Tuesday, October 2, 2007

How do you get soaked or sprouted grains?

So, your considering how to soak and sprout your bread, but you don't know how to do this.

If you'd like to buy bread this way you can find sprouted bread at most health food stores and many grocery stores. My favorite is "Ezekiel 4:9" bread and tortillas. I've found where I can get it locally for only $2 a loaf, though it is often more expensive. You can check out their website at http://www.foodforlife.com/ for more info. or to find a store. I especially like their cereal (all other cereals are banned from our house since I find out puffed, flake, and shaped cereals are basically not digestible.) I like all their bread products, but haven't like their pasta. Their bread is maybe tougher and drier than you are used to, but that can be helped by warming the bread and adding butter or olive oil.

Or you can make it yourself! The advantage here, is that is tastes as good or better than if it were not soaked! Soak your flour in buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, or water with 1 Tbsp whey lemon juice or vinegar per cup of water. Then cover and let stand on the counter. The minimum time is 7 hour and up to 24 is best. Don't add your eggs or milk yet and it really is good to leave it out. (Takes some mental adjustment for some of us!) Then add the rest of your ingredients and your ready to cook it. This can be applied to rice, beans, oatmeal, muffins, pancakes, and on and on. Some of the breads come out better b/c of this process. Note: there is no point in doing this with white flour, as there aren't more nutrients to release!

My explanation is a bit simplified. I highly recommend Sue Gregg's cookbooks, which are being edited to include this process. (Even the books not yet updated come with information on how to convert the recipes.) Meals in Minutes is a great book that has been updated. I've found her cookbooks to be the best I've ever seen. She doesn't assume you know what your doing (which I sometimes don't!) She gives you lots of instructions, adaptation tips, and even helps you put menus together. Try her pancakes/waffles by visiting http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/breakfasts/blenderbatterwaffles/blenderbatterwafflesA.htm

Of course if you want the full lesson you can read Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions, but when I borrowed it, I was disappointed in both the recipes I tried. The instructions were not good enough. BUT the information on diet and nutrition (half the book) is excellent. So, I will own it as a resource, not really a cookbook.

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