Please begin this time with prayer.....
More on Wheat
So far we have discussed the importance of wheat in your storage, briefly touched other grains and talked about water storage.
After this week, we will be talking about other things. I haven’t wanted to move on until you are comfortable with wheat. I have heard from several of you that you are cooking with wheat and your families have done fine with it and getting much more healthy! WOO HOO!
Challenge–One more week to make something with wheat, next week we are moving on to other grains.
Also if you have any grains recipes, that you would like to share please send them to me, so I can pass them along. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In addition to baking, here are a few more things you can do with wheat:
Wheat Berries
In a crock pot cook 3 cups water and 1 cup of wheat for 8 hours or so. You now have wheat berrieds. Put them in a container in your fridge and add to hamburger dishes, casseroles, soups etc.
Bulgar
Bulgar is probably one of the easiest whole wheat food to prepare and is very versatile. Bulgar can be used to replace rice in most dishes, for breakfast, snacks, salads, add to soups, chili or any of your meat, to extend it (ie taco’s spaghetti, etc.)
To Make:
1 - Place wheat in saucepan with enough water to cover over wheat 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let rest 1-2 hours.
2 - Add more water if needed and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let rest another 1-2 hours.
Drain (save water for soups, other cooking or watering plants.
3 - Dry this in over at 200* for 1 hour. When it is dry, it is ready to use.
Bulgar Wheat Pilaf
3 cups veggie stock or water if using water, add 2 cups bulgar wheat 1 head celery, sliced 1 large onion, sliced bring water to boil, add veggies, simmer 5 minutes add bulgar wheat, bring back to boil, cover and simmer 25 minutes, remove from heat and let stand 5 mor more minutes. Use as a side dish, alternative to rice. Or add more veggies, such as mushrooms, peas, green beans, etc for a one pot supper.
Bulgar Wheat Pilaf#2
2 parts broth, veggie or ? 1 part bulgar wheat 1 onion, chopped 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup fresh green beans, 1 inch pieces 1 teaspoon each thyme and marjoram or sage salt and pepper to taste put liquid in saucepan bring to boil, add everything else, bring back to boil, reduce to low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for another 10 minutes.
Bulgar Breakfast Bowl
3 cups basic bulgar
½ cup water
Heat Bulgar in water, serve hot with milk and sweeten to taste–add fruit if desired.
Health Nut Cereal
1/2 c. of each: Brown rice Cracked wheat or Bulgar Oatmeal (thick rolled oats)Wheat flakes
Simmer the first 3 ingredients in 3 to 4 quarts water for 45 minutes. Add the last two ingredients, and simmer for 30 more minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Use daily for breakfast by heating desired amount of cereal in microwave in glass container till hot. Add milk if desired and top with granola. All ingredients are available in health food stores.
Tabulah
1 c. Bulgar wheat 1 c. water
Soak wheat in water for 20 minutes. Add: 2/3 c. lemon juice 1/2 can tomato paste 1 bunch parsley, chopped fine 1 bunch scallions, chopped fine 2 green peppers, chopped fine 2 sm. cucumbers, chopped fine 2 tomatoes, chopped fine. Add salt if needed, chill and serve in pita (pocket bread)
Taco’s
1 lb. ground beef 1/2 c. chopped onion 2-3 tsp. chili powder or taco seasoning 1/4 tsp. salt 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce 1 (8 oz.) can tomato juice 1/2 c. shredded carrots 1/3 c. Bulgar wheat (opt.) Tortilla chips 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
In a 10" skillet, cook hamburger and onion until onion is tender. Drain and stir in salt, and spices, cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, tomato juice, carrots and bulgar wheat. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over tortilla chips. Add cheddar cheese over top.
A little variation on this contributed by Linda Packer
Using Wheat in Our Everyday Meals
Wheat is ideal for cereals, soups, salads, main dishes. The usual pro-portions to cook are 1 part wheat to 2 parts water plus ½ to 1 tsp salt. Wheat can be steamed, cooked in a crock pot, pressure cooker or by oven. Preheat oven to 300* F Combine wheat and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and place in oven, Turn oven off. Leave undisturbed overnight or for about 8 hours. Thermos Method-Preheat 1 quart thermos with boiling water. Boil 1 cup wheat and 2 cups water for 3 minutes. Place in thermos. seal and let stand overnight.
Cook enough whole wheat to last a week. The ready to use wheat may be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 1 cup wheat makes 4-6 servings. You can also freeze ready to use wheat, freeze in one cup portions. Serve cooked wheat in the place of rice, in casseroles, chili, spaghetti sauce. sloppy joe’s. soups, stews. salads, sandwich spreads, etc.
