If I Plump Quinoa With Orange Juice, Almond Milk Or Both...

[The Fluffy Assassin]

It won't reverse space-time or anything like that will it? Seriously, there's no reason in particular not to cook with either orange juice or almond milk, is there? I can't think of any but have never cooked with either that I can think of. Lately I've been mildly obsessed with trying to come up with orange julius cookies; go figure.

[Takala]

The only thing I can think of is that once you mix the orange juice with baking soda or powder, don't let it sit a really long time because the acid in juice reacts with the soda. I've baked with mandarin oranges and fresh orange peel grated off of them first, with almond meal I made myself, and can assure you nothing bad happens - tastes pretty good.

[The Fluffy Assassin]

Thanks! I don't actually use baking soda or baking powder (might explain why all my baked goods turn out as pancakes ) but it's a very good suggestion.

  On 2/14/2013 at 4:26 AM, Takala said:

The only thing I can think of is that once you mix the orange juice with baking soda or powder, don't let it sit a really long time because the acid in juice reacts with the soda. I've baked with mandarin oranges and fresh orange peel grated off of them first, with almond meal I made myself, and can assure you nothing bad happens - tastes pretty good.

[cavernio]

I'd bet that the quinoa won't cook right in orange juice. Too acidic. For whatever reason, things don't like to soften in acidity. I've made that mistake a few times adding canned tomatoes to curry before something in it cooked (potato, carrot, chickepeas, not sure what it was), and my mom told me why. I can see no reason why almond milk wouldn't work, although you might get some sort of residue from the milk with the quinoa. I'd try that one out. You might not find a big taste difference.

Can you eat natural extracts? Orange extract would certainly do the trick, I can find it in my local grocery store.

Other options for the orange would be orange peel as already mentioned, although it will be slightly bitter by the time it would get really orange-y, or using orange juice instead of the liquid you want in the dough recipe itself, or both.

[The Fluffy Assassin]

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions! I think I'm still going to try it, but I won't be too disappointed if it doesn't work. (We're talking a quarter cup of quinoa and half a cup each of orange juice and almond milk, so if it does reverse space-time, I imagine it'll be a pretty limited effect.) I expect what I'll wind up with will be a kind of interesting porridge, which would be OK, too. I've used orange zest; I'll look for orange extract. Thanks again!

  On 2/14/2013 at 6:53 PM, cavernio said:

I'd bet that the quinoa won't cook right in orange juice. Too acidic. For whatever reason, things don't like to soften in acidity. I've made that mistake a few times adding canned tomatoes to curry before something in it cooked (potato, carrot, chickepeas, not sure what it was), and my mom told me why. I can see no reason why almond milk wouldn't work, although you might get some sort of residue from the milk with the quinoa. I'd try that one out. You might not find a big taste difference.

Can you eat natural extracts? Orange extract would certainly do the trick, I can find it in my local grocery store.

Other options for the orange would be orange peel as already mentioned, although it will be slightly bitter by the time it would get really orange-y, or using orange juice instead of the liquid you want in the dough recipe itself, or both.