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Use homemade pre-soaked oats (where you soak rolled oats and then dehydrate) — or the fabulous Touch’O Honey pre-soaked oats from JoshEWEa’s Garden — to offer a breakfast of yummy choices for everyone! Breakfasts around here are usually self-serve, so this granola bar fits the bill.

With a gallon jar full of pre-soaked oats, and toppings such as crispy nuts, shredded coconut, assorted fresh and/or dried fruit, raw honey, and raw milk, each family member doctors up a bowl to suit. Then each digs in with a smile!

Plus, a homemade (and easy) granola bar offers an excellent alternative to today’s highly processed, nutritionally devoid, and extruded breakfast cereals.

I have a confession. When I went to Wise Traditions 2011 and sampled the pre-soaked oats from JoshEWEa’s Garden, I realized how hard-as-a-rock my homemade pre-soaked oats were — and even my soaked granola. Since then, I’ve worked on how to soak and dehydrate oats without releasing all the starch that gums them up like glue. I think they’re pretty good now, and I shared my “secret” (if you can really call it that) in this month’s thank you video.

Another tasty use for pre-soaked oats is with yogurt or kefir. Each morning at Wise Traditions 2011, the breakfast provided by the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) included maple-vanilla yogurt, Touch’O Honey pre-soaked oats from JoshEWEa’s Garden, and fresh blueberries. They offered other things, too, but I always chose the yogurt topped with granola each morning. It was so good!

The following recipe is more a formula than anything else. Enjoy!

Soaked Granola Bar

• 1 cup of pre-soaked oats per person (homemade or Touch’O Honey pre-soaked oats from JoshEWEa’s Garden)
• sliced bananas
• dried fruit
• soaked, dehydrated nuts, chopped
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• other fresh fruit as desired, cut into bite-size pieces
• raw honey or Grade B maple syrup
• sprinkle of cinnamon and/or pinch of nutmeg
• whole milk

Serves as many as needed. Put 1 cup of pre-soaked oats in each bowl. Let each person top oats as desired. Yeah, that’s it — pretty easy. And don’t forget tasty!

Have you tried JoshEWEa’s Garden pre-soaked oats or other soaked cereals? Do you make your own? What do you like to put on your granola?

Not only did I try JoshEWEa’s Garden Touch’O Honey pre-soaked oats at Wise Traditions, but Michaeleen (the owner) sent my family a box of assorted pre-soaked cereals and nuts to try out. They didn’t last long, and our house was humming with oohs and aahs as long as they lasted, only to be replaced by sighs once all the packages were empty. So I can happily say I have no reservations about recommending JoshEWEa’s Garden foods to you!

Remember, JoshEWEa’s Garden is giving away 2# of sprouted spelt or sprouted wheat berries in the grain mill drawings we kick off next week at the webinar. Have you signed up for the Grain Mills free webinar yet?

This post is shared with Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, and Fight Back Friday.

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We can eat oatmeal year-round, but I have to say that baked oatmeal definitely crosses seasons. You can eat it hot or cold, as breakfast, snack or lunch — and with eggs and milk baked in, you’ve got a high-quality protein boost. When my husband goes out of town (thankfully not often) I send along a tray of this and a jar of raw milk for his breakfasts on the road.

This is our apple-cinnamon baked oatmeal, and I also make a yummy 5-spice variation!

Apple-Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal (Soaked)

• 6 cups thick rolled oats
• 1/2 cup acid, such as whey or raw apple cider vinegar (or sourdough starter, to improve the effectiveness of the soaking)
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts (or any other nut/seed — I often add a handful of raw sunflower seeds)
• 1/2 cup butter, lightly melted
• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup rapadura, sucanat or palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 apple, diced finely or shredded
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut (optional)

Yield: 1 9” x 13” pan or 2 8″ square pans.

Combine oats, acid (or sourdough starter*), water, and nuts/seeds in a big bowl. Cover and let soak overnight.

