Making Your Own Sprouted Flour

If you are liking the idea about sprouting your own grains to make breads, then you might like this idea.

After you sprout the grains, place them in a food dehydrator or oven and dry them.  Store for later use to be milled into flour for your baking.  How easy is that!!??  And much healthier than buying flour that has already been milled.

150 degrees is as hot as you want to go when dehydrating the sprouted grains.  (Wheat berries may take up to 7 hours to dry.)  So, dry the grains accordingly.

There are so many ways to grind grains....grain mill...food grinder...bullet...vita-mixer...coffee grinder...

Here are some awesome websites I have found....
www.sproutpeople.com
www.kellythekitchencop.com
www.thenourishinggourmet.com
Book to read "Nourishing Traditions:  The cookbook that challenges politically correct nutirition..." 

Ezekiel Bread FYI

If you are wanting to eat healthier bread, hot dog buns, hamburger buns and even tortillas, but don't really feel like sprouting your own grains and making your own bread, you can find Ezekiel Bread at Meijer, Super Marsh on Wheeling, Winding Way Farms and Downtown Farm Stand.  If you go to Meijer it is in the frozen section across from the frozen chicken in a bag in the bottom of the open freezer section and back in the corner by the ice cream at Marsh.  :-)

I bought two loaves at Meijer....1cinnamon raisin Ezekiel and 1 sesame seed Ezekiel.  Would you know it???  They were sold out of the regular Ezekiel.  The man who stocks the bread was actually there while I was shopping and he said that he had just filled the bin 2 days before!  I told him there would be a lot of people buying it and he said he would tell Meijer that they need to stock more.  I LOVE it!!!

Let me know what you find and what you think of the taste.  I can't wait to buy the tortillas, hamburger and hot dog buns!

The cinnamon raisin bread tastes awesome toasted with homemade butter on it!  I just shared 2 pieces with the kids.  :-)  They even ate the crust!  LOL

Safer Shopping Tips for Children's Products

Go to www.cosmeticdatabase.com  Scroll down to the shopper's guide to safe cosmetics...click on get the guide.  Print and carry in your wallet at all times!!

"With no required safety testing, cosmetics companies can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks.  Read labels before you buy."

Children's Products
1.  Avoid boric acid and sodium borate in diaper cream
2.  Avoid 2-bromo-2-nitropro-pane-1, 3-diol in baby wipes (I found that Pampers Sensitive is the only wipe without this ingredient.)
3.  Avoid toothpaste with fluoride for children under 2 (Whole Foods sells a Weleda brand that is very safe.)
4.  Avoid play makeup like lipstick, perfume and nail polish

Sunscreens

My new love....Badger sunscreen.  It works and is waterproof!  Thank you JG!




Go to www.cosmeticdatabase.com  Scroll down to the shopper's guide to safe cosmetics...click on get the guide.  Print and carry in your wallet at all times!!

"With no required safety testing, cosmetics companies can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks.  Read labels before you buy."

Sunscreens
1.  Stay in the shade from 10am to 4pm
2.  Wear a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing
3.  Use SPF 30 or higher
4.  Avoid sprays and the ingredient oxybenzone
5.  Use 7% or higher zinc oxide or titanium dioxide
6.  Avoid added bug repellent

Safer Shopping Tips

1.  Use fewer, simpler products.
2.  Don't trust claims like "dermatologist-tested," "natural," or "organic."  Read the ingredient label instead.
3.  Take label warnings seriously.  They indicate hazardous chemicals.
4.  Look up your products' reviews at EWG's www.cosmeticdatabase.com (Side note...if you look up something Burt's Bees in the database they will have some bad numbers due to the fact that the database lumps all fragrances together synthetic or natural.  But Burt's does use natural fragrance.)

Products to Avoid when Shopping

Go to www.cosmeticdatabase.com  Scroll down to the shopper's guide to safe cosmetics...click on get the guide.  Print and carry in your wallet at all times!!

"With no required safety testing, cosmetics companies can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks.  Read labels before you buy."

