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To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. - January 2012 Newsletter

A MESSAGE FROM PEGGY

Jeff Sutton

I’m amazed at my renewed joy for life lately. Simply by entrusting some of the day–to–day business decisions to my new office and facility managers, and my dear husband’s offer to “hold down the fort” at our facility on a regular basis, I am rediscovering my home and all the wonderful things I enjoy. As a matter of fact, I believe I shall plant a garden this spring (first time in four years), make our favorite Gouda, Swiss, and aged goat cheeses, and I can’t wait to share new recipes for sprouted grains, legumes, and flours with you as my kitchen comes back to life.

This month’s recipes include Candace’s Sprouted Spelt Bread, Hearty Sprouted Bean and Barley Soup, and German Chocolate Cake. Our printer friendly recipes let you choose the ones that interest you. I’m also sharing testimonials and links to some of the most fabulous sprouted spelt crackers ever, and a scripturally supported book on nutrition. Our featured grain this month is barley.

I was talking with Ann Marie of CheeseSlave.com recently who has declared that 2012 will mark the return of grains in our diets. Believe me, eating grains never went away! although you’d think it did with all the grain–free diets, new fad books, and the latest research touting the evils of consuming grains. In my opinion, this, too, shall pass. And for all the folks avoiding grains to heal unhealthy intestinal tracts, if the protocols work, you should be enjoying properly prepared grains again as well. If you’re interested in learning how to properly prepare grains, beans, and flours and how to bake with sprouted and soaked flours, sign up for Ann Marie’s baking classes beginning in February.

Learn to Prepare Healthy Whole Grains, An Online Class.

We have received many requests to purchase raw (unsprouted) organic grains and flours from lots of you who enjoy making sourdough breads, sprouting at home, and the wonderful taste of soaked breads without the higher cost of purchasing sprouted grains and flours. We aim to meet your needs, so by March 1 all of our grains, beans, and flours will also be available unsprouted. Each order will include recipes for soaked and fermented breads and instructions for sprouting at home. Also, our sprouted oat groats will be available rolled (flaked) for your favorite breakfast cereal, cookies, and granola.

The cost of truly engaging in any relationship is to die to oneself. Often, it is to die to our selfish desires. This seems to be a simple choice though it is by no means easy. But other times it is to die to a naïve, yet simpler life. It is to choose to look at something tragic for which there are no satisfying answers. And life is never quite the same. - Naomi Zacharias Barley: Hordeum vulgare, Gramineae.

Barley: Hordeum vulgare, Gramineae

(information from answers.com)

A plant probably originally from the mountainous regions of Ethiopia and Southeast Asia. Barley is not used very much for human consumption in western countries. In Asia, northern Africa, and the Middle East it’s used as a flour or as grains to make porridge. In industrialized countries, barley is mainly used as cattle feed, in bread making, brewing (beer) and distilling (whiskey). The barley grain is oval–shaped and a milky–white color; it can also be black or purple. It must have its outer husk removed to be edible. PLEASE NOTE that To Your Health’s whole sprouted barley still has the husk intact. You cannot successfully prepare our whole sprouted barley as a cereal or porridge. To Your Health’s sprouted barley flour also contains the husk that can easily be removed using a kitchen sifter for a less fibrous flour. Removing the husk from barley grain usually involves a heat process that inhibits sprouting of the naked berries.

Hulled barley is barley that has simply had its outer husk removed, keeping virtually all of its bran. Pearl barley has undergone 5 to 6 processes of polishing by abrasion. The grain loses its germ as well as a certain amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, fat, and protein. Whole grain barley flour has a lightly sweet taste. Sprouted barley flour is great for baking cookies and batter breads. Mixed 2:2 with sprouted wheat flour it increases the sweetness of fermented and yeasted breads.

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Candace's Sprouted Spelt Bread

Candace is one of our treasured customers who is thoughtful to share one of her favorite bread recipes for all of you to enjoy. Thanks Candace!

  • 3 cups sprouted spelt flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon yeast
  • 1 ½ cups filtered water

Mix all ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Stir until all is moist. Cover and leave on the counter for 12, 24, or up to 36 hours to allow it to ferment.

Place a Dutch oven with cover or cloche in your oven and preheat to 500 degrees. While oven is heating, place a linen cloth on the counter and sprinkle with flour; scoop wet dough from bowl and let it plop onto the floured cloth. Sprinkle the top with flour and pat into a rectangle. Fold in all sides and turn over.

When the oven is hot, drop dough into Dutch oven or cloche, cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven or cloche cover and bake an additional 15 minutes. This is amazing crusty, soft on the inside, NY deli bread. Keeps well on the counter with cut side down. Marvelous toasted.

Download this recipe as PDF

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German Chocolate Cake

Photo by: Tracy Hunter. Source: wikipedia

Cake:

  • 4 oz. chopped or grated organic chocolate
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • 1 cup raw or organic butter, softened
  • 2 cups maple sugar
  • 4 pastured eggs, yolks separated from whites
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups sprouted wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons whole organic buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 round cake pans. Line each with wax paper or natural parchment.

