Experimenting with Pinole

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Fatigue had set in and it was getting worse. It was time for a day off…and I needed to listen to the aches and pains. Since I wasn’t going to work out, I figured it would be a good day to experiment with the Pinole recipe. Short of using sand as the basic ingredient, I was sure I could improve on Marie’s attempt. In fairness, she followed the recipe as noted on the ‘Livestrong’ site, though they didn’t call for nutmeg (she figured that should go with any recipe that called for cinnamon) and she didn’t toast/skillet the corn meal before using it.

I was looking for something a little sweeter and determined ahead that I would add a tablespoon of brown sugar to each recipe. My basic recipe was as follows:

• 1/2 cu. Cornmeal (toasted dry on the stove for 5 minutes in sauté pan)
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. of brown sugar
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• ¼ cu. water
• 1 Tbsp. of either honey, agave nectar, real maple syrup, Smucker’s strawberry syrup (I made four different batches using one of these in each).

I mixed the dry ingredients together and then added the water and sweetener. This made a pasty substance that was firm enough to put on a cookie sheet I’d sprayed with Pam. I shaped into something resembling a cow pile…but smaller. I suppose it was about the size of a giant cookie and about a half inch thick. I baked it at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and it came out a little firmer than a brownie.

My goal, if you read Monday’s story, is to make something resembling the Tarahumara Pinole that will be a good companion on backpacking trips, but also taste good enough to fulfill my cravings for sweet things to eat in the evening. The chia seed will help to keep it from being absorbed rapidly, regardless (I believe) of the sweetener I use to make it more palatable. I’m also considering a recipe with peanuts and raisins for the same reason. It’s always a challenge to bring food into the back country that is nutritious, tastes good, easy to pack, and doesn’t break the bank. I’m hoping this will serve that purpose.

So…I had four recipes to try. I quickly discovered that the cinnamon was overpowering and that could be because I put in a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon. Only three times as much. Slight mistake. By adding the brown sugar, I’d definitely made it tastier and a little more moist than Marie’s. I had Holly come and try it, as well and we ranked them this way:

1. Strawberry syrup
2. Maple syrup
3. Honey
4. Agave nectar

Not a strong poll, but I’m having some more folks over to check it out. Holly keeps eating the strawberry syrup one, so I may have to make more. She actually likes it. I’m going to make some with the peanuts and raisins, and I’ll probably try some with different kinds of chips – chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter – to see how those taste. Many options and it’s so simple to make that I can keep experimenting.

By the way, I found all the ingredients at my Heinen’s in Mayfield Village. They were a little high on the chia seeds - $13 a pound, but that quantity should go a long way. Tomorrow…a long ride.