*Sourdough starter improves the soaking’s effectiveness by adding phytase to reduce phytic acid — which otherwise the oats lack — as well as organisms to accomplish an overnight fermentation. Don’t worry, it won’t be sour — if you rinse well the next morning!

In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain the oats through a fine sieve. Rinse and allow to drain again.

In a big mixing bowl, whisk together butter, milk, eggs, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Add oats and mix well. Add the apples, raisins and coconut and mix in gently.

Transfer to a greased 9” x 13” baking dish (or two 8” square cake pans). Smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Allow 15 minutes to rest before cutting into bars. Eat in a bowl with yogurt, kefir, or milk. Or as a bar with maple syrup and fresh fruit. Store leftovers in refrigerator, though I usually leave them out for a day or so first.

Do you make baked oatmeal? What are your favorite add-ins and flavors?

In the Fundamentals eCourse or Fundamentals eBook, we go in depth on the topics of soaking, sprouting, and fermenting grains optimally for digestion and nutrition. Please check us out for videos, print tutorials and/or hand-holding.

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Usual routine when souring flour: mix dough, let sour for 8 hours, finish dough, cook. Now, that’s not hard.

But what if I said you could skip the whole sour-for-at-least-8-hours-thing, yet put the same quality of nourishing food on the table? In other words, without the wait? You can and I just did (say it). Yes, it can be done! Easily. Deliciously. Nourishingly.

How? Use leftover sourdough starter instead of flour. You’re keeping a sourdough starter alive and fed, right? (Right?) Well, take a scoop or two of it and create any one of these four delicious recipes almost instantly. No planning!

By the way, the reason this can be done, still nourishingly, is because the flour is already done being soured in the starter. Aim to feed your starter and then use it 12 to 24 hours later in one of the following recipes.

All of the following recipes are demonstrated on in the Sourdough eCourse or in detailed print in the “Sourdough A to Z” eBook. Come on over!

1. Impossible Sourdough Pie — Endless Sweet or Savory Variations!

What you need instead of flour: 3/4 cup of leftover sourdough starter.

Find this recipe in the Sourdough eCourse or in the brand-new “Sourdough A to Z” eBook (companion book to the eCourse).

Remember those Bisquick impossible pies? You mix up bisquick into a batter and pour it over a pan full of other ingredients, bake, and voila — an impossible pie with endless variations. But not so good for you. Our impossible sourdough pie springs from that idea — and credit for this genius stroke goes to my fellow eCourse teacher and friend, Erin.

Instead of Bisquick, we use sourdough starter as the batter base, and pour it over a pan-ful of add-ins. Then bake in a hot oven and voila — instant and nourishing sweet or savory bread pies. In the Sourdough eCourse, members have come up with these variations: taco, Mexican, peas-n-tuna, broccoli-n-cheese, chili, veggie-n-cheese, and more. There are possibilities to make brownie pies, pumpkin pies, and other sweet pies — I myself am still working on those. Erin’s made a few good ones.

Last weekend, I made three savory dinner pies using the Middle Eastern spice blend za’atar with leftover meat. My husband got home from work yesterday and said, “Can we have another pie for dinner tonight?” I said, “I guess so!” and literally I made it without any planning or prep because the sourdough starter was there. We were eating dinner in less than 40 minutes — by the time the kids got in from the barn chores.

You can learn all about our impossible sourdough pie technique exclusively in the Sourdough eCourse or “Sourdough A to Z” eBook. The eCourse and eBook documents include the basic impossible sourdough pie basic recipe plus variations (plus all the other sourdough recipes from the class).

2. Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes

What you need instead of flour: 2 cups of leftover sourdough starter.

Find the recipe here on the blog, in the “Sourdough A to Z” eBook, or on video in the in the online class.

These are fluffier than any pancake you’ve ever had, thanks to Erin’s easy no-flip cooking technique! We love them. And they’re easy. Just mix up starter with eggs, oil, sweetener (I usually skip it), and baking soda and you’ll be serving a nourishing breakfast in record time.