Products to AVOID....
1.  Anti-aging creams---with lactic, glycolic, AHA and BHA acids
2.  Hair dyes---with ammonia, peroxide, p-phenylenediamine, diaminobenzene, all dark permanent hair dyes.  (Whole Foods carries a safe line.)
3.  Liquid hand soaps---with triclosan (Note:  wowgreen now sells an awesome foaming hand soap that is SAFE!!!  I sell wowgreen.  ;-)  www.wowgreen.net/147848 )
4.  Nail polish and removers---with formaldehyde (Sally's carries the formaldehyde free polish and Whole Foods carries a remover.)
5.  Skin lighteners---with hydroquinone

Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid when Cosmetic Shopping

Go to www.cosmeticdatabase.com  Scroll down to the shopper's guide to safe cosmetics...click on get the guide.  Print and carry in your wallet at all times!!

"With no required safety testing, cosmetics companies can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks.  Read labels before you buy."

Ingredients to look for and AVOID in your cosmetics....
1.  DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea---toxic contaminants
2.  Fragrance and dyes---allergies, cancer, nervous system
3.  Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone---allergies, nervous system
4.  Parabens or "-paraben"---hormone effects, studies have shown parabens inside breast cancer tumors
5.  "PEG" and "-eth"---toxic contaminants
6.  Sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate---skin damage, toxic contaminants
7.  Triclosan and triclocarban---thyroid and environmental concerns
8.  Triethanolamine (TEA)---allergies, toxic contaminants


**April 2, 2012.  Sorry to say the safe cosmetics guide is no longer free to download.  But if you can spare the $5.00 donation, it is $5.00 well spent and will go to a wonderful cause. 

Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. A MUST read and print.

Go to www.foodnews.org  Enter your email address, first name and zip code and print off this guide.  Keep this in your wallet.  THIS IS A MUST TO HAVE with you at all times.  I did make a couple of changes.  :-)

If you can't buy the foods on the Dirty Dozen list organic....DON'T BUY THEM!!!  These 12 foods are produced using high levels of pesticides and other chemicals that are harmful to you and your children.  

Look at prices closing when you are shopping, if I can buy any of the Clean 14, in the organic bin and the price is not drastic, I still will buy organic.  I would rather support organic than conventionally growing any day.

Dirty Dozen+2 ---buy these organic or don't buy them at all...seriously.  Remember DownTown Farm Stand has everything and it is ORGANIC!  If you can't make it to DTFS Meijer has a pretty good selection of Organic, but I would rather support my local small business.
1.  Apples (worst)
2.  Celery (worst)
3.  Strawberries (worst)
4.  Peaches
5.  Spinach 
6.  Nectarines (imported)
7.  Grapes (imported)  (I have bee buying organic raisins since organic grapes are hard to find in the winter.)  (Note:  Organic raisins are delicious!  So soft and fresh tasting.)
8.  Sweet Bell peppers (Buy these when you can fresh, clean, slice and freeze for stirfry in the winter)
9.  Potatoes
10.  Blueberries (domestic)
11.  Lettuce
12.  Carrots (my addition :-) )
13.  Corn (I moved this from the Clean 15.  It is NOT clean if it is genetically modified.  So, I moved it to the dirty dozen.  It does have pesticides in it, when the seed from which it grew had pesticides genetically injected into the seed and covers the plant for the inside as the stalk and ears grow. Gross.)


Clean 14 ---lowest in pesticides, can buy conventional (not organic)
1.  Onions
2.  Avocado
3.  Pineapple
4.  Mangos
5.  Sweet Peas
6.  Asparagus
7.  Kiwi
8.  Cabbage
9.  Eggplant
10.  Cantaloupe (domestic)
11.  Watermelon
12.  Grapefruit
13.  Sweet potato
14.  Honeydew melon

Just remember scrub, scrub, scrub!!!!  I use a white dish pan, fill it half way with cool water, 1/2-1 cup white vinegar (Heinz brand or organic only!) and 3 drops of grapefruit seed extract.  Stir.  This makes a great spa for your fruits and veggies.  Scrub with a soft brush and rinse well.  Enjoy!!

Sprouted Ezekiel Bread

 Ok, so here is where it all begins....

(Note:  This bread is Highly Beneficial to all blood types...O, A, B, AB

Drive to your local health food store, Winding Way Farms, Downtown Farm Stand or Indy to Whole Foods.  :-)  The Carmel store has an AWESOME bulk section.

Buy the following.....(I bought more and I am storing the grains in my glass quart canning jars (wide mouth)  thank you again MK for that idea! (see below) :-) for later use).