Yummy Tuna Salad recipe using cooked wheat
1 can tuna 1/3 cup diced celery
½ cup cooked wheat 1 tsp onion
½ cup salad dressing
Blend together and serve, Decisions on a leaf of lettuce, with a dill pickle, good for sandwiches with a slice of tomato. great to stuff a tomato or eat on crackers....Thank you Linda!
Sprouting Wheat
It is virtually impossible for a family to store enough fresh vegetables to last a long period of time,. By sprouting seeds fresh vegetables are only 2-3 days away, year round. Nutritionally dried seeds grains and legumes provide only a small portion of the total nutrients the body requires. Once they are sprouted, the vitamins minerals, amino acids and proteins can increase from 2 ½ times to 60 times when the seed is sprouted.
Most home baked goods can be enhanced by adding sprouts. Substitute 1 cup spouts in any recipe for ½ cup flour. and ½ cup liquid. Chop spouts or leave whole. You can add to salad’s, soups, dips etc.
Almost all seeds are sprouted the same way, with only a few exceptions. After a few tries you will find out what state your family likes the best.
Equipment Needed:
quart jar, piece of gauze or nylon stocking and strong rubber band.
Instructions
Place 1/4 cup wheat in quart jar and cover with 2 cups warm water.
Soak 6-8 hours or overnight.
Secure fabric on top of jar with rubber band
Place jar in warm dark place.
Dump water off wheat and rinse
Rinse seeds at least 3 times each day always draining well
When sprouts attain desired length, store sprouts in fridge to retard further growth, (2-3 days)
Important notes:
Do not sprout tomato. potato, as they are poisonous or treated garden seeds.
When using sprouts in bread, do it at the end of the mixing process.
Other grains can be sprouted, we will cover those details in the grains section
Sauteed Sprouts
1 cup raw sprouts of choice
1 T onion flakes
2 T butter
tsp soy sauce
Melt butter in frying pan, then add onion and sprouts. Saute 3-5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, serve hot.
Wheat grass
Wheat Grass is also known as a blood purifier. To obtain this grass, after you have soaked your wheat, put in a tray and cover with a damp cloth between rinsing. Let grow for more than 3 days into a very thin grass blade about 6-7 days. Then clip grass with scissors and utilize them with liquids.
Gluten-also known as "Wheat Meat"–This is a huge section of Wheat cooking–I think I am going to save it for a later time. I think you have enough information right now to get acquainted with wheat. Next week we will be discussing other grains.
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QUESTION....How long does whole wheat stay fresh if stuck in the freezer immediately after it has been grounded?
Flour does not keep forever and is more susceptible to spoilage than you might think. If flour is stored improperly or for too long, it can develop an off flavor or give unpredictable results in baking. Flour can absorb moisture from the air. The fat from the germ in whole grain flours can go rancid with time.
Refined white flour can be stored at room temperature for six to 12 months in a tightly covered container. Whole-wheat flour keeps for less than a month at room temperature, so store it in a tightly covered container in the freezer; it will stay fresh for up to a year. You can use the flour directly from the freezer. It will keep 3-4 months without diminishing nutrition.
QUESTION...I've had wheat in my cans for the last 20 years. If it has not been grounded yet is it still full if nutrition or at least some?
Answer: Flour cannot be stored as long as wheat and should never be stored near apples, onions. potatoes, etc. as they will cause the flour to have an odor or flavor. Whole wheat or white flour stored for more that 5 years results in off flavored bread and reduced loaf volume, Whole grain wheat stored for 25 years then ground yielded excellent loaf volume and flavor. Whole wheat flour includes the wheat germ and cannot be stored as long as white flour without developing a rancid taste.
Here's a recipe for whole wheat pizza crust Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (from allrecipes.com) 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 1/2 cups warm water 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1) In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy. 2) Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 3) When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled. 4) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables. 5) Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.
FYI-There is a condition called Celiac Disease, which is a disorder that causes problems in your intestines when you eat gluten, which is in wheat, rye, barley and oats. You can do a search on the Internet to find out more about it. If you have a family member with this problem, you need to up the storage of other grains for them.
Please begin your time with prayer. Ask the spirit to teach you what you need to know for your family and personal circumstances.
Follow Up from last Week:
Assignment: Cook something with wheat in it
I have heard back from some of you that have done this and your families did ok with it! WOO HOO!
You can take your regular recipes that use flour and substitute wheat flour in them.
Here is a guide for substituting wheat flour for white flour in the recipes you already use:
It takes about a pound of wheat to make a pound of bread.
It takes 2/3 C. wheat to make 1 C. of flour.
It takes 2 C. of wheat for a small loaf of bread, approximately.
