A MESSAGE FROM PEGGY

Christmas is always a wonderful celebration with family and friends. Now that it’s over I’m ready for Spring! It’s not even New Year’s yet and only a couple of weeks into Winter, but as far as I’m concerned, Spring is right around the corner. Can you tell that I’m not a big fan of cold weather? Thankfully, in south Alabama we usually get to enjoy a few warm snaps between now and March. I hope it’s another mild Winter in the south!

I received several requests for healthy versions of cakes during the holidays. I’ve included a couple of them along with a couple of links that will take you to customer web sites and blog pages that contain great pizza and beer bread recipes. I’ve decided to expand Peggy’s Picks to include not only books, but utensils and resources to make your sprouted flour experience a great one, as well as simply sharing some of my favorite things. Please keep your comments and recipes coming. We’ll be sharing more of them this year.

I’ve included one of the newest members of our staff here at To Your Health. Roxanne has joined us as Office Manager and will also be working in sales. You’ll enjoy getting to know her and talking with her when you call the office and email us during the new year. Jeff, our sprout room manager, has been promoted to Facility Manager and will be a more integral part of the daily production in the facility. He will play a very important “behind the scenes” part in the production of the sprouted grains and flours you receive when you order from To Your Health.

With the addition and promotion of Roxanne and Jeff, my attention will be given to making our web site more educational and our products more descriptive. I will also finally undertake an “everything sprouted” cookbook that I can’t wait to share with each of you. I’m really excited about this project because I will also be spending much more time in my test kitchen learning how to bake better using ALL of our flours and grains,
especially our non–gluten grains that are becoming very popular.

We’ve received a new update from Maria Lamb who is busy competing in several international competitions. We hope you will send her some cheers and words of encouragement. This month I’m featuring kamut as our grain of the month. I think you’ll find the history and benefits interesting. Our baking tip features different baking pans to achieve great breads and baked goods.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! to each and every one of you. Also, MANY THANKS to all of you who ordered during our Free Shipping promotion. We hope to do it again.

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Kamut^®: Ancient Grain, New Cereal, by Robert M. Quinn

(Excerpt reprinted from http://www.hort.purdue.edu. A great article everyone should read in entirety.)

Kamut^® (pronounced ka–moo) is a registered trademark of Kamut International, Ltd., used in marketing products made with a remarkable grain. The new cereal is an ancient relative of modern durum wheat, two to three times the size of common wheat with 20–40% more protein, higher in lipids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and a “sweet” alternative for all products that now use common wheat. Nutritionally superior, it can be substituted for common wheat with great success. Kamut brand wheat has a rich, buttery flavor, and is easily digested. A hard amber spring type wheat with a huge humped back kernel, this grain is “untouched” by modern plant breeding programs which appear to have sacrificed flavor and nutrition for higher yields dependent upon large amounts of synthetic agricultural inputs.

The complete nutritional analysis of Kamut brand grain substantiates that it is higher in energy than other wheats. Compared to common wheat, it is higher in eight out of nine minerals; contains up to 65% more amino acids; and boasts more lipids and fatty acids. The most striking superiority of Kamut brand wheat is found in its protein level – up to 40% higher than the national average for wheat. Because of its higher percentage of lipids, which produce more energy than carbohydrates, Kamut brand can be described as a “high energy grain.”

For those suffering wheat sensitivities, Kamut brand products also play a unique role. Recent research by the International Food Allergy Association (IFAA) concluded “For most wheat sensitive people, Kamut grain can be an excellent substitute for common wheat.” Dr. Ellen Yoder, President of IFAA and a team of independent scientists and physicians reached this conclusion through their work with two different wheat sensitive populations – those who have immediate immune responses and those with delayed immune responses. In the delayed immune response group, a remarkable 70% showed greater sensitivity to common wheat than Kamut brand grain. In the immediate immune response group – the severely allergic – 70% had no, or minor, reaction to Kamut brand wheat. However, those with severe allergies should always seek the advice of a physician. Research is now underway in Austria to study gluten intolerance but is yet unfinished so no recommendations can be made for those suffering this affliction. For many wheat sensitive people, however, Kamut brand grain has become “the wheat you can eat.”

For more information on Kamut check out: www.wisegeek.com, www.wikipedia.org/wiki/kamut, www.ehow.com, and www.kamut.com.

How to cook with Sprouted Kamut Flour and Whole Sprouted Grains

Use sprouted Kamut flour for a sweet, nutty, buttery flavor. The texture is coarser than regular flour and is similar to a fine corn meal. Sprouted Kamut flour can be used in many baked goods but, except for crackers, needs to be mixed 3:1 or 2:2 with barley, oat, spelt, or wheat flour.

Sprouted Kamut grains can be cooked also. Add 3 parts water or stock to one part sprouted Kamut grains. Bring it to a boil and add ½ teaspoon sea salt. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer until tender, 1 ½ – 2 hours.

Roll sprouted Kamut grains in a grain flaker. Add 2 parts water to 1 part sprouted rolled Kamut and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–18 minutes and remove from heat. Add milk, butter, and maple syrup or honey and stir for a delicious hot cereal.

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Who Doesn’t Love Fruitcake?