Sprouted Ezekiel Bread
2 1/2 cups hard red wheat berries
1 1/2 cups spelt
1/2 cup barley (hulled)
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup lentils (green preferred) (omit if you are Type O or B)
2 Tbsp great northern beans
2 Tbsp pinto beans
2 Tbsp red kidney beans (substitute adzuki beans if you are Type O, A and AB)

(Note:  I was confused at first because Type O, B and A are not to eat wheat....but the first ingredient in Ezekiel bread is 2.5 cups of hard red wheat berries.  But what happens is that when the grains/seeds are sprouted the gluten lectins (principally found in the seed coats) are destroyed by the sprouting process.  Ezekiel and Essene breads are live foods with many beneficial enzymes intact.)

In the evening, combine all the ingredients above in their dry state.  I used a big batter bowl.  Then pour the mixed grains into 4 glass quart wide mouth canning jars and covered the grains with reverse osmosis water.  Make sure you use pure, clean water here.  Cut a piece of cheesecloth and place over the top of the jar and use the ring to keep the cheesecloth in place.  Let jars sit over night with the water soaking the grains.  

In the morning, drain the water off of the grains, fill again with clean water shake the jars and pour off water (use a turning motion of the jars so that the grains are all getting rinsed as you pour off the water.)  Shake the jars to get the excess water out.  Place all 4 quart jars in a tub or some sort of a container due to the water continuing to drain off of the grains.  See picture below. 

Note:  Sprouting time may take 3-4 days. 

At different times today, rinse the water 2-3 times before going to bed.  Each time shake and turn the jar to make sure all the grains are getting wet.  The grains cannot sprout without moisture.

You are going to do this for the next 2-3 days.  Keep watching, you will see sprouts sooner than you think!

When you start to see the beans sprout, it is time to make bread!!

(Note:  DO NOT refill the jars with water and let them soak in the water.  You are letting them sit upside down at an angle with NO added water in the jars for the next 2-3 days.  Sitting them at an angle allows for air flow which will allow for the sprouting process.  I just left mine sit out on the counter top.)

The goal is for the sprouts on the grains to be the length of the grain, the beans will just start to show sprouts.  Do not rinse before you grind, you don't want the grains too wet.

Note:  After 2 days of sprouting, hard red wheat berries become very sweet.

Make sure you save your cheesecloth squares for next time.  I used wowgreen dish soap and hand washed them and layed them out to dry, until next use.

So, now for mushing time. (Note:  If you store your yeast in the refrigerator get it out and bring it to room temperature now.)   I am just using my food processor with my S blade.  I added half to 3/4 of the grains from 1 jar in my food processor and began processing. 

You will want to stop and scrape down the sides after 30 seconds.  The little sprouts fly off and stick to the side of the food processor, so you want to make sure they are getting mixed up with the grains.  You will notice a "live" smell from the grains (sort of reminds me of in the summer when the farmers cut and bail hay, that smell).  You want to process the grains in the food processor for about 3 minutes, the grains will actually resemble a ham salad texture.  The dough will form into a ball in the food processor, keep you eyes on it now..... then the dough will break apart.  You want to stop processing then (do not over process).  Place the dough into your kitchenaid mixer bowl, if that is what you are going to use to knead the dough or some large bowl. 

If you have a grain mill you can use it here, but I have read it is good to oil your blades first.  And always make sure to clean, dry and store your blades to your mill in an area that is not damp, otherwise your blades will rust. 

Ok, there are soooo many different opinions, ideas and options on what to do next, but I am just going to blog for now on what I am doing.  Then I will give later ideas.

I am going to make 2 loaves.  1 Regular Ezekiel and the second Cinnamon Raisin.

So, I place the dough I just processed into my large kitchenaid mixer bowl and added the following.....

1/2 cup honey (I use organic raw)

1/3 cup organic canola oil (can probably use vegetable here, but if you have vegetable oil try to make the switch to organic canola)

2 Tsp salt

2 Tbsp yeast (room temperature, never use cold)
Ground organic barley (flour)***

Start Kitchenaid mixer on Speed 2...if the dough is too dry add warm water by a tablespoon at a time until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.  Shot off mixer and scrape down the sides as you go.  Knead for 10 minutes, stopping at 5 minutes and allowing your mixer to cool down for a few minutes.

Place a drizzle of about 2-3 lines of evoo in the bottom of your bread pan you are going to bake the bread in.  Now take half of the dough out of your mixer and place it in the oiled bread pan, smooth the top of the dough.  

Now add the following to the remaining dough in the mixer...

1 cup organic raisins

1 Tablespoon organic cinnamon

Knead just until the raisins and cinnamon are incorporated in the dough.

