Twisted Pair

Finding myself somewhat burnt out a while ago, I decided to nuture my creative side blah blah and signed up for a pottery class. It would be wonderful, I told myself, to make something. To use my hands to create stuff. Besides that hot scene from 'Ghost' with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore has been indelibly burnt into my brain!

Anyhoo, long story short, I found myself sitting in a pottery class. The people were fabulous and I had a blast with them but the oh-lets-make-something-with-our-hands part was a complete disaster! Just being honest here. I got clay EVERYWHERE, but lets not go there. Ironically, the first thing they ask you to do is 'center' the clay!!

#@%$@

If I were centered, would I be taking pottery classes for relaxation? No, gentle reader, I would be guzzling down the good stuff by the pint.

Everything that I made was short and ugly. Too tall for a soap dish, too short for candles or whatever else. Brace yourself for the ugliness, I will post pictures often. This week's stoneware troll is featured in the picture above.

A couple days later, I was meandering through the aisles, as is my wont, when I chanced upon this 'Twisted Pair'. Tee hee!! And because I'm just a seven year old on the inside, I giggled helplessly. Of course, I had to buy it and try it!


And then what happened?!
- Touted as ancient grains and what-not, kamut and quinoa sounded terribly healthy. It was easy enough to cook: added to boiling water for 8 minutes.

- Added a bunch of roasted vegetables to the pasta. I had red onions, fennel, artichokes and red bell pepper around. Added a little garlic and tossed with basil pesto (Homemade, no less! Thank you!)

- I was quite pleased with the pasta. It turned out hearty and delicious. Slightly more nutty than the usual whole wheat or multi-grain varieties.

Fine Print:
In general, whole grain pastas sometimes take some heat (ha, pun unintended) for their texture, taste and the time it takes to get them al dente. I prefer their interesting nuances to the silkiness of regular pasta, so I am certainly a biased reviewer. Aside from the matter of taste, the health benefits of multi-grain pasta may tip the scales in their favor. They are often higher in protein and fiber compared to traditional choices. Some skepticism may still be warranted, I'm not quite sure what happens to all that ALA omega-3 wonderfulness once the pasta is cooked.

By-the-bye:
1. Twisted pairs online!
2. Join shutterbugs online at Click! Jugalbandi is a treasure trove of much healthful food and thought. Can't wait for this month's Noodle round-up!