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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad

Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad

2 cups wheat berries

7 cups water

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 medium apples, unpeeled, cored and chopped

1 cup raisins

1 cup finely chopped parsley

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup apple juice or water

1 tablespoon salt

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup lemon juice

Soak the wheat berries at least 6 to 8 hours or overnight in water to cover by a couple of inches. Drain the water, and set aside the wheat berries. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the wheat berries to the boiling water and simmer them uncovered for about 50 minutes, or until they are totally cooked through. Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked. Drain the water, and set aside the wheat berries to cool. Transfer the wheat berries to a large mixing bowl, and add the walnuts, apples, raisins, parsley, vinegar, apple juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mix everything thoroughly. Add more salt if necessary, and serve.

Serves 4

Basic Whole Wheat Pancakes

Basic Whole Wheat Pancakes

3 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

3-4 cups buttermilk*

Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquids. Stir just until mixed. Fry on hot oiled griddle or skillet. To make a lighter pancake you may separate the eggs and stir the egg yolks into the batter. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them gently into the batter.

· To use milk instead of buttermilk omit and soda and increase baking powder to 4 tsp.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Wheat Berry Avocado Salad

Wheat Berry Avocado Salad

Ingredients

2 cups wheat berries

4 cups water

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

2 sun-dried tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed in garlic press

1 small red pepper, finely chopped

½ cup red onion, finely chopped

2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered

¼ cup fresh chopped herbs: parsley, basil, chives

1/3 cup olive oil

2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste up to 2 tsp of each

1 avocado, peeled and pit removed, diced

juice of 1 lemon


Directions

Wash the dried wheat berries and soak them overnight in the water. When ready to cook, add the dried herbs, 1 teaspoon salt, and the sun-dried tomatoes. water should cover the grains with about ½" on top. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer, covered, 45 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool. Drain off any extra liquid (save to use in soup stock). Put cooked wheat berries in a bowl. Chop the sun-dried tomato finely and add back to the wheat berries. Add the olive oil, vinegar, crushed garlic.. Mix thoroughly. Add the red pepper, onion, and tomato.Toss and add the fresh herbs.Toss the avocado dice in the lemon juice. Add to the salad and mix in gently. Serve or chill and serve.

Wheat Berry Salad

Wheat Berry Salad

Serves:6 servings, serving size 3/4 cup

Ingredients

· 1 1/2 cups hard wheat berries

· 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

· 2 stalks celery, finely chopped

· 1/2 cup tart dried cherries or cranberries, chopped

· 1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped

· 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro leaves

· 3 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 tablespoons lemon juice

· Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large pot combine the wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches over the wheat berries. Let soak overnight. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Drain and let cool. Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes or spread on a baking sheet in a 350o F oven for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, nuts, celery, dried cherries, scallions, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.


Excellent source of: Fiber, Vitamin K, Manganese Good source of: Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Copper, Iron

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Basic Whole Wheat Pancakes

3 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

3-4 cups buttermilk*

Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquids. Stir just until mixed. Fry on hot oiled griddle or skillet. To make a lighter pancake you may separate the eggs and stir the egg yolks into the batter. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them gently into the batter.

· To use milk instead of buttermilk omit soda and increase baking powder to 4 tsp.

Add 1-2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Freeze leftover pancakes and reheat in microwave.

Cinnamon Struesel Whole Wheat Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Struesel Whole Wheat Coffee Cake

Streusel topping

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt (if you use unsalted butter)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour ( 6 oz.)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

1 cup brown sugar, light or dark

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Cake

3/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt (1 ¼ teaspoons if you use unsalted butter)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1 1/4 cups milk (anything from skim to whole)

3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (15 oz)

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, or two 9" round cake pans.

2) Make the topping by whisking together the sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter, stirring till well combined. Set the topping aside.

3) Make the filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon Set it aside.

4) To make the cake: In a large bowl, beat together the butter, salt, sugars, baking powder, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.

5) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6) In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream or yogurt and milk till well combined. You don't need to whisk out all the lumps.

7) Add the flour to the butter mixture alternately with the milk/sour cream mixture, beating gently to combine.

8) Pour/spread half the batter (a scant 3 cups) into the prepared pan(s), spreading all the way to the edges. If you're using two 9" round pans, spread 1 1/3 cups batter in each pan.

