Rice - the unsung hero whole grains

Much more than a side dish, this typical grain is one of the more consistant staples for most of the world. In some Asian languages, “to eat” literally translates as "to eat rice". Unlike in the Western culture, in much of the world, rice actually forms the basis of most meals.

Unlike the typical processed white rice, brown rice is much more nutritious. It's hardier texture and nutty flavor is something many people come to prefer once the nutrition realization out weighs the convenience. Learning your rice types can help you make the switch from white processed to brown more nutrient dense rice.

Long-grain brown rice will be the closest in texture to long-grain white rice, as short rice tends to get stickier-great for sushi or risotto! Quick-cooking brown rice has been precooked, so it can be a good choice if you're in a hurry. You can also find whole grain rice in other forms such as Black Japonica or Himalayan Red and it's becoming easier to find brown rice versions of favorites such as basmati and jasmine.

Brown rice will stay fresh for about five to six months when stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. You can also store it in the refrigerator to avoid any chance that may will turn rancid.

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Barley. More than just for soups, livestock or beer.

Although this is a truthfully delicious and nutritious grain, more than half of the barley grown in the US is used for beer. Most of what remains is used for livestock.

Finding whole barley outside of health food stores takes a little effort. Often most "whole" versions will still be missing the hull, so shop wisely. "Hulled barley" (meaning the hull is still on) has far more fiber and minerals than pearled barley which has been stripped of the germ and the bran and polished up to six times to give it a smooth surface.

Hulled barley should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or kept away from light, heat, and moisture. If kept in this manner it will stay fresh for up to several months. Since most all of the oils which could go rancid have already been removed, pearled barley can be kept at room temperature for a longer time.

Substitute hulled barley for any recipe where you see pearled barley, but keep in mind that it will take approximately two hours to cook, much longer than the 45 minutes recommended for pearled. You can start by pre-cooking the hulled barley well before it’s needed in the recipe. You can also serve it cooked alone with some simple seasoning as a side dish or in grain salads as you would wheat kernels.

Technorati Tags: hulled, barley, beer, pearled, grain

Spelt; ancient wheat reintroduced. Part 2

Part 2:

Unlike modern wheat, the spelt grain has retained many of its original traits and remains a highly nutritious and full-flavored option. Modern wheat has changed dramatically over the decades. It has been propagated to be easier to grow and harvest, to boost harvest yield, and to have a higher gluten content for the production of high-volume commercial baked goods. All this translates to more money for manufacturers.

It’s taste is not the only thing that has drawn the Western world back to this ancient grain. Spelt is naturally high in fiber, and contain much more protein than wheat. Spelt is also higher in both simple and complex carbohydrates and in B complex vitamins. Another newly promoted benefit is that some people who are gluten-sensitive have been able to include spelt-based foods in their diets to replace the modern wheat they were once used to which they now should avoid.

Spelt has become a top-selling grain in the organic and health food industry, since its reintroduction to the market in 1987 by Purity Foods Inc. Modern cooks are rediscovering the full-bodied flavor of whole grain spelt baked goods. Flour made from the versatile grain can be substituted for wheat flour in a variety of baked goods including, but not limited to: breads, pasta, cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, pancakes and waffles.

Technorati Tags: spelt, grain, wheat, ancient grain

What is Spelt and how it's making a comeback...Part 1

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 interesting Ancient Grain next time in Part 2


Technorati Tags: Spelt, ancient grain, wheat, gluten free

Don't forget your whole grains!

Did you get enough whole grains today?

Depending upon your gender, age, and level of physical activity will depend on how much you need to eat. Do some research and find out how much you specifically need. It can be anywhere from 3 to 6 servings, so make sure you look it up.

I'm out of time for tonight though...but one last thing, if by this time you haven't gotten enough whole grains today. Try to come up with a low-fat dessert tonight to incorporate them in...like an oatmeal cookie. Or even have oatmeal with some peanut butter mixed in. That actually makes a wonderful breakfast, sweetened a little with honey and with the peanut butter mixed in. Mmm, I actually think I may want that for breakfast tomorrow.

Anyways, thanks for reading and have a nice night!

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Dietary Fiber

Fiber, fiber, fiber. I can't emphasis enough the importance of it.

Fiber is what many of us today are missing in our diets. It's what keeps us "regular". As gross as it is to talk about our insides like intestines and such, it is important because what goes on inside affects what goes on outside.

