A is for Amaranth

Everyone always feels sorry for me when I tell them the detox is 4 weeks long, and they assume I must be so hungry and I'll have withered away to nothing before the time is done. But honestly, I eat better/more now than I normally do and it's been incredibly fun getting to experiment with new kinds of food. They've always been there, I guess I just got in a rut where all I wanted was pasta or vegetable soup flavored with basil and oregano because I know I like it and it's quick and easy. But being forced to be creative has revived my love of cooking and appreciation for what I'm eating. I've made a point to buy at least one thing I've never had every time I go shopping and figure out how to eat it and I find it so inspiring that I want to pass it on to you, Tasha, Emily and Wendy (thanks for reading!)

Installment number one features the grain Amaranth. Apparently, amaranth was popular among the Aztecs, and played an important role in human sacrifices. During these ceremonies, the Aztec women would make a kind of clay out of amaranth, honey and human blood and form it into idols which were then eaten. Neat, huh?

To learn more about amaranth, or to see the recipe I used for my initial attempt at cooking it, please click here. Overall, I liked it. As I learned later, amaranth isn't actually a grain, it's a seed, and whether that's related or not, it cooks into mush. I probably had too much water and cooked it for too long, but don't be expecting anything light and fluffy with distinct parts like rice or couscous. But don't take my word for it, go grab that apron and give it a try.