9) Sprinkle the filling evenly atop the batter.

10) Spread the remaining batter atop the filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you were making a marble cake. Don't combine filling and batter thoroughly; just swirl the filling through the batter.

11) Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.

12) Bake the cake until it's a dark golden brown around the edges; medium-golden with no light patches showing on top, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes for the 9" x 13" pan, 50 to 55 minutes for the 9" round pans. When pressed gently in the middle, the cake should spring back.

13) Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.



100% Whole Wheat Bread

100 % Whole Wheat Bread for Bread Machine

Place in order in the pan to the bread machine, making sure the paddles are in place:

1 ¼ to ½ cups hot water
1/3 cup oil
¼ cup honey
4 ½ cups fresh milled whole wheat flour ( 18 oz)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vital wheat gluten (optional)
Make a small well in the middle of the flour and place:

2 tsp. Yeast

Bake on desired setting.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Whole-Grain Brownies


So moist, rich, and deeply, darkly chocolate, you won't believe these brownies are made from whole wheat. Their texture is greatly improved if you wait 24 hours before cutting them. Why? The wait gives the wheat bran a chance to soften and "disappear," texture-wise.


· 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

· 2 cups light brown sugar

· 3/4 cup cocoa

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional but recommended

· 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

· 4 large eggs

· 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour,

· 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan; line the pan with parchment paper if desired.

2. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.

3. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly just till it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F) but not bubbling. Don't worry if it separates; just stir it briefly to recombine a bit. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder if using, and vanilla.

5. Add the eggs, stirring till smooth.

6. Then add the flour and chips, again stirring till smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

7. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs, but not raw batter. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven, and cool completely on a rack.

8. Cover and let sit overnight before cutting and serving; this gives the bran a chance to soften and become "invisible" in your mouth.

Yield: 2 dozen 2" brownies.

Taken from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies 100% Whole Wheat

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies 100 % Whole Wheat

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Baking Temperature: 375 o F

Baking Time: 12- 13 minutes

¾ cup (1 ½) sticks, 6 ounces) butter

1 cup (7 ½ ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon espresso power (optional) { I do use this}

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup (3 5/8 ounces) light corn syrup or brown sugar corn syrup

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 large eggs

2 ¼ cups (9 ounces) whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, then stir in the sugar. Heat until the mixture is just beginning to bubble. Remove it from the burner or microwave, transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chips, stir until melted and allow it to cool to lukewarm.

Stir in the vanilla, salt, baking soda, espresso power (if using), baking powder, corn syrup and vinegar. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition, then the flour, stirring to combine, and finally mix in the remaining 2 ½ cups chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough, covered, overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375oF. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through (top to bottom, bottom to top and reversing each front to back), until they’re just beginning to brown around the edges 12 to 13 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the pan, using a turner to loosen them after 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Things I learned along the way- 1) either weigh the flour or stir the flour with a fork to loosen it up before measuring, then lightly spoon into a cup and level- too much whole wheat flour will make the cookies dry. 2)don’t over bake the cookies –they will look under baked but finish baking and firming the 5 minutes they sit on the hot baking sheet 3) store air tight

Wheat Berry Hummus Recipe

Wheat Berry Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon jalapeno peppers, seeded & coarsely sliced, or more if you like it hot
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1/4 tsp mustard seeds .
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds .
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, coarsely sliced .
  • 1 1/2 c cooked wheat berries .
  • 1 1/4 c pitted black olives .
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil .
  • 1/2 tsp salt.
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice or red wine vinegar
  • sliced fresh parsley or fresh cilantro (to garnish) .

Directions

  • Step #1 With food processor/blender running, , drop jalepeno pepper, garlic, onions, mustard & fennel seeds and ginger through feed tube.
  • Step #2 When minced, add wheat berries, olives, oil , salt and lemon juice.
  • Step #3 Process until olives are nearly pureed.
  • Step #4 Garnish with parsley or cilantro.

Refrigerate to chill and blend flavors. Serve with crackers, chips or vegetables.

Personal Notes

To cook wheat berries, soak overnight in pan covered with water. Rinse. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Rinse and drain well.