It has been said that eating a diet high in fiber can help prevent certain health problems and cancers. Fiber can also help maintain normal cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, and help keep you from gaining weight. Those are only a few, the list is way longer than that. It's been said to have helped prevent constipation, hemorroids, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, breast cancer, and more.

Whole grains are high in fiber. The bran which is the outer layer of the grain, is what contains most of this fiber. So when manufacturers remove this bran it is actually almost causing us to have those diseases and health problems. So when we eat white refined products like bread and pastas we're doing our body harm! Eating whole grains actually helps reduce the effects that eating the refined grains causes.

Eat more fiber rich foods such as whole grains to help your overall health!

Technorati Tags: dietary fiber, whole grains, diet

You can make tortillas from other grains, not just wheat!

Now I've taken into consideration that some people have allergies to wheat, but there is hope yet! For instance, if you can't have a flour tortilla because you can't have the wheat, don't sweat it.

I know it can be a series of deprivations for those who are sensitive to wheat and gluten. Which can set you up to just binge on that wheat that is so harmful to your digestion. But don't let 'store bought' items catch you off guard, when you can prepare your own grains (kamut, spelt, millet) and make a whole grain spelt tortilla for easy and fast replacements to regular bread or wheat tortillas.

Find a good wheat recipe for tortillas and simply replace one grain for another. You may have to adjust the water in the recipe and pour in small amounts at a time into your freshly ground grain. The water absorption rate differs for different types of grain, so take your time and make sure you don't add too much water. We made spelt tortillas out of our freshly ground whole spelt grain flour not too long ago, and the kids actually preferred the spelt grain tortillas to the wheat grain ones!

I'm out of time for today. I'll post more tomorrow, please subscribe to our feed or come back and see us soon! Happy Eating! :)

Technorati Tags: spelt, tortillas, wheat, wheat allergy

Buckwheat and Barley

Here are some pictures of a few different types of whole grains. There are so many out there, you should try some new grains at least once! Because depending upon the grain, you may get different vitamins and minerals you may not usually get with eating only the common grains. So test out a few and see which ones you like. Here are a couple.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, as you know, is good milled into flour to make pancakes. But did you know that it can also be cooked whole and used as a meat replacement? I have a few recipes for using buckwheat that I might post later.

Barley

Barley is good in soups and as hot cereals. Or it can also be milled into flour like regular wheat and used in baking.

Those are only a couple, I'll be posting up more pictures of the different types of whole grains a bit later. Thanks for reading though and have a great day! :)

If you found this information helpful, please subscribe to my feed for updates or put this blog on your own website.

Technorati Tags: whole grains, buckwheat, barley, flour

The pancake recipe

Finally, here's that pancake recipe I promised you. :)

4 cups freshly milled "soft white wheat"
1 tsp. backing soda*
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs. sugar

2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
3 1/2 cups buttermilk

Mix all dry ingredients together. Add liquids. Stir until just mixed (don't over stir). Fry on hot oiled griddle. To make a lighter pancake separate the eggs and whip the egg whites then fold gently into the batter. Serve however you like it and enjoy.

*To use sweet milk instead of buttermilk omit soda and increase baking powder to 4 teaspoons.

And that's it! I hope you enjoy them.

Happy eating! :)

Another Tip

Here's another tip on why you should bother milling your own grain.

It takes no more time than grabbing a bag of dead flour. Throw the grains in the Nutrimill, turn it on and by the time I've gathered the other ingredients for the recipe, the mill is done.

The Nurtimill has even saved us money! My family of 5 eats pizza every Friday night (our family tradition). We used to order 3 large pizzas from Papa Johns. Costing us between $30 and $40 each Friday. Now I make 3 16 inch pizza crusts ahead of time using fresh ingredients (with possibly less fats/grease) for around $10.00! The mill had been paid for itself in less than three months on pizza night alone!

So as you can see, milling your own grains not only takes the same amount of time as grabbing a bag of normal flour, but it also saves you money. So to still have kept the health benefits with not as much difference in price and time. I'd say it's worth it to mill whole grains yourself.

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Things you should know about your bread

If you eat white (or any kind of store bought) bread, you should know a few things before you eat that next slice, and here they are.

In the mid 1950's the inclusion of artificial additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, hydrogenated oils and other chemicals in bread became standard practice. Whole wheat flour was replaced by bleached, enriched white flour around this same time. Which is then artificially "enriched" by adding in materials that were destroyed in the chemical process of bleaching, like vitamins and minerals.

