Hi! I'm Julie Resnick, co-founder of feedfeed, a global community of people that love to cook, sharing the things they make on hashtag #feedfeed on social media.
Reviewing thousands of submissions on #feedfeed each day from our Instagram community, often times I'll see a recipe and have an aha! moment and wonder why I've never thought of a certain technique or flavor combination (i.e this amazing woven rhubarb tart accomplished with a vegetable peeler and a little patience!).
It may not have trickled down to your local theater yet, but popped seeds like quinoa, sorghum and amaranth have put popcorn on the back burner and taken the food blogosphere by storm. These amazing little super seeds add great crunch to a number of dishes (from sweet to savory and everything in between) and couldn't be cooler to look at.
Quinoa is probably the most familiar of the seeds we've seen as part of this trend and takes on a slightly nutty flavor and distinctive crispiness when puffed. Amaranth, an up-and-coming ancient grain (oxymoron!), is harvested from beautiful brightly colored plants; plus it's packed with protein and is naturally gluten-free. When popped, it's earthy flavor is enhanced and inherent crunchy texture is intensified. Last but not least, sorghum! Another great gluten-free option, when popped, sorghum looks identical to traditional popcorn, only a lot smaller and a bit sweeter.
Now on to the recipes! Check out the amazing ways the feedfeed community is incorporating everything popped and puffed into their home cooking!
Thai Style Zucchini Soup With Puffed Quinoa And Microgreens
Photo/ Recipe by @saffromandkumquats
This spicy zucchini soup is the perfect transition from Winter to Spring! The addition of puffed quinoa adds a pleasant crunch to this otherwise silky soup.
Puffed Amaranth And Almond Milk Horchata
Photo / Recipe by @luckystaranise
A bright and colorful twist on a traditional horchata. Great for breakfast, or even as a refreshing dessert!
Choco-Cherry NiceCream Topped With Popped Amaranth
Photo / Recipe by @cara_schrock
Rich and creamy (dairy free) nice cream made from frozen bananas, cherries and raw cacao gets topped with crunchy, nutty & earthy popped amaranth which complements the intense chocolate flavor nicely.
Chickpeas In Red Beet Broth With Olive Oil, Thyme And Popped Sorghum
Photo / Recipe by Maria Speck
A true feast for the eyes, fresh chickpeas are boiled in the water reserved from boiled beets and topped with freshly popped sorghum, a welcome contrast to the creamy chickpeas.
Puffed Seeds With Chocolate Milk
Photo / Recipe by @theeasyhealthyway
What could be better than chocolate milk in your cereal? Naturally sweetened chocolate coconut milk is added to a bowl full of naturally gluten-free puffed seeds. What a wonderful way to start the day!
Chili-lime Popped Sorghum
Photo / Recipe by @saltedplains
Sweet, salty, spicy & popped; everything you could ever want in a snack!
Smoky Seared Scallops With Roasted Fennel, Rainbow Carrots And Popped Sorghum
Photo / Recipe by @bigflavors
Plate like a pro with the help of popped sorghum! These adorable little seeds add a bit of magic to seared scallops. Consider this recipe for your next dinner party!
Vanilla Maca Pancakes With Caramel Sauce And Quinoa Pops
Photo / Recipe by @flourishinghealth
Pancakes deserve a little popped love, too. These are made with buckwheat flour and banana, and are topped with a peanut butter caramel sauce. A great (vegan!) weekend splurge!