Whole Wheat Tortillas

This is a good way to use your old hard wheat, you know, the kind that just doesn't cut it for bread! - although any hard wheat works fine.

• 5 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/2 very warm water

In a large bowl combine flour and salt

Cut in coconut

Pour warm water over mixture and stir together with a fork until well blended. Knead together until smooth - Adjust water/flour for smooth dough.

Form into golf ball size pieces of dough, cover with damp cloth and let rest for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Roll out to desired thickness and fry on medium hot ungreased skillet (preferrably cast iron). Cook approximately 30 seconds per side. Do not over cook. Tortilla should puff slightly with air and start to brown in spots. Keep finished tortillas in stacked in kitchen cloth or container to keep soft.

Gluten - Mock Chicken

Everyone in our family loves this "chicken"! Great for sandwiches, salads, "chicken" fingers-dipped in BBQ sauce, breaded, soups, casseroles --you get the picture and SO EASY!

• 1 1/4 cups gluten flour
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. onion granules or powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 Tbs. light oil (olive, grape seed)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbs. Chicken Flavored Broth powder (optional - but really makes a difference in taste)

1. Whisk together dry ingredients.
2. Stir together broth, oil & soy sauce
3. Stir together just until combined
4. Pat into 8 X 8 lightly oil pan
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes until completely set
6. Cut into cubes, cutlets or chop in processor to use as chicken salad etc.
   
   Stores 2 weeks in refrigerator
   
   
   

Whole Wheat Chip Cookies

• 2 cups fresh whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 cup light oil (canola, grape seed, avocado etc)
• 2/3 cup grain sweetened carob or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients in bowl until well combined.

In separate bowl whisk together maple syrup, molasses, vanilla and oil.

Combine with dry ingredients along with the chips

Place large spoonfuls onto baking sheet and flatten slightly with bottom of cup

Bake 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool for on cookie sheets for 1 minute and transfer to cooling rack.

Whole Wheat Bread - for the bread machine

I finally got around to working on the conversion for my recipe to a bread machine. You can let the bread machine do all the work or just use a dough cycle and bake as a regular loaf in your oven. Either way works great for a busy day.

• 1 1/4 cups warm water


• 2 Tbl olive oil or oil of your choice


• 3 - 4 Tbl honey - adjust to your preference


• 3 cups fresh whole wheat flour


• 1 T gluten (optional depending on quality of wheat)


• 1 1/2 tsp salt


• 1 1/2 tsp yeast

Place ingredients in order into bread pan. Set your program and go!

Peanut Butter Banana Chip Ice Cream

Makes 1 1/2 quarts



1 can (13.5oz) coconut milk or non-dairy milk or creamer
1/2 cup sucanat
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
3 bananas
1 t. vanilla
1/4 cup grain sweetened carob or chocolate chips
optional: chopped peanuts

Blend 2 bananas, milk, sucanat, peanut butter and vanilla in blender until smooth and sugar is dissolved.

Transfer to ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

Add chopped banana and chips 5 minutes before ice cream is done.

Gardening Newsletters From Erlyn Madsen

Here is a link to a really neat Gardening Site - gardening, food storage and much more. My sister Karen sent this to me.

http://ourldsfamily.com/MadsenGarden/

Hope you enjoy!

Mindi

Banana Muffins

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup light oil (grape, canola, avocado etc)
• 1 cup sucanat or other sweetener
• 2 cups soft white or spelt whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 - 1 cup nuts, dried fruits or chips

1. Combine bananas, oil and sweetener
2. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda and add banana mixture
3. Stir in nuts, fruits or chips
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean

Rice Pudding

• 2 cups water
• pinch salt
• 1 cup brown rice, rinsed (short or sweet)or 3 - 4 cups leftover cooked brown rice
• 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup or maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  

In medium saucepan, place water and salt and bring to boil. Add rinsed rice, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. Add remaining ingredients, except vanilla, stir well and continue to cook over medium heat until desired consistency (most liquid has been absorbed). Remove from heat stir in vanilla and transfer to bowl(s) and refrigerate to chill. Serve garnished with additional cinnamon, if desired.

adapted from http://www.veganchef.com/

Bucket Storage and Gamma Lids

follow this link for more great tips http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node

When you store you 5 or 6 gallon buckets remember to stagger stack (pyramid style) your buckets. Over the years, if buckets are stacked directly on top of each other the lid weakens and caves in - just ask me how I know!

Gamma Seal Lids are also a great way to use your product directly from the bucket keeping things fresh and bug free. The gamma lids have a rubber seal that spins on and off making it airtight, waterproof seal that is easy to get into.

I purchase mine at Emergency Essentials. They have a flat shipping rate, so check with your friends and combine your orders!

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_MS%20L702_A_name_E_GAMMA+SEAL%99+Lid+-+Red

If you have any questions, just let me know

Favorite Hummus

• 3 cups cooked garbanzo beans
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 large or 2 small lemons, juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, coursly chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil - or oil of choice or water to consistency
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• for garnishing: few garbanzo beans, parsley and paprika

Cooking your own beans makes for a much better flavor, canned can be substituted (rinsed very well).

1 cup dry garbanzo beans equal approximately 3 cups cooked. Soak beans in fresh water for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. Rinse and cook soft and tender. I cook my beans in my pressure cooker. Follow this link for soaking and pressure cooking times.

http://missvickie.com/howto/beans/beanframe.html

Place beans, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, coriander and salt in food processor or high powered blender and process. Add water as needed to get things moving nicely.