Milling the endosperm of wheat berries or kernels yields white flour, regardless of what type of grain is milled. This process also removes so much natural nutrients and vitamins that subsequent enrichment can never completely replace them. Therefore, enriched white bread is by no means nutritionally equal to whole wheat bread.

In addition, "wheat bread" on the label does not mean that it is made from whole wheat flour. It is just to distinguish the bread from those made from other types of grains. Breads made from whole wheat flour should normally have "whole" or "100 percent whole" before the term "wheat bread".

The manufacturers make white flour because, compared to whole wheat flour, it has a longer shelf life (because of the chemical preservatives), which saves them money because they don't have to worry about spoilage. However, that flour could be killing you because of the lack of nutrients in it. It turns into glue in your colon! Not to mention all those chemicals and additives you're putting in your body.

There's more where that came from, we've only scratched the surface on what you should know. I'll write more on this particular subject tomorrow or another day, so make sure you check back!

Technorati Tags: whole wheat, wheat bread, endosperm, chemical preservatives

Easy Whole Wheat Pancakes

Who doesn't like pancakes? The butter melting on the warm flapjack that just came off the griddle...and the maple syrup (or whatever you prefer) being poured on top. And your fork cutting into them, and they're nice and fluffy. Mmmmm, my mouth is actually starting to water as I type this.

I've got a wonderful recipe that I've tweaked and tested over the years with my freshly milled whole wheat flour. I've now got it to where they taste just as good as buying any pancake mixes from the store. Only mine are healthier for you because you get the benefits of having whole wheat! My kids love them!

A variety of flours and different flour combinations can be used for this recipe, but what I almost always use in my recipe is the soft white wheat. They are sensational!

However, I'll have to post the recipe another time. ;)

No worries I'll do it within the next few days, just check back so you don't miss it!

Part two of Tip #1

If you already read Part One of this tip, then you may or may not have peaked the inquisitiveness of former nay-sayers. You may still need more information for why you are thinking of or currently milling at home. After all, inquiring minds want to know.

The next tip to answering the questions of why you bother to mill at home is the benefits of cost and storage. Sure, we can purchase 'whole wheat bread' at the grocery store. Sure, 'dead bagged flour' lasts for a good period. Are these reasons to reject home milling all together? No! In fact, look closer and you can see why milling at home is better.

Putting all health reasons aside, with milling at home storage and cost come up on the convenience end of it. The cost of a loaf of 'whole wheat' bread from the grocery store is approximately $2.29. A home milled, fresh WHOLE GRAIN flour, loaf of bread costs me approximately $.75 to make and that is using all organic (a bit pricier) grains and sugar. I also know completely what is in that loaf!

Storage is a completely different issue. I'll admit, my fresh baked loaf does NOT last as long, not due to shelf-life but that we wolf it down so fast (no one in the house can stay away from slicing into a warm loaf when they smell it), but the grains last for years! 'Dead bagged flour' can't say that. Either mites, weevils or simply staleness can render a dead bag of flour worthless in mere months. God made an excellent protection for that grain, the husk. There have been grains found in pyramids that were over 4000 years old but when planted, they grew just as they were created to. Now that's storage for you. Just store the grains in a well-made container and from getting wet and you can store them for years. You may not be needing them in 4000 years though.

Thanks for reading, I hope it was helpful. I've got quite a few more tips about this subject! So don't forget to check back soon! :D

Technorati Tags: grains, sugars, storage, milling grain, whole grains, tips

Tip 1 - why you should mill grains!

By the time you finish reading this short tip, you will know a bit more about why it's crucial to mill and prepare with fresh whole grains.

Tip #1 - "Why bother milling whole grains yourself?"

Alright, I will be the first to admit, I was not raised to be a settled person. When I first heard of milling grain at home I was confused and thought it was a far fetched idea, time consuming and a big mess. It didn't take me long to see how wrong I was.

One tip to answering those questions of 'You do what?' and 'Why bother?' is to understand the two greatest benefits of milling at home. First are the health benefits which are very important to know.

Some grain 'parts' are removed to slow spoilage time when grains are processed. When those things are removed, the flour is stripped of the Wheat Bran, Middlings, Wheat Germ and Wheat Germ oil. As we scan that list, we see at least three things that are now sold in health food stores across the globe. The Bran and Middlings produce the fiber (and more), the Germ and oil produce the vitamin E (and more), two things missing in the typical diet of the present.

