheering section a person could have! I no longer have things like cookie sheets and mixers, but, I have a long weekend coming up, and plan a trip to the health food store. I'll let you know how the stew and cookies go.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

I forgot....How do you make clarified butter?

I will refresh your memory. Clarified Butter, The object of the game is to separate the milk solids and water from the butter fat. we do it by melting butter and allowing the different components to separate by density. The water evaporates,  solids float to the surface and we skim them away,(the foam) the remainder of the milk solids sink to the bottom and are left behind when the butter fat (which would then be on top) is poured off. The components that is not butter fat we toss Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter so the added bonus is you baked good are not as likely to burn in fact or taste. its  easy to make. Melt the butter slowly and then Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the foamy content that rises to the top, and gently pour the butter off of the milk solids that you will see  have settled to the bottom. A stick is equal to approx 8 tablespoons of butter and  will yield about 6 tablespoons of clarified  you may have heard it called drawn butter in an old and fancy delineation. Of you  cook  the butter longer after it has melted and separated, the milk solids at the bottom of the saucepan will start to brown, you have seen this a million times  the clarified butter will take on a rich fragrant nutty flavor that is called "noisette butter"a French name for "brown butter" or "hazelnut butter", I mean  golden brown not burned or it will be bitter tasting. it is excellent for sautéing because it has a high smoke point. you can make extra and store it in Dixie cups with plastic wrap on top for future use. It will store quite well. That is what they use to make hollandaise sauce. Bon Appitite. And don't buy a fancy mixer unless you will use it a lot it is not necessary. don't worry you can not fail, at worst you will discover what does not work and you will make it happen.

You must be, or must have been a pastry chef. You really do have so much knowledge. Not just in canine care, but people care, too.

I have a few days off, so I think I will try brownies for my honey, and cookies for the kids. I am making stew for them now. I hope they don't have any stomach upset. We'll see.

Isn't clarified butter also called "ghee"?

Ah, Susie,  you are the smart one. Ghee is clarified butter with a bit stricter parameters. To qualify as ghee, water must be completely evaporated of water and solid milk particles from unsalted  butter then Poured through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass .  To know for sure it is tested by Pouring heated butter into small piece of paper and Lighting  the paper on fire. If it makes a  crackling noise, it  indicates the presence of water. You then have to Heat the butter for some more time. Experience  can tell you if the  ghee is done with the smell and color with out the pyrotechnics. Ghee does not have to be refrigerated and you must keep the moisture out, so no wet spoons. it is an  Indian/South Asian staple.

If I did not have the observable trappings of accomplishment and you saw all that I have done you would say I could not hold a job. I have been self employed for the majority of my working life in more than a few industries and yes high level catering and restaurant experience is among the mix.I loved the business but it is difficult to maintain a real life when you are in it. It requires your attention on almost every holiday and weekend with out exception and social life always happens at very late hours and around the bar. It becomes difficult to associate with people outside the business. I have catered for more than a few household names and will enjoy the memories, but it is a hard business to do well and to have a normal life at the same time is impossible.

Jay,

I meant to tell you earlier, and I may have already, but it seems to me that you are quite knowledgable in whatever you do. The fact that you are willing to share your knowlegde is a boon for the rest of us.

Thanks!

 Hi,

 Below is a link to a great website that provides in depth nutritional profiles for all kinds of foods, including Quinoa. It breaks everything down, including macro and micro nutrients, fats etc.

 I visit the site regularly for my personal use as well. I eat quinoa everyday, with brown rice and I love it. 

The website is called "The Worlds Healthiest Foods", the link is below. 

 http://whfoods.org/

 The link below will take you right to the quinoa page.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=143

Although not a common item in most kitchens today, quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to South America, quinoa was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors. If you are prone to migraines, try adding quinoa to your diet. Quinoa is a very good source of magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization among the elderly in the United States. Eating a serving of whole grains, such as quinoa, at least 6 times each week is an especially good idea for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Quinoa is a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, two minerals that serve as cofactors for the superoxide dismutase enzyme. When researchers looked at how much fiber 35,972 participants in the UK Women's Cohort Study ate, they found a diet rich in fiber from whole grains, such as quinoa, and fruit offered significant protection against *** cancer for pre-menopausal women. According to the American Lung Association, almost 20 million Americans suffer from asthma, which is reported to be responsible for over 14 million lost school days in children, and an annual economic cost of more than $16.1 billion. Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as quinoa, can help women avoid gallstones, shows a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Research reported at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, by Rui Hai Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Cornell University shows that whole grains, such as quinoa, contain many powerful phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized because research methods have overlooked them. One type of phytonutrient especially abundant in whole grains such as quinoa are plant lignans, which are converted by friendly flora in our intestines into mammalian lignans, including one called enterolactone that is thought to protect against *** and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease. Quinoa and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion. In many studies, eating whole grains, such as quinoa, has been linked to protection against atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and premature death. We usually think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually the seed of a plant that, as its scientific name Chenopodium quinoa reflects, is related to beets, chard and spinach. While relatively new to the United States, quinoa has been cultivated in the Andean mountain regions of Peru, Chile and Bolivia for over 5,000 years, and it has long been a staple food in the diets of the native Indians.

Quinoa is available in your local health food stores throughout the year. Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It is a recently rediscovered ancient "grain" once considered "the gold of the Incas." Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium, a mineral that helps relax blood vessels, preventing the constriction and rebound dilation characteristic of migraines. Increased intake of magnesium has been shown to be related to a reduced frequency of headache episodes reported by migraine sufferers. Quinoa is also a good source of riboflavin, which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Riboflavin (also called vitamin B2) has been shown to help reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine sufferers, most likely by improving the energy metabolism within their brain and muscle cells. Since low dietary levels of magnesium are associated with increased rates of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias, this ancient grain can offer yet another way to provide cardiovascular health for those concerned about atherosclerosis. Success of drug treatment is only partial (ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers are typically used; no evidence has found statins safe or effective for heart failure), and its prognosis remains poor. Follow up of 2445 discharged hospital patients with heart failure revealed that 37.3% died during the first year, and 78.5% died within 5 years. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Mar 12;167(5):490-6.;Eur Heart J. 2006 Mar;27(6):641-3. Since consumption of whole grain products and dietary fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack, Harvard researchers decided to look at the effects of cereal consumption on heart failure risk and followed 21,376 participants in the Physicians Health Study over a period of 19.6 years. After adjusting for confounding factors (age, smoking, alcohol consumption, vegetable consumption, use of vitamins, exercise, and history of heart disease), they found that men who simply enjoyed a daily morning bowl of whole grain (but not refined) cereal had a 29% lower risk of heart failure. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Oct 22;167(19):2080-5. Isn't your heart worth protecting, especially when the prescription-a morning bowl of hearty whole grains-is so delicious? For quick, easy, heart-healthy, whole grain recipes, click The World's Healthiest Foods, and look at the "How to Enjoy" section in any of our grain profiles.