Eat Grains

Archive for July, 2008

Fall is around the corner and families getting busy after the warm long, days of summer. With this season change ahead, it's time to think about how to keep the family eating healthy while they are rushing out the door in the morning.

Yes, it is still possible to incorporate whole grains into a good, fast homemade breakfast.

Here are a few ideas:

- Homemade, Whole Grain Granola* with vanilla yogurt
- High Protein Granola Bars*
- Whole Wheat Bagels* with cream cheese or peanut butter
- Whole Oat Oatmeal (it really does not take long to cook) add raisins or apple chunks and cinnamon
- Homemade Whole Wheat Toast with Peanut Butter
- Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles (made on the weekends and frozen in individual servings)
*These have been in our monthly newsletter

With just a little preparation over the weekend, you can hand your family something quick in the morning's rush that still provides them with wholesome, whole grains for that full and satisfied feeling. Of course we've all been hearing how breakfast helps one focus throughout the day and how it helps rev up our metabolisms, so these nutritious treats are not only fast and healthy; they affect our whole day on the way out the door.

EnJOY!

Best Blessings!
Donna Miller

Got to have whole wheat and grain.  Get them at the Grain Miller.

Rising prices in the marketplace is giving  new importance to whole grains.  There is a huge growth in interest for milling grains, and for baking with whole wheat.  Take advantage of the low prices and specials at Millers Grain House.

http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/store

The NUMBER ONE TIP to making healthy, inexpensive and tasty bread is FRESH FLOUR. Store bought flour is what we refer to as 'dead' flour or what makes a 'dead bread' because it has been stripped of all it's natural nutrients, then 'enriched' (because it was stripped) with synthetic vitamins?and left to sit on a shelf for who knows how long.

The blest FLAVOR and complete nutrients come from milling grains at home and using them immediately. It takes NO EXTRA TIME to mill while gathering all other ingredients and the pay off is WELL worth the one tiny step to mill the grain because of the taste and health benefits.

ALL recipes below can be made with Freshly Milled Flours – simply mill the grain suggested. We offer milling ***suggestions*** within the asterisks at the beginning of each recipe. They are just suggestions – you can and should use the grain you prefer to mill for most traditional breads.

When milling grains for your flour – you will want to measure knowing you will get approximately half again as much flour for the grain. For example: 1 Cup of grain = approximately 1.5 Cups of fresh flour OR 1.5 Cups of grain = approximately 2.25 Cups of flour. This amount is approximate and relies on the texture you are milling (fine or course).

When it is moist or rainy outside – your freshly milled grain will be more absorbent and may not rise as well – or may fall easier if left too long.

Also when using home milled flour – no need to add any Wheat Bran or Germ when called for – simply measure that amount of your additional freshly milled flour.

If you are not currently milling at home – try your hand at using a combination of white bread flour and store bought whole wheat, about 50/50 until you get the hang of baking. If you ARE currently milling at home – you know that you have the most nutritious flour for your family, but if you are
intimidated with a potential 'heavy' loaf – you can replace about 1/4 cup of the flour with a bread or artisan flour to lighten the whole grain effect.

Spelt, Rye, Rice, Oat, Millet are some of the flours that are very low in gluten and will not rise like Hard Wheat flours. Most Bread machine recipes should be used with Hard flours.

Soft Wheat flours are best used for pastries and biscuits because they also lack the gluten to raise a good loaf of bread to crown.

Make sure your flour is as fresh as possible. Check dates and keep in a cool dry place.

There’s not much more ’getting back to basics’ than reaching way back in history to find a grain that is making a come-back Tasty and nutritious spelt, is one of the first grains to be grown by early farmers far back in history as 5,000 BC. For a variety of reasons, this Ancient Grain is growing in popularity with American consumers.
Spelt is one of the oldest of cultivated grains, preceded only by Emmer and Elkorn.

Spelt has an almost "nutty" flavor which has long been popular in Europe, where it is also known as "Farro" (Italy) and "Dinkle" (Germany). When Rome ruled it was called "Farrum", and it’s origins are easily traced back early Mesopotamia. Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a ancient and distant relative of our modern day wheat (Triticum aestivum).

What once had brought the decline in spelt production in North America is now believed to be it’s greatest benefit. Spelt has a tougher hull, or husk, that makes it a bit more difficult to process it’s modern wheat cousins. The tougher husk, separated just before milling, not only protects the kernel, but helps retain nutrients and maintain freshness as do all wheat husks, but the tougher the husk, the more protection. Also, unlike other grains, spelt's husk protects it from pollutants and pests and usually allows growers to avoid using pesticides.

More on this 'wonder grain' in the next post…