Worse than what is lacking, may also be what is added to the bagged flour. To make the regular white appearance of flour, the first process used by manufacturers was in fact chlorine bleach! Although new chemicals and processes have now been approved, chemicals of any kind were not ever intended to be IN the grain itself. The list of what was stripped from the now fluffy flour is so long that manufacturers now feel the need to 'enrich' it with synthetic vitamins. Synthetic vitamins are just that - synthesized, not natural. Why add a 'fake' vitamin for a natural one that was taken away in processing? Enough said...

I'll post the rest of the tip tomorrow. So check back then! :)

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Whole Grain Pizza

Whole Grain Pizza is better for you than if the dough were made from regular store bought white flour. The pizza crusts in this video were made with freshly milled whole wheat flour!

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Whole grains and refined

Let's look into the difference between whole grains and refined grains.

Whole grains have all their parts still intact, the bran, wheat germ, and endosperm. Refined grains have all parts removed except for one, the endosperm. The bran and wheat germ have the majority of the grain's vitamins and fiber contained in them, while the endosperm has very little of both and is starchy. So basically you're eating something that is just empty calories, and it's like glue to your colon. All the goodness of the grain is gone!

So the difference between the two is primarily nutritional value. Removing the bran and germ from whole grains is not a good thing because it is depriving you of the nutrients your body needs, and replacing it with starch and empty calories.

That's plenty enough info for me. I'd much rather live healthier than to eat a bunch of refined grains.

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Hard White Spring Wheat

Did you know? That there are several hundred varieties of wheat?! They are put into a certain classes as well, depending upon their color, the hardness and shape of the kernel, as well as the time of year the wheat is planted and harvested. This particular wheat (pictured on the left) is called Hard White Spring.

It is called that because it's a harder grain and used for more yeast breads, tortillas, hard rolls, etc. It is a lighter color than the "Red" grains thus called "white". It was also planted in the spring and harvested in either late summer or early fall, and that's why it's a Spring wheat.

Those are the ways to classify a grain. It seems like a pretty easy way to identify them, even you can do it. Let's say I told you that I had a softer kernel of wheat that had a light white color, and I had planted it in late October and harvested in May. What can you tell me that is? It's simple. That would mean it was a Soft White Winter wheat. See what I mean now? Pretty cool huh? There are many other different types of grain and classes, I'll get into a few more of them later on. :)

Thanks for reading!

Technorati Tags: Wheats, Grains, Hard White Spring, Hard Wheat

Whole wheat bread versus white bread

There's a battle going on between whole wheat bread and white bread. So which one is better? Of course this is all a matter of opinion, but let's face the facts. Whole wheat bread is more nutritious and white bread just isn't. And here's why...

A grain is the seed of a plant, and it is made up of three parts - the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. The bran is the outer layer of the grain that contains most of the fiber. The germ is the part of the grain that, if planted, would produce a new sprout. The germ is packed with protein, some fat, and other nutrients. The endosperm is the interior, starchy part of a kernel and makes up about 83% of the whole grain.

I say this all because white flour is made up of just the endosperm. The starchy part of the grain that has little nutrients. So when you eat the white bread, it is basically nutrition less. Through the bleaching and sifting process, almost all of the nutrients are gone. Not to mention all the chemicals and preservatives they put in the white bread to increase it's shelf life. Which you don't need in your body!

While whole wheat bread also has chemicals and preservatives put in. It is a bit better than the white bread due to the fact that there is still some bran and germ in the flour. How much though? We may never know exactly. It has more fiber which is essential in everyone diet, and it is also one of the major things lacking today.

That's why baking your own whole wheat bread at home is the best way to go. But we'll talk about this more a bit later.

Just go for whole wheat bread from the store, over the white bread. It may not be the absolute best, but it sure is much better than the white bread nutrition wise. Also, it can even taste MUCH better if you find great brand. Try a few different ones and see what you think.

Thanks for reading and happy eating! :)

Technorati Tags: Wheat Bread, Whole Wheat, Grains

Whole Wheats and The Varieties Therein

Whole wheat is slowly growing in popularity due to the amazing amount of people seeking better nutrition; and why not? Whole wheat and whole grains are a key part of daily nutrition and can maintain a healthy heart, colon, and all around immune health.

Processed wheat found in white breads, and bleached wheats have removed properties that make them almost like glue in the colon. This promotes colon cancer and can be very hard on the bowels due to the lack of fiber taken out of the grains.

What I hope to bring you in these blogs is the awareness of how to eat more whole grains, as well as the health benefits that whole grains, wheats, and oats can bring.

Hope to see you around!