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My "Tia" Ferna sent this along to me–Thank you!
Dear Paula.
I have a few notes on Wheat Storage" Wheat Flour for White Flour substitution.
1 cup minus 2T. wheat Flour =I cup white Flour
Hints for Using wheat.
1. If possible, grind wheat just before you use it to retain its full nutrition. it is rich vitamin E and wheat germ, both of which are lost after grinding.
2 Wheat sprouts are good as snacks or in salads. The sprouts add Vitamin C and Vitamin A to your diet.
3. Uses for wheat;
a. flour b. cereal c. chili d. substitute for potatoes in stew e. substitute for rice in fruit salad [cooked] f. Add [cooked] to tossed Salad. g. Cereal: 2 cups water & 1 cup wheat with a little salt in a slow cooker, makes a great hot cereal in the morning if cooked all night. Brown sugar and Soy Silk Creamer makes a tasty dish for breakfast.
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Week # 2- GrainsAs you know we talked last week about wheat. There are other grains you can use to add variety. If you add other grain do not reduce your wheat more than 300 lbs per person per year. I am not including any recipes for grains right now. We will cover usage of these grains later on. Right now I want you to get familiar with wheat. This information is strictly educational, so you can decide what you need in the grain section.
Find which level you are on to find amounts needed:
| 3 months | 6 month | 1 year amounts |
Wheat | 75 lbs | 150 lbs | 300 lbs |
Grains | 25 lbs | 50 lbs | 100 lbs |
BARLEY--Great to give soups added zest, excellent as a hot drink, pudding, also used in bread, muffins, pastry, cereal
BUCKWHEAT - Can be used in breads, pancakes, muffins, cereals, etc.
CORN--This stores well whole. You can sprout it, cook it into soups, grind into flour for corn bread and tortillas. A great change of pace from other grains Corn was an important staple to the early pioneers. Sometimes they used it whole as in corn chowder, but more often than not it was made into corn tortilla’s, corn muffins and mush. Popcorn also fits into this are. Popcorn is a great morale booster and a great "stress" food–when we do the section on "stress busters" we will talk about this in detail.
OATS–Is great as a cereal, in muffins, granola, breads, pies. It can be also used as a sub for white flour when ground into flour. Mixed with other grains will make stronger flavors more mild. Oats come in Oat Groats which is it’s whole grain form that will store for a long time. Oatmeal, which is rolled oat groats will weevil much faster. It will need to be rotated more often. If it is not sealed in cans, you need to put it in the freezer in zip loc bags to keep out the moisture about 48 hours to kill the weevil larvae and then keep it the zip bags to store it.
RICE--Brown rice has high protein value (wheat has 53.5 % per pound, brown rice has 37.5 %. Can be used in all kinds of cooking, cereals, main dishes, ground into flour for bread etc. Brown rice will go rancid quickly so it needs to be stored in the freezer. It is hard to store long term.
PASTA - Pasta is also in the grains group. It is a familiar food, easy to cook with, because it is bland it is good help with upset tummies, not used to the other grains. Nutritionally not as high as whole grains, but adds a nice variety Pasta needs to be rotated more often than your grains, keep that in mind as you add it to your storage.
RYE--Rye has all the amino acids needful for your body--excellent breads, scones, pancakes, and cereals.
MILLET–Used in cereals, soup, and casseroles as well as breads
FLOUR is needs to be rotated more often than whole grains. It needs to be kept in an airtight container. It must be rotated. The main purpose in food storage for this to this would be to help you make the transition to wheat in your diet, also good for medical needs, and other misc. things. Please send questions, comments, your recipes, your experiences, to share!!!
Wheat Grinder
FYI - We learned that it takes about 1,250 cranks on the "back to basics" hand grinder to make a loaf of bread. If you are making several loaves of bread, you will need everyone who is eating to help with this process. It is a "Little Red Hen’ project! FYI it takes twice as many turns of the crank on our BIG electric grinder (that converts to manual with a handle) than it does for the "back to basics".
Bread Basics:
In the wintertime and in a cold house, bread takes longer to rise. So, here is an idea to help with that. On TOP of the stove, you are using to bake your bread in, put a large roasting pan and put the pans inside of it to rise. It works great!
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Assignment this week:: Keep practicing with wheat. You should all have the recipes from last week, or better yet use your own with the guidelines listed above. Before we move on with other cooking, we need to get more familiar with wheat.
Just an idea. In our family we have divided up the preparedness topics and everyone in the family is in charge of an area....we have done this since our children were little. It not only helps but it is good for them to emotionally be better prepared, because they are helping and doing something about an unpleasant situation that could come.
Scarlet Runner Beans