Add tahini and continue to process until smooth and creamy

Note: When I cook beans, I always cook as much as my pressure cooker will hold. When they are done, rinse and let cool. Lay on cookie sheets and freeze then place in ziplock bags to use for other recipes and salads. "Individually frozen" and bagged makes them easy to measure and store.

Shortcut - Free Coupons

I came across this website for Free Grocery Coupons. Check it out. They are linked to your grocery card, so no carrying coupons or clipping. They have a section to save your grocery lists too. It's not much, but little things help and it's so easy!

Here is the link: http://shortcuts.com/home

Moist Cornbread

2/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup plain soymilk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix first three ingredients together
3. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl
4. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x9 square pan. Bake 35 minutes, until tester comes out clean. (Bake muffins for about 25 minutes)

Wheat is not Created Equal!

Okay, so now you know, wheat is not created equal. So many factors come into play when looking for a good bakery quality wheat, i.e. baking breads, rolls anything that would use yeast or making seitan (gluten).

The crop currently available is probably from 2007. Most hard wheat is harvested in the summer months. Here is the question that you need to ask before purchasing your wheat for food storage or baking - Very Important!

What is the gluten content?

Anything less than 13% will not make bread. I won't purchase anything less than 15%. If I am going to spend my time making breads for my family I want it to turn out well without any additives or conditioners. The 2007 year crop has not been the best. My favorite Hard White Wheat - Golden 86 came in at only 10%. In years past I have gotten some at above 17%. Prairie Gold came in at 15% - which is what we purchased to replace what we have used to keep our food storage supply replenished.

Here are to links to purchase bakery quality wheats - keeping in mind that you still need to do your homework before putting in an order......I am waiting on this years harvest of Golden 86 from Walton Feed. Hopefully is will be in the 17-18% area.

http://waltonfeed.com/

http://wheatmontana.com/

Hope this information is helpful. Check back often, we will be adding more tips and information soon.

Blender Pancakes

• 2 cups soy milk (or milk of choice or water)
• 1 cup soft white wheat berries
• 3 Tbs. fresh ground flax
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbs. olive/canola oil
• 1 Tbs. honey or sweetener of choice
• 1 Tbs. baking powder

1. Place milk and wheat berries in blender and blend for 1 min. - decrease time if using a high powered blender.
2. Add salt, oil, flax and honey and blender until mixed well.
3. Add baking powder, pulse 3 times.
4. Bake on non-stick pan.

I had some blueberries that I needed to use! You can add things such as nuts, fruits or chips when you bake them for everyone's favorites!

Black Bean Burgers

• 2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp. miso, any kind
• 1 small thumb size piece of ginger finely chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
• handful walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup flour (rice, semolina, whole wheat)
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 Tbs olive oil
  

1. Chop ginger, green onions and mushrooms and saute in olive oil until mushrooms are soft. Add chopped nuts and continue sauteing for another minute to toast.
2. Please beans in food processor, reserving a few to add later with miso and process until smooth.
3. Add to vegetables. Add cumin, flour and remaining beans and mix.
4. Form into patties (4 or 5)
5. Lightly oil or spray non-stick pan and fry for 10 minutes, turn and continue to cook for addition 5 minutes.

Note: If you prefer, you can bake them in the oven at 400 degrees on oiled baking sheet.

Quinoa Vegetable Paella

Quinoa - pronounced "keen-wah" Cultivated by the Inca for hundreds of years. The individual grain when cooked forms a pretty translucent ring. Quinoa is a complete protein and a great addition to food storage for a heath-conscience diet with a low glycemic index.

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
• 1/4 tsp. saffron, crushed
• 2 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumim
• dash cayenne
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 14-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 3/4 to 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1 can artichoke hearts, rised and quartered
• 2 Tbl. olive oil or broth for sauteing
  

1. Place quinoa into fine mesh stainer and rinse thouroghly.
2. Saute onion and garlic in deep skillet with olive oil or broth until soft.
3. Add the quinoa and saffron and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Add paprika, cumin, cayenne, tomatoes, pepper, beans, and 2 3/4 cup of broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes check to see if more broth in needed. If it looks dry, add the remaining broth.
6. Place the zucchini on top of the quinoa and revoce. Cook for 5 minutes more until quinoa is done.
7. Remove cover and stir in peas and cook uncovered until peas are warm and all liquid is absorbed. Arrange artichoke hearts on top and serve. Add salt at the table, if necessary

You will notice that not everyone like artichokes, so on our picture, only half of the paella have the artichokes.

original recipe from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com

Basic Whole Wheat Bread

• 1 Tbs. Dry yeast


• 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water


• 1 Tbs. Salt


• 4 Tbs. honey or sweetener / divided


• 6 - 8 Cups Whole Wheat Flour


• 2 - 4 Tbs. olive/canola oil

1. Dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water. Mix in 2 Tbs. honey, 4 cups whole wheat flour and salt until smooth. Keep warm let set until bubbly, about 40 min. (20 min. if you are in a rush)


2. Add 1/2 cup hot water, oil, remaining 2 Tbs. Honey and enough flour for a soft pliable dough. Knead for 10 min. by hand or 5 min. by machine.


3. Place in oiled bowl and keep covered in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.


4. Punch down and form into 2 loaves. Let rise in oiled loaf pans until double in size, about 1 hour.


5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes. Cool and Slice
   

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilanto, chopped
• 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
• 3 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1. Bring broth to boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous.
2. Cover and Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes
3. In a large bowl, shisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin.
4. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans, and toss to coat.
5. Fluff the couscous well and add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until cold.

recipe from http://www.recipezaar.com/