Specialty Grain - Amaranth

In the Himalayas, Amaranth grain is a crop of moderate importance . It was one of the staple foodstuffs of the Inca civilization, and it is known today in the Andes as kiwicha.
It was also used by the ancient Aztecs, who called it huautli. Other Amerindian peoples in Mexico used Amaranth to prepare ritual drinks and foods.

Amaranth was used in several Aztec observances, where images of their gods (notably Huitzilopochtli) were made out of amaranth grain mixed with honey. The images were cut with the pieces to be eaten by the people. To the Roman Catholic priests who witnessed the ritual, this looked like the Christian Eucharist, thus the cultivation of Amaranth grain was forbidden for centuries.

Amaranth grain (especially A. cruentis and A. hypochondriaca) was revived in the 1970s largely due to its importance as a symbol of an indigenous culture, and because it is very palatable, easy to cook, and its protein is particularly well suited to human nutrition needs. Amaranth and Quinoa are the only two grain that contain complete protein. Besides Protein, Amaranth grain provides a good source of Dietary fiber and Dietary mineral such as Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper, and especially Manganese.
After cultivation having been forbidden, it was recovered in Mexico from wild varieties and is now commercially cultivated.

Amaranth’s use has spread to Europe and other parts of North America. It is a popular snack sold in Mexico City and other parts of Mexico, sometimes mixed with Chocolate or Puffed grain. To this day, amaranth grains are toasted much like Popcorn and mixed with Honey or Molasses to make a treat called alegría (literally "joy" in Spanish).

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Wheat, the most popular of grains

Wheat is one of the earliest and most popular of all the grains. It is the basis for baked goods across the globe.

In its whole grain version, wheat contains plenty of B vitamins, vitamin E, and amino acids. Whole wheat flour can be substituted for white flour in all baked goods. Make sure to look for products such as pastas or bread with whole wheat as the first ingredient.

The whole wheat kernels, can be cooked and served in salads or soups. Also farro, a popular Italian grain that is very similar to spelt, can be used in place of wheat or spelt. Bulgur is cracked and toasted wheat. Bulgur is best known as the basis for a tabouleh salad.

Ideally, milling the whole kernel just before baking lends the grain to it’s fullest nutritional value without spoilage or oxidation. Wheat and spelt kernels can be kept in an airtight container in a cool and dry area for several months. Whole wheat flour, spelt flour, and bulgur should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to slow oxidation process.

A whole grain is simply the most minimally-processed version of any grain. Grain kernels are made up of bran, germ, and the endosperm. As the bran and the germ are stripped away in the refining process, and much of the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are removed in processing as well.

The advantages of whole grains seem to increase with every new scientific study--from helping prevent diseases from cancer to cardiovascular disease to aiding in weight loss by lowering the glycemic index and providing a longer-lasting feeling of fullness.


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Buckwheat - is it wheat or what?

Don’t let the word ‘wheat’ in it’s name confuse you. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) looks like a grain and tastes like a grain but isn't a grain at all. Buckwheat is thought of as a cereal, but is actually an herb of the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae, a relative of the rhubarb. Buckwheat is also gluten free, which makes it an ideal food for those allergic or sensitive to the gluten in found wheat and other true grains. After being removed from the husk, the triangular seeds are used to make flour.

Buckwheat has been eaten for hundreds of years in the Far East. Buckwheat can also be used for a variety of baked products, including pancakes, breads, muffins, crackers, bagels, cookies, and tortillas , pasta, bread and Japanese soba noodles. The de-hulled seeds (groats) can be ground into grits and roasted to make kasha, served as a starchy side dish by people of a variety of ethnic backgrounds, especially Russians and eastern Europeans.

One pound of raw buckwheat has 1,520 calories. Nutritionally, buckwheat provides vitamins B1 and B2, the minerals potassium, magnesium, phosphate and iron (buckwheat contains more iron than cereal grains), and it has nearly twice the amount of the amino acid lysine found in rice. Buckwheat bran (farinetta) contains rutin, a flavonoid known to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and maintain the strength and flexibility of capillaries. A recently discovered compound in buckwheat called fagopyritol may have potential to help manage type II diabetes.

