Some basics.... and my rants and ramblings.

Alright, so now we're gonna get started. I'll be introducing basic principles as we go, and the one I'm going to share with you today is one of the most important, so write it on the back of your hand or tattoo it on your forehead or something (don't really, please; just remember it).

Everything is cheaper when you buy it in bulk.

Think about it; you're not paying for packaging. You're not paying for advertisements and fancy logos. In the case of dried beans and such, you're not paying for them to be precooked and preseasoned for you. (That said, I have no objection to canned beans; maybe you like them better or feel that you don't have the time to go through the process yourself to end up with a product you can just buy ready-made. We'll address that later.)

But anyway, today we're just talking about the basics: easy things like rice and other grain-related products, beans, spices, etc. Ingredients you can (and should) always have on-hand. Ideally, you only have to buy them once a month, but it may take you a little while to get the amounts just right for your household.

I'm also going to introduce you to some friends you may not have met before, such as quinoa.

Queen-huh? No, it's pronounced "keen-wah". I don't know why, but then again I have no idea why the word "phonetic" isn't spelled how it sounds... mystery of life. Anyway, quinoa is technically not a cereal grain like wheat, barley or corn; it is a "pseudocereal". That's not too important for you to know, but what IS important for you to know is that quinoa is AMAZING. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber-- which, btw, very few people are getting enough of nowadays-- iron, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins (veeeeeeery important!), polyunsaturated fats and the all-important PROTEIN!!!

You know how a protein has to contain all 9 essential amino acids to be called a "complete" protein? Well, it does. Anyways, for a long time it was believed that the only foods that contained "complete protein" were animal-derived foods (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.). It was then discovered that soybeans (edamame) actually contain all 9-- just not quite in the ideal proportions. That's why the majority of vegetarian faux-meats on the market today are made from soy. Only thing is, soy protein isolate (which is the stuff used in most of said faux-meats) is deficient in methionine, one of the essential amino acids.

Bummer.

Thankfully for all you veg-heads out there (thank you, Rachel Ray), quinoa has been found to contain a nice balance of the magic 9, and since its natural, whole-grain form is SO much fun to eat, it is not in danger of being dissected like the poor soybean has been (not yet, anyways). Quinoa is cooked like rice, which means it's easy. It has almost no flavor of its own, which means it'll adopt any seasoning you give it as its very own. It also has an awesome, unique texture, which means it won't get boring. Win-win-win... and win!

Alrighty, I think I'll end on that note. Next time, on The New Food Stamp Gourmet: the all-important SHOPPING LIST.

Ciao!