This is a great cake with fruit that everyone will enjoy! Okay. I understand that some folks just can’t go there, but to the rest of us, a great fruitcake is a delight any time of the year, especially around the holidays and winter months. This is my favorite recipe. I’m not a big fan of all the candied fruits, opting for rich dried fruits instead. While my recipe calls for brushing the cake with brandy a really great Port also imparts a lovely aroma and richness to the fruity treasure.

Fruit:

• 2 cups organic sweetened, dried cranberries
• 1 cup each: organic currants or raisins and chopped unsulfured dried apricots
• 1 ¾ cups chopped dates
• ½ cup of water, cranberry juice, or brandy (brandy adds great taste and aroma)

Cake:

• 1 cup raw or organic unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups organic date or maple sugar, sucanat or rapadura
• 2 teaspoons aluminum–free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Celtic salt
• ¼ teaspoon orange oil (www.lorannoils.com or kingarthurflour.com)
• 4 large pastured eggs
• 3 ¾ cups To Your Health sprouted wheat or spelt flour
• 1 cup orange juice, preferably fresh or unpasturized
• 2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts (optional), preferably unsprayed

To prepare the fruit: combine the dried fruit with liquid in a sauce pan. Heat thoroughly, stir then set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter and flour the pans of your choice: 2 loaf pans or a bundt pan.

To prepare the cake: in a large bowl, beat together the butter, choice of sugar, baking powder, salt, and flavors. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour alternately with the orange juice. Add the undrained fruit and nuts. Spoon the batter into the buttered and floured baking pan(s), filling them ¾ full.

Bake the cake for 50–80 minutes; loaf pans will bake for the shorter length of time. When done, the cakes will be a light golden brown all over, and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.

Note: If cake is browning on top but not done in middle, tent the top with aluminum foil and bake until done in middle.

Remove the cakes from the oven. Brush with brandy or the liquor of your choice while warm (optional). When completely cooled, wrap well and let rest at least 24 hours before serving.

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This recipe comes from “No Need To Knead” by: Suzanne Dunaway.

I have substituted healthful ingredients in the place of white flour, white sugar, and shortening. Makes 1 2–layer 8–inch iced cake.

Starter:

• ½ cup warm whole organic milk (85 to 95 degrees F)
• ½ cup sprouted wheat flour or sifted sprouted spelt flour
• Pinch of active dry yeast

Measure the milk into a bowl. Add the flour and yeast and stir well to aerate the mixture and form a wet dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let ferment overnight at room temperature. In the morning, it will be bubbly and fragrant.

Cake:

• ½ cup unsalted organic butter, softened
• 4 teaspoons coconut oil
• 2 cups maple sugar or rapadura
• 2 large organic or pastured eggs
• 2 cups sprouted wheat flour or sifted sprouted spelt flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened organic cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons aluminum–free baking powder
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup organic whole milk
• ½ cup strong brewed coffee (not instant)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Foolproof Chocolate Icing

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8–inch round cake pans. In the bowl of an electric mixer set on medium speed, cream the butter, coconut oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until blended. Add the starter and mix just until incorporated.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the batter, alternating with the milk and coffee, and mix after each addition until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix well. Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed gently with a finger. Turn out onto wire racks to cool. Frost when completely cool, filling and stacking the layers.

Foolptoof Chocolate Icing:

• 1/3 cup heavy organic cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet organic chocolate (at least 88 percent), chopped fine
• 2/3 cup maple sugar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (can substitute milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup organic unsalted butter, softened

In a heavy saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat. Add the chocolate, sugar, bourbon, and vanilla, and cook stirring, until very smooth and shiny. Let cool to barely warm. Using a handheld electric mixer set on medium high or a sturdy whisk, beat in the butter until smooth. Use immediately.

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• Salazon Chocolate, The best chocolate I’ve ever eaten. I ordered a case and put it in the freezer so I won’t run out this year! Just the right amount of bitter–to–sweet with the wonderfully surprising addition of sea salt. They even have a bar with cracked black pepper.

• Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend | Summary & Study Guide, When to say YES and how to say NO to take control of your life.

• The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread: More Than 200 Wheat–Free Recipes, by Bette Hagman – some of these recipes call for questionable ingredients, but overall a good guideline book for baking with non-gluten grains.

• Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses, by Ricki Carroll – Still a great book for the novice cheese maker wanting to make great cheese at home. You can get your cultures from resources in the book or from www.culturesforhealth.com.

• An African American Cookbook: Living the Experience, by Phoebe Bailey – You’ll need to make lots of healthful substitutes for flour, fats and oils, and sweeteners, but a great guideline book for yummy dishes. The history of the Underground Railroad and other stories included in the back of the book are wonderful.

• Ann Dermody’s Beer Bread – Ann's a customer who wanted to try her beer bread recipe with To Your Health's sprouted wheat flour. It's fabulous!

• Sarah Washbourne’s Pizza Recipe – Sarah blogs Vegetarian Perspective and I was jealous to find that she has a pizza oven in her backyard, but quickly forgave her when I tried her fabulous pizza recipe! Check her blog so you can enjoy it, too!

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