Eat Grains

Archive for October, 2007

Bread makers are extremely popular. The average person can make delicious, homemade bread quite easily with a bread maker. Even with the ease of a bread machine, you must still use caution when adding the ingredients, even if you use a mix. You can make a variety of shapes and sizes of loaf with a bread machine. Many people use a bread machine to simply mix the ingredients then bake the loaf in a traditional oven. Sizes range from one pound to two pounds or more, and you will most likely choose between a square or round loaf pan.

Some bread makers will have a preheat cycle to heat the ingredients before baking. If you want your bread to rise properly, choose a bread maker that does not heat before time to bake the bread. Bread makers will generally have separate settings for different types of bread. There may be settings for wheat or French bread, and you will be able to choose the doneness of the bread such as a light, medium, or dark setting. There will also normally be a regular or rapid bake cycle. It is desirable to have a window in the top or side of the bread machine to allow you to see the progress of your bread while it is baking.

There are a variety of options from which to choose in bread makers, so you may first want to consider how much space you have to store your new machine. Bread makers come in a variety of sizes, so choose one that you can store easily. You should choose the capacity of the bread maker based upon how big your family is and how much bread they eat. You can choose a bread maker with a delay timer which will allow you to place the mix in the bread maker before you leave home each day and the bread will be ready when you return. If you want your bread maker to prepare the dough but not cook it, you will need to find a bread maker with this feature. Choose a bread maker that will alert you when it is time to add additional ingredients such as fruit or nuts. You will also want a 'keep warm' feature in case you are gone when the bread is finished. Look for crust control features and special setting for fruits, nuts, cheese, and vegetables.

Study the warranty very carefully to make sure you will be able to get service and replacement parts if necessary. Keep in mind that if your family consumes a small amount of bread now, once you purchase your new bread maker that consumption is likely to increase dramatically. Choose a slightly larger size that you anticipate needing. Remember that the keep warm feature is great, but if you leave the loaf in the bread maker for an extended period of time it may become soggy and flat. A bread maker is a wonderful addition to your home. Nothing compares to the smell of freshly baked bread from your very own kitchen.

This article has been provided courtesy of Kitchen Junkie. Kitchen Junkie offers great kitchen articles available for reprint and other tools to help you get the best bargain on kitchen gadgets and more.

Tip #1 – 'You do WHAT? Why bother?' – Part Two

Part One of this tip may have helped you determine a few health reasons why it is good to mill your own grains, but that may still not be enough to satisfy your friends and family.

The following tip to answering the questions of why you bother to mill at home is the advantages of cost and storage. Of course, we can purchase whole wheat bread at the bakery. Of course, dead bagged flour lasts for a pretty good period of time. Are these reasons to pass up home milling all together? Of course not! In fact, look closer and you can see why milling at home is better.

Health advantages aside, which is the MOST vital one in my personal opinion, storage and cost come up on the convenience end of considering milling at home. The whole wheat loaf of bread we can buy in the bakery is not only made of old, processed whole wheat, but by the government regulations only has to be at least 51% – or mostly whole wheat – to be labeled as such. I deviate, this is also a health reason. The cost of a loaf is generally $2.29. A home milled, fresh WHOLE GRAIN flour, loaf of bread costs me generally $.75 to make and that is using all organic (a bit pricier) grains and sugar. Also, I know for certain what is in that loaf!

Storage is the other thought. Of course, in our house the bread doesnt last long because we cant resist slicing into a warm loaf when we smell it so we dont have to worry about self life. However, the grains last for years! The husk was created as the greatest protection for the grain. Grains have been found in pyramids that were over 4000 years old and when planted, they grew just as they were meant to. I dont think youll be needing those grains in 4000 years, but store the grains in a sturdy container and from getting moist and you can store them for years.

Donna Miller is a stay-at-home wife and mother. She delighted to share her trials and triumphs of learning to mill and cook with whole grains. The Millers own and operate an online Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grain store. Visit their whole grain blog at http://grainwheat.blogspot.com/

Our family eats a lot of organically grown whole grains. Visit our other site for more information on whole grains at: http://www.grainmiller.com.

