Eat Grains

Posts Tagged ‘Whole Wheat’

You can stretch your budget and your menu with the one basic bread recipe that we send out with every newsletter.

Freshly Milled Whole-wheat Hotdog Buns

The Basic "Fool Proof" Bread Recipe we send out second in our newsletter series can be shaped into:

~ Burger Buns
~ Hot Dog Buns
~ Hoagie Buns
~ Bread Sticks (filled and twisted or just plain, warm and toasty)
~ Bread Bowls for Chilli and Soups
~ and SO many more potentials….

Even once made they can become other things if not used up:
~ Croutons (any of the above)
~ Garlic Bread (best for the hot dog/hoagie buns)
~ Toasted Crackers (slice thin [if not split for burger or hot dog] and butter/toast)
~ Open Faced Cheese Bread (Top with mixed cheeses and broil) to go with soups

So even as simple as the ONE recipe may be. Don't get stuck with it ALWAYS just being a loaf of bread! Shape and use it in multiple ways!

Best Blessings!~
Donna Miller

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Greetings!
Below is a question from a dear customer who is really excited about learning the value of healthy food storage and milling at home. As I answered the question privately, my thoughts were that many people may be wondering the same thing! So, I wanted to share it with you all!

Please feel free to submit your own questions and comments about eating, and using whole grains.

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QUESTION: ???? ????? ? ???????? ?????????
Hello, Please tell me if white wheat is the same as soft white wheat? I'm trying to clarify the difference and its use. Is white wheat use to make white flour and soft wheat for pastry flour? Thanks, "D"

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ANSWER:
To help you clarify, let's first talk about the color:

The color has nothing to do with the usage of the wheat – it only affects the taste and potentially the amount of niacin (which is not too lacking in most diets). Red wheats have a tiny bit higher niacin (a B vitamin) than white wheats, but that is about the only difference (based on color). They (reds) do have a more nutty flavor (almost bitter wheaty in my opinion) than white wheats.

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Bagged flour is often bleached either by natural or chemical bleaching and the husk has been taken out (along with the germ, etc) thus the 'whiteness'.

White wheat when milled whole will not produce 'white' flour (like bagged flour white) because it is natural. It will be a very light golden color. It will bake to a golden yellow/brown color. It is the best transition grain (in my opinion) for those who are used to white loaf bread from the store. It is mild in flavor and aroma.

Red wheat when milled will be the more traditional 'whole wheat' color of a light brown. It will bake to a dark brown. It is stronger in flavor and aroma.

Again, color is not the determining factor of use, but will affect the taste. So it is taste and aesthetics (look) that determine what color you choose, what you want to use it for is a deciding factor in the type not color.

Now on to the type – hard or soft wheat:

This does affect the usage of the grain.

Soft wheats (regardless of color) have much less gluten thus are not as 'spongy' when used. They will not make very good loaf bread. Combine the soft wheat flours with hard for very good & fluffy muffins, pancakes, pie crusts, cookies (cookies can be all hard wheat too though) and more that does not require a 'rise' or elastic dough feeling.

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Soft wheats are used as a pastry four, but in my experience are hardly ever used exclusively alone (often combined with hard wheat) except in cakes (to which you must also sift the flour to remove some of the bran for a real cake like consistency). Cake flour alone is best as only soft wheat.

Hard wheats (regardless of color) are the grains that make the most all purpose flour. The hard wheat contains the most gluten (which is a protein) that helps the bubbles hold together in a loaf of bread. Gluten helps to give the spongy effect. If used in other recipes like muffins etc, it can result in a tough muffin if over mixed (mixing/kneading helps gluten form the bubble pockets).

So to sum up – color is a choice for taste and look, while hard or soft is a choice for type of recipe.

I hope this made sense, if not, just keep on asking! (o:
It's a joy to help others learn this!!

Have a wonderful day!
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Best Blessings!
Millers Grain House
Donna Miller, Owner

Deut 28:5 -
"A blessing upon your grain-basket and kneading-bowl." ???? ? ???????? ????? ???????? ?????????

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What to do with the whole grains that are left over?
There is an easy to follow recipe that I use and have made a video for you to try the same steps.

If we have even just a little left over oatmeal and grits – we don't throw them away! This recipe makes the best whole grain waffles in the blender from left-overs! I hope you go watch and enjoy!!

Whole Grain Left-Over Blender Waffles

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Best Blessings!

Donna Miller

This question came to me from a dear lady who has just grown leaps and bounds in her knowledge of eating healthy and caring for her family! Hopefully her question and the following answer will help inspire you to 'think outside the bread-box' and make more whole wheat breads for many options!

Question: " hi could you tell me how to make your bread in to a sub bread – I mean how do you make the long subway bread?"

Answer: A regular loaf recipe will make 4-6 sub rolls. You can decide what size you want – 4 rolls would make bigger rolls each than 6.

Divide the loaf after the first rise into 4 or 6 equal portions (weighing helps that) then roll each out on a greased surface like you would make a short snake with playdoh or a cigar shape.

Then set all 4 or 6 into a glass pyrex baking dish (like a casserole size, not a 9 x9 – but bigger rectangular one) with a little room to rise.

Before they rise, right after shaping, you can brush with olive oil and garnish with a bit of sesame seeds and Parmesan and Italian herbs for that 'subway' type taste. (o:

Let them rise at least 30 minutes just like the bread, or until doubled (sometimes it is a little longer for subs because you broke up the yeast).

When risen, bake as you would the bread – center rack, 350, for about 17-18 minutes.

Have fun!!

Hot dog buns are done the exact same way, just 8 of them (smaller) same recipe. Hamburger buns the same just shape like 8 hockey pucks (o:

Blessings dear Sister!!!
Donna

Question: "I did it all as the book directed, right down to to the exact ingredients. I used their techniques. It rose nicely. I shaped beautiful loaves. Then, as they rose, they split open and made for an uneven and lopsided loaf. What happened? What might I do if I see it happening again?"

Answers:
What this sounds like is one or more of the following:

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download Chasing Christmas

If it split somewhere in the top of the loaf (like the center ‘erupted’ at the top) it could be one of two things…
1. There was a bubble that was somewhere near the top of the loaf and it broke through the surface exposing the more bubbly inside. To avoid this, just make sure all bubbles squeak out when you are flattening to roll into the loaf for its second rise.
2. Or it could be too active of yeast. If you have recently opened a new package or are trying a new type of yeast it may be overly active compared to what you are used to using. Try cutting back by ¼ of a teaspoon in the next try.

If the loaf top split from the bottom (like a roof lifting off) it could be one of two things…
1. The yeast thing again but also add in this second one…
2. Too warm of a rising place. When the loaf rises too fast (in too warm of an area) the top tends to warp and then separate in the baking.

As to the lopsided loaf part, just make sure that the ends when tucked in are not bigger on one side than the other – this (or the ‘too warm/fast’ of a rise) will make a loaf with one end too high. ????? ?????? ??????? 3d ????? ??????

Last, but not least, sometimes weather can effect home baking. Moisture in the air and barometric pressure can play with it. Just remember, even if it's not pretty, you can still eat it!