Now, oil a second bread.loaf pan with evoo.  Place the remaining dough in this pan, smooth the top.

Preheat your oven at the 400 degree setting for 1 minute.  Turn oven off and place both loaf pans in the oven.  Let them rise for 1 hour or until the dough is 1/2 inch from the top of the bread pan. 

Remove from oven, preheat oven to 300 and let the loaves bake for 1.5 to 2 hours.  (If you have time try 250 for 3-4 hours, the lower and slower the bread bakes preserves the freshness of the sprouted grains.)

Some have suggested to wait a day or 2 before serving as the flavor intensifies.  We will store ours in the refrigerator as I have a nasty mold allergy.  :-)

I will keep you posted as I enter this new adventure!!!!  Happy sprouting and baking!!!!  We will be eating bread that is sooooooooo full of nutrition, I can't wait!!

I will also being attempting my hand at Essene (Bread).  I will post more later.

Remember bread baking is an art not a science.  If this does not turn out the first time, try again!

***Ok, so I made this and the bread turned out waaaaaaay too dense and moist.  So, I started buying Ezekiel bread for Meijer.  While I was reading the ingredients, I noticed that they use barley flour...so that is the missing puzzle piece...you have to add the barley flour to dry up the "dough" before baking.

I will post more as I try this with the barley flour.  :-)



Eat Right 4 Your Type

Well, I have a new love...it's the book "Eat Right 4 Your Type."  Dr. D'Adamo has written this book after his father and himself have devoted many many years into researching that each blood type requires a different diet.  He breaks down the information into 3 major categories...Highly beneficial (which is food that is so wonderful for your body that your body treats it like taking in medicine)...Neutral (your body simply treats this list of foods as food)....and Avoids (the foods in this category are like poison in your body).  As my friend Sharyll said..."We all have different personalty types, gifts from God, fingerprints...why wouldn't each person need to eat differently according to their blood type."  (I thought that was WELL said.  :-)  )

I have never seen healthy eating that makes this much sense.  This is sooooo easy to understand.  I have to thank Mackenzie at www.justtryingtolivebetter.blogspot.com   I went onto her blog the other day to get her ratio for making my own facial toner and skimmed through her newest blogs and I has HOOKED instantly.  I bought the book and I can't put it down.  And I am having a blast on his website looking for new recipes http://www.dadamo.com/ 

Mackenzie has also made an amazing list in Excel of the foods that should be eaten by each blood type.  Email me or her if you want the list.

So....my first area I have picked to change is one that is very common when people make the change to the diet that is right for their blood type....wheat.  Do you know that wheat is practically in every single thing we eat!!!!  Well, not that bad, but it feels like it at first.  LOL  So, I have started the adventure of making my own bread.  It is called Sprouted Ezekiel or Essene (Manna) Bread.  And oh is this AMAZING!!!!!

You go to a health food store to buy your grains, I bought mine from Whole Foods, but I would check out our Downtown Farm Stand and possibly even the Health Food store on McGalliard and you buy your grains.  This is how flour begins, as a grain of wheat, spelt, barley, whatever type of bread you are baking.  It's in it's purest state, the way God intended it, when Organic.  Not the while powdery substance we have all come to know as the basis to all of our baking called BLEACHED WHITE FLOUR.  YUCK!!!  It has NOOOOOOO nutrition in it!!!  Everything has been stripped away, bleached away....yucked away!  We eat this, and guess what???  It fills our bellies, but provides nothing to our being or health.  Nothing.

So, over Christmas, this is where it gets weird, a good friend of mine Leslie, baked this bread called Ezekiel bread.  I was curious and started asking her questions, since I had stopped buying bread and had been baking all of ours at home.  I felt good about this.  Really good and was saving money at the same time.  So, I ask Leslie about this bread and she gives me the recipe.  And the recipe begins with milling your own flour.

Then months later (present), I am reading "Eat Right 4Your Type" and low and behold guess what bread they say is Highly Beneficial for me and my family????  You guessed it....Ezekiel bread.

So, I start doing the research.  As I am researching, Ezekiel bread is sometimes referred to as Sprouted Bread...what?!?!  What's sprouted bread??  So, my research continued...and currently I have 3 glass quart jars sitting in my appliance garage (in the dark) in my kitchen with grains in them doing what????...you guessed it... sprouting. 

Read my next blog.  :-)