A MESSAGE FROM PEGGY

Needless to say, Alabama’s spring season has brought many torrential storms, the most recent one being historical. Jeff and I are very thankful that the tornadoes were north of our area and that family and friends in the devastated areas fared well. So many folks lost loved ones, homes, and some of them everything they had. Please continue to pray for everyone affected by this tragic event.

We continue to grow and our production schedule increases each week. It’s wonderful news that so many are catching on to the great benefits of sprouted grains and flours and are trying to improve their eating habits. That’s why we love doing what we do. I have several new recipes for you in this issue: one from my winter baking class, two from Organic2Go featured in our last newsletter, and a new one from Olympian Maria Lamb. Happy baking!

I’m hesitant to mention our new products again because I keep having to push their introduction back, but I will say that we have oats, amaranth, buckwheat, kamut, and quinoa in house now and hope to begin sprouting soon.

Above is a photo of me “bird watching“ on my back porch. I’ve been watching a mother goose on her nest at the pond in our back yard. Her eggs have hatched now and the babies are swimming around the pond, right behind “mom“. It’s the cutest thing. Daddy goose is always close by, too.

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Preparing The Topping

• ½ butter, melted
• 1 cup muscovado sugar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup crispy pecans chopped or 1 ½ cups shredded organic coconut (or combination)

Making The Dough

• 5 ½ – 6 ½ cups organic sprouted wheat flour (or combination sprouted wheat and spelt flour)
• ¾ cup muscovado sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 ¾ teaspoons dry active yeast (3 packets)
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup warm filtered water
• 3 pastured eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons extra butter, softened
• ¼ cup coconut sap sugar or sucanat

1. Butter 2 9" square or round pans
2. Make topping: heat butter, sugar and maple syrup in a saucepan to dissolve sugar. Pour into 2 greased pans. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut.
3. Make dough: mix 1 ¼ cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add soft butter using mixer. Gradually add water and beat 2 minutes on medium. Add eggs with ¼ cup flour and beat 2 minutes on high.
4. Add remaining flour to dough; knead 8-10 minutes. Half dough.
5. Lightly flour surface. Roll out dough with rolling pin to approximately 9"x14" rectangle.
6. Brush on half of extra butter and sprinkle on coconut sap sugar.
7. Roll from short end to get tube 9" long.
   Cut into 1" buns.
8. Place buns into pans close together with sides touching. Let rise about 2 hours – keep
   warm and covered.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 20–25 minutes.
10. Invert onto plate immediately upon removing from oven. Apply all yummy goo to buns that might have stuck to the pans.

Note: Sometimes topping overflows in oven; but beware putting bun pans on another surface as this takes away heat from the tops of the buns. Place a drip pan on lower rack instead.

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Spring has always felt like the beginning of a new year to me. I am sure it is partially due to the fact that my last races of the season are always around the middle of March, I then have a few weeks off; slowly get back into training in April, and by May we are in full swing again.

This year, I spent my weeks off back in Wisconsin visiting my family. I had a wonderful time cooking, baking and relaxing with my family before coming back to Utah for the start of a new season. I have had some lovely bike rides out in the spring air, and as of May 1st, training for a brand new season will begin. I know if will be filled with all kinds of ups and downs, challenges and surprises, but I am so looking forward to all it will bring, I couldn't be more excited!

With birds singing, snow melting, and everything turning green and coming back to life, spring just seem to be screaming of new life and excitement! I have always loved spring and I think I always will. I wish you all a wonderful spring and if you are in the mood for something a little sweet and with a lemony zing, try the recipe below.

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From Organic2Go in The Dalles, Oregon

Yields 2 Loaves

• 2 cups warm filtered water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2–4 tablespoons honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
• 6–7 cups sprouted whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons dry active yeast
• 1 ½ tablespoons vinegar
  (optional for higher rise)

1. Measure ingredients into bowl, liquids first, then dry ingredients, using only half the flour and adding yeast last.
2. Mix gently until the flour is moistened. Continue mixing, adding flour until the dough comes away from the sides and bottom of bowl.
3. Knead according to your machine directions (8–10 minutes if kneading by hand).
4. Check thoroughness of kneading using the window pane test (see March newsletter).
   Knead more if needed.
5. Divide dough into portions and deflate.
6. Shape into loaves or rolls and place
   in greased pans.
7. Let rise until doubled or 1" above pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until
   190 degrees internal temperature.
9. Cool on racks.
10. Slice after 15 minutes, store or freeze
    after 3–5 hours.

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From Organic2Go in The Dalles, Oregon

For all new mommies or anyone wanting a yummy cookie or muffin

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup organic raw sugar (can substitute any healthy sweetener of choice)
• 1 cup organic brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons filtered water
• 2 tablespoons organic flaxseed meal
• 2 large pastured eggs
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla
• 2 cups organic sprouted wheat flour
• 1 tespoon baking soda
• 3 cups organic rolled oats
• 1 cup or more organic chocolate chips
• 1 cup of organic shopped dried apricots, cranberries, or any fruit that takes your fancy
• 3 heaping tablespoons of organic brewers yeast(this is the part that helps increase your breast milk supply)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water. Set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Stir in flaxseed mixture. Add vanilla and mix until blended.

Sift together dry ingredients except oats, chocolate chips and fruit. Add to butter mixture. Stir in oats then chips and fruit.

Scoop tablespoon sized balls out and flatten onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8–12 minutes until just golden. They’ll firm up once they’re out of the oven. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Muffins – You can modify this recipe for muffins by adding 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of blueberries. Simply mix all the wet ingredients in one bowl, the dry ingredients in another and then combine the two. Don’t over mix. Bake for 15 minutes until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.

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I’ve been too busy to read lately. Hope to find some good R&R time soon to catch up on all the great reading that’s available. If you have any favorite books you’d like to share please let me know!

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