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Fiber, Fiber, Fiber!

Fiber is so very important for good health, I cannot emphasis more on the importance of it.

Dietary iber is what many of us are missing in our diets today. It's what keeps us "regular". As gross as it is to talk about our insides like intestines and such, it is important because what goes on inside affects what goes on outside.

It has been said that eating a diet high in fiber can help prevent certain cancers and health problems. Fiber can also help keep you from gaining weight, help maintain normal cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels. Those are only a few, the list can go on longer than that. It's been said to have helped prevent colon cancer, constipation, cardiovascular disease, hemorroids, breast cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, and more.

The bran which is the outer layer of the grain, is what contains most of this fiber. So eating whole grains gives you lots of fiber. When manufacturers remove this bran it is actually almost causing us to have those diseases and health problems. So when we eat white refined products like bread and pastas we're doing our body harm! Eating whole grains actually helps reduce the effects that eating the refined grains causes.

Eat more fiber rich foods such as whole grains to help your overall health!

I hope you found this information helpful. Thanks for reading!

Technorati Tags: whole grains, dietary fiber, diet

Bake Your Own Bread At Home

Bake your own bread at home using whole wheat instead of buying whole wheat bread at the store, it's much much healthier. AND you know exactly what's going in your bread.

It's not that hard to bake bread, it just takes practice. Practice makes perfect right? Just find a good bread recipe, I'm sure you may have neighbors or a grandmother who has a phenominal bread recipe you could borrow. Or even find one on the internet to try. Just try a few different ones.

And after you've gotten good at making just plain ole whole wheat bread at home. You can try other great bread recipes and try making italian or even sweet breads. Rolls, or biscuits, or even cinnamon buns! Once you get good at one thing, you can start adding in a few other recipes and testing out all sorts of ways to make your breads better. The possibilities are endless!

I started off making bread from my milled whole grains and now I've gotten to where I can make pretzels, bagels, biscuits, pizza crusts, herb bread, etc. I can make all sorts of things if I just put my mind to it and don't give up. It's a whole lot of fun. Start out small and with one or two things to make, because you don't want to get discouraged if you can't do 4 different types of breads.

And have fun! That's the key. If you're making this for you family or even if you're just doing it for yourself. Don't slave away in the kitchen, have fun with it and don't stress if a recipe doesn't work out the first time.

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Here's a tip if you're milling grains - what to do with leftovers!

When grinding grains, there is often a bit left over in the mill that won't be used in the recipe I am currently making. Since one of the whole reasons behind milling fresh grains is to immediately use them during their peak nutritional state - left overs are not something that are usually planned!

Keeping in mind that we want to be frugal and good stewards of our foods, we have to plan what to DO with those left over grains after we have milled them. Here are a few ideas:

1. Save them in a zipper baggie to add to soups, or to bread items for frying.

2. If you've ground excess corn meal, keep in freezer for dusting the bottom of pizza pans or English muffin trays to absorb moisture.

3. Save extra in a zipper bag in the freezer to add just a bit more fiber and whole grain to other recipes that may usually be made with 'dead' flours.

For even more tips please subscribe! I hope you found this information helpful. :)

Have a great day!

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The Recipe

Well, I decided not to let you wait too long for this recipe. You may want to fix it for tomorrow's breakfast (or even dinner! They are sooo good as an evening meal too!)so I thought I'd better not keep you waiting. I hope you enjoy them!

Dry ingredients:
1 t backing soda*
2 1/2 t baking powder
4 C freshly milled "soft white wheat"
1 t salt
2 T sugar

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1/4 C oil
3 1/2 C buttermilk

Mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Stir until just mixed. Fry on hot oiled griddle. To make a lighter pancake separate the yolks from the eggs, whip the egg whites then fold gently into the batter. Serve with butter, syrup or whatever way you like and enjoy.
*To use sweet milk instead of buttermilk omit soda and increase baking powder to 4 teaspoons.

And that's all there is to it. Your family gets the wonderful health benefits of fresh whole wheats and you all get to enjoy eating them because they are just delicious!

Happy eating and thanks for reading! :)
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