3. Sourdough Waffles

What you need instead of flour: 2 cups of leftover sourdough starter.

Find the recipe here on the blog, in the “Sourdough A to Z” eBook, or on video in the in the online class.

Pretty much as easy as the pancakes above, you’re mixing starter, egg, oil, and a few other ingredients to delight your family with waffles in very little time.

4. Sourdough Crepes

What you need instead of flour: 1 cup of leftover sourdough starter.

Find the recipe here on the blog, in the “Sourdough A to Z” eBook, or on video in the in the online class.

We love crepes and eat them several times a week. (Check out my ideas for eating crepes here.) With this recipe, a little goes a llllooooonnnnnnggggg way. Meaning, you get alot of crepes out of 1 cup of starter. When I make crepes, I eat at least one fresh off the pan smeared with generous butter. The kids like a little peanut butter and raw honey. We dip them in soups, or make wraps or burritos. They make the world’s best tortilla chips. Do check out more ideas here.

What do you think of these? Going to give them a try? Do you know of any other quick recipes that make use of leftover sourdough starter? Please share! I’m always looking for more ideas.

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Preparing for the menu plan service each week has given me ample opportunity to make extra special breakfasts for my family. And they’re loving it! This morning we’re eating a 5-spice baked oatmeal; last week we gobbled up this easy baked omelet. Because it is baked, this is an “omelet” you can’t screw up — that’s why I like it so much.

By the way, I just learned that omelet is spelled omelet and not omelette.

I served this omelet with cut up fruit and clabbered milk cheese (aka easy cottage cheese, which you’ll see in the Cultured Dairy & Basic Cheese eCourse). Also nice on the side is a kefir parfait.

• 3 medium size red potatoes
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 pound sausage — turkey, chicken, pork, beef, lamb, etc.
• 12 pastured eggs (or 15 if small)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 to 2 fire-roasted red bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Yield: 11″ square pan full. Serves 9.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrub potatoes. Slice very thinly. Arrange on the bottom of a baking pan (I use a deep dish 11″ square), overlapping so all the pan is covered. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes begin to brown and soften. Remove from oven. Turn oven down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

While potatoes are baking, cut sausage into bit size pieces and fry until done. Set aside.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, roasted peppers, salt, pepper, garlic and basil. Layer sausage pieces over the baked potato slices. Layer 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese over the sausage and potatoes. Pour egg mixture into the potato crust. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and an inserted knife comes out clean. The center will also feel firm when pressed lightly.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Return to oven to melt and lightly brown the cheese, a few minutes. Remove from oven and turn off oven. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.

Have you made a baked omelet before? What do you put in yours? What do you make for an extra special breakfast?

I’m sharing this post with Real Food Wednesday and Simple Lives Thursday.

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Erin shares her fluffy sourdough pancake recipe today. I love how she makes big pancakes in a full cast iron skillet. I’m definitely going to do that soon! –Wardeh

My boys enjoy sourdough pancakes pretty much every morning of the week; our favorite breakfast at the moment. This particular recipe and method is quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious, and it makes fluffy-beyond-your-wildest-dreams pancakes. I also love how I get all of my batter cooking at one time. Sitting WITH my family to eat breakfast is always fun!

This recipe is included in our Sourdough A to Z eBook and/or demonstrated on video in our Sourdough eCourse. We’re open for enrollment any time — please join us!

You may need to try this recipe a couple of times to perfect it (level of heat/cooking time…), but believe me when I say your efforts will be rewarded with smiles and empty plates. So good!