Place chopped or grated chocolate in a small glass or ceramic bowl. Add boiling water and stir until melted. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl mix butter with sugar until fluffy. Slowly add egg yolks and blend well. Add melted chocolate and vanilla and blend well.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt together. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to your batter, beginning and ending with flour. Blend until batter is smooth.

In a clean glass or ceramic bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes). Fold the egg whites slowly into your cake batter. Don't stir or beat them in.

Divide your batter between your prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool layers 15 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Slowly remove the wax paper from each inverted layer.

Frosting (double this recipe to frost
sides of cake):

  • 1 cup light organic or raw cream
  • 1 cup coconut sap sugar or muscavado
  • 3 pastured egg yolks, beaten
  • ½ cup raw or organic butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cups flaked organic coconut
  • 1 cup crispy pecans, toasted and chopped

In a heavy saucepan on medium heat, combine cream, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla. Stir until melted and continue stirring for 12 minutes. Stir in the coconut and toasted pecans. Remove frosting from heat and let cool until firm and easy to spread. Frost a layer and place another on top. Frost top of cake (and sides if frosting recipe doubled). You can refrigerate your iced cake for a couple of hours to hold the frosting in place, but it should be fine out of the refrigerator after that. Delicious!!

Download this recipe as PDF

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Peggy's Picks

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Mrs. Citron&rsquo's Pantry

Mrs. Citron’s Pantry. www.mrscitronspantry.com – Kathleen Citron has created some of the best sprouted crackers I’ve ever eaten. For those of you who are dairy–free these fabulous morsels are made with coconut oil and not a hint of dairy! Order some today or locate a store near you that carries them. Mrs. Citron’s Pantry is a food company specializing in artisanal products. We are committed to using high quality, organic ingredients in the foods we produce. Eliminated from consideration includes refined flours, refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, canola / safflower / sunflower / vegetable oil and processed salt. You have probably heard the adage you are what you eat. At Mrs. Citron’s Pantry we believe that. We also believe that healthy and gourmet can describe the same food.

Crunchy, salty snacks have a lot of appeal. With inspiration from multiple sources, such as Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, I developed my Sprouted Spelt Crackers. I discovered To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. Their organic sprouted spelt flour was the perfect ingredient for my crackers. Delicious, rustic, flaky, buttery and satiating are frequently used to describe our Organic Sprouted Spelt Crackers. Finally guilt–free crackers made from all natural ingredients!

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Eatin’ After Eden by Dr. Sylvia Zook
www.eatinaftereden.com – Truth and truth in nutrition, a riveting read!

Dr. Zook's highly documented book of balance, Eatin' After Eden, explains scientifically and scripturally why and what kind of animal source, nutrient-dense foods we require in order to be optimally healthy for longevity. Order your 278 page copy—signed by Dr. Zook—for the low price of just $17.50 plus S&H. Be sure to check out the testimonials and endorsements!

Eatin' After Eden.

Cereals, Grains, and Phytic Acid—
A Second Look

We know that sour dough and fermenting in general have significantly reduced the level of major mineral –and trace mineral–binding phytic acid in whole grains and cereals for eons. The Holy Bible includes references to sour dough the Israelites used for leavening even before leaving Egypt thousands of years ago. However, most people in today’s busy world do not wish to deal with these time–consuming methods. Yet regular whole grains and cereals with their phytates intact may lead to nutritional deficiencies with serious related health issues. (Soy’s high phytate levels are in large part responsible for malabsorption of trace minerals iron and zinc. [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1992] According to the Journal of Nutrition [2003], phytic acid is a strong inhibitor of these nutrients, though vegetable proteins combined with cereals, both with high levels of this binder, are often fed to children and even infants.) On the bright side, studies also show that the enzyme phytase, and proper germination (sprouting) can significantly reduce the level of phytic acid so that the major minerals and trace minerals are more bioavailable. Sprouted organics to the rescue?

Not so fast! Our clinical survey plus hours of investigation and research made clear to me that it’s risky to run out and purchase just any “sprouted” food. When I investigated some of the more popular sprouted products on the market, e.g., organic whole–grain spelt flour, a superior non–hybridized, ancient wheat, for its nutrients and digestibility, I discovered that all the impressive website info and even claims of testing for phytic acid, may say little or nothing about the company’s sprouting. In fact, requests for certification of the phytic acid as a percentage of the dry weight after sprouting elicited such responses as “Testing is pricey,” or “Our scientist says our long soaking of the seed is sufficient to neutralize the phytic acid [that may be soft science according to bonafide studies I found],” and “We assume a long period of soaking neutralizes the phytic acid.” Only To Your Health Sprouted Flour Company provided test results such that I am comfortable consuming the products, and recommending them to clients and colleagues.

Results of a study by the University of Cairo (Hossam, S. E. et al. EJEAFChe, 9 (3), 2010. [958–971]) indicate that as a result of phytic acid degradation in pregerminated brown rice (PGBR), bioavailability of serum levels of zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron are significantly higher over milled or ordinary brown rice. I was pleased to discover To Your Health Sprouted Flour Company also offers sprouted cereals that allow enjoying these as well!

Sylvia Zook, PhD
www.EatinAfterEden.com

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Olympic Update with Maria Lamb.

Maria Lamb qualified for the World Cup competitions abroad in February. Check out her latest update and race and schedules at: www.marialamb.com.

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