Studies had shown that people who eat whole grain foods daily as part of a low diet fat and healthy lifestyle are less likely to gain weight over time. The influence of whole grains on body weight regulation is that they are rich in dietary fiber. As such, it promotes satiation making you feel full longer, thus prevent you from eating between meals and piling on empty calories. Health experts however, believe that eating whole grains regularly help keep you in good health. Research also suggests, that whole grains package of fiber minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. To increase your intake, use whole grain bread for sandwiches and whole grain pasta makes great salads too. One of the best sources of grains are oatmeals and breakfast cereals. You can lose weight by aiming for at least 3 servings of whole grains a day. Make it a point, to check out the word 'whole wheat' on its ingredient label whenever you purchase canned or packed whole grain products. Grains by the way, are seeds of cereal grasses such as wheat, corn, oats, barley and rice. A grain seed is made up of three main parts: the bran, the germ and the endosperm. The bran which is the outer layer is rich in fiber. The germ is the embryo or the inner layer contains minerals, vitamins B/E and antioxidants. The endosperm, the middle layer, provides energy, carbohydrates and proteins. Eating a diet rich in whole grains helps you maintain a healthy body, trim and fit in an effective and inexpensive way.

About the author, Arnold cafe is an active internet marketer. His Website: http://www.affleap.com is his first online undertaking.

Our food supply is in perile. Nutrients have been depleted from our soils due to over-fertilization and other factors. At Millers grainhouse, we provide organically grown wheat, oats, and rice. The article below shares great information on the importance of eating organically grown food.

As you begin shopping around for organic, you will discover that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) breaks this down into three categories. Organic products consisting of less than 70% organic ingredients may or may not list the organically produced ingredients on the package label. However, any organic claims cannot be made on the front side of the package.

1. 100% Organic – All the ingredients are just that – 100% organic

2. Organic – Ingredients are a minimum of 95% organic

3. Made with Organic Ingredients – Ingredients are a minimum of 70% organic and the remaining 30% have tight restrictions, which includes GMOs

In addition, the USDA provides an organic seal, which is a guarantee to consumers that the integrity and quality of the product meets high standards. Any operation that is organic-certified is required to maintain a system plan along with records whereby compliance can be verified. To ensure the standards are met, these operators are required to undergo random inspections. Organic practices are very specific, which include:

* Crop Rotation – Alternating each field with different types of crops to help stop soil depletion and to prevent breeding grounds for insects

* Replanting – Planting some crops such as clover to help add nutrients to the soil, as well as increase organic matter and prevent weeks

* Insects – Using good insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to fight against bad insects

* Compost – Adding compost (manure, plant waste, food scraps) helps the soil retain nutrients and moisture

* Disease – Feeding livestock organic foods while providing them with a stress-free environment to prevent disease and maintain healthy animals

With organic crops and livestock, no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used, which contaminate both soil and water supply. You will discover much more in my book The Ultimate Organic Lifestyle, learning all about organic living and what you can do to begin living an organic life. You will enjoy cooking with organic foods and find that you feel better and when you buy organic you are actually working toward improving our ecosystem. Remember, organic is not just a process but a complete change of life – for the BETTER!

Claus Stokholm is the author of the book The Ultimate Organic Lifestyle www.adamsorganics.com

For any kid who grew up eating doughy, thick Wonder Bread for lunch, the encouragement by dietitians and nutritionists to switch to whole wheat bread can be a tough transition.

Bread, like any other part of our diet, is an acquired taste. Starting out early helps since children are much more adaptable to accepting foods than adults. This does not mean that children LIKE as many foods as adults – children are renowned picky eaters. But if you only expose them to healthy, whole grain foods they wont have the opportunity to develop a taste for white bread or other non-nutritious foods.

Adults, however, must learn to change their diet preferences because of knowledge. Understanding why whole wheat is superior to white bread can help you feel good about the compromise and encourage you to make it the standard for your children. Who knows – you may even like it!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

The two biggest differences between white bread and whole wheat are the processing and the nutritional value.

Flour is made from wheat berries. The wheat berry is made up of the bran, the germ and the endosperm. All parts are filled with nutrients and are used in whole wheat flour.

White bread on the other hand, uses only the endosperm – the starchy inner layer. There is a total of 30 nutrients missing in white bread. The nutritional difference is immense and has measurable impact on our health.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF SWITCHING?

The fiber content of whole wheat bread has several health benefits.

Fiber helps the digestive system. It also creates a full sensation and thus can help with weight control. Research has been conducted by Harvard and other organizations that shows men and women who eat high-fiber foods have less heart attacks and strokes than those who dont.

There is also an increased risk of diabetes in children who eat refined white flour – a risk that has been proven by the increase in cases of childhood diabetes.

WHAT DO I LOOK FOR?

Watch out for words like wheat flour or enriched wheat flour as they can be mostly made from white flour with just a small amount of whole wheat added in.

Look for whole wheat or other whole grains, like oat. And dont be mislead by the name of the product. Names like wheat, whole bran, stoned wheat, 12 grain and others are still mostly white flour. The only way to know for sure is to read the label.

Find out more about Diet and Nutrition at healthandfinesse.com