Oh-So-Fluffy Cast Iron Sourdough Pancakes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons melted butter, coconut oil, or olive oil (not too hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using refined salt, might want to use a bit less)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons sweetener (honey, maple syrup, sucanat)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla or vanilla/almond combo (more or less or none at all)
• a generous sprinkle of spice (I use a self created spice blend– see below)
• 2 cups of sourdough starter (fed the night before– I feed mine an equal amount of water and flour, but it shouldn’t really matter.)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon water
• fresh or frozen fruit (optional)
• yogurt and maple syrup for serving (optional)

Begin by heating your cast iron skillet. I turn my electric burner to level 3 (of 11). I want my pan hot, but not too hot or the bottom of the pancake will burn. If you don’t get a perfect golden brown the first time you try this method, take note of what you did and make a change the next time. A golden fluffy-beyond-your-wildest-dreams pancake is worth every effort!

While the skillet is heating, take a medium size bowl and whisk together melted coconut oil/butter or olive oil, egg, salt, sweetener of choice, extract of choice, and spices of choice. Pour in two cups of sourdough starter that has been fed the night before you want to make the pancakes. Stir well with whisk. Set aside.

In a small cup combine 1 tablespoon of water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Set aside. (not pictured)

Take a bit of butter or coconut oil and grease the bottom and sides of your hot cast iron skillet.

Pour the water/soda mixture into your waiting pancake batter. Quickly stir to incorporate.

Pour the batter into your waiting skillet. How much? Oh, I don’t know for sure. Maybe an inch thick… maybe a touch more? Out of my batter, I make one large and one small cast iron pancake and two griddle pancakes.

I would not recommend letting unused batter sit while you wait for your skillet pancake to finish. You might want to make one skillet pancake and finish the rest of the batter off as regular pancakes. (Or give the wait a try and let me know how it turns out!)

Now, watch for bubbles. I let mine cook for 4-5 minutes on the stove.

If you choose, now is the time to add fresh or frozen fruit. Give the fruit a little push to sink them down into the batter.

Toward the end of this initial cook time, I turn on the broiler. Finish your pancake off by placing it in the oven. Do not use the very top shelf; the second or third shelf will work best. Remember, your pancake bottom will continue to cook while the top cooks and browns.

Remove from oven once tops are golden, and flip out onto a cooling rack. They are ready to dress, serve, and enjoy!

A Couple of Notes

* I like to serve my pancakes topped with homemade yogurt and maple syrup or fresh/frozen fruit. I feel we use less sweetener that way.

* We use a pizza cutter to slice the leftover pancakes into wedges. Perfect morning snack or take along treat in the car/stroller.

* My husband and boys enjoy the leftovers plain, straight from the fridge or toasted warm.

* They make an excellent base for nut butter and jam or honey.

* The cast iron pancakes are literally 4 times fluffier (at least) than my griddle pancakes. I just shake my head when I think about it. Delicious!

My Mixed Spice Blend

• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves

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Once again, please welcome Erin (the creator of the fabulous sourdough English muffins)! Today, she’s sharing a recipe for sourdough waffles. I haven’t tried them yet, but I have pulled out my cast-iron waffle irons to season them properly and make the waffles soon.

Using this recipe, you create your waffles from room temperature starter. Do you have two cups of starter out at room temperature? Good – you can make waffles right now. Thanks, Erin, for another beautiful recipe! This one is going in GNOWFGLINS’ Basic Recipes series. Click here to see more basic recipes.

100% Whole Grain Sourdough Waffles

selected and modified recipe from “Simply Sourdough: The Alaska Way”

These waffles are delicious, quick, easy, and nutritious! We love to serve ours topped with homemade yogurt, fresh fruit, and a slight drizzle of maple syrup. My two boys also love eating them plain or toasted as a mid-morning snack, treat in the car, and on occasion, the bread for their sandwich. The waffles keep in the fridge for a week (they will not last that long!) and freeze beautifully. Just pop them in the toaster, top with your favorite goodies, and enjoy your very own “You Are Special Today” breakfast!

This recipe is included in our Sourdough A to Z eBook and/or demonstrated on video in our Sourdough eCourse. We’re open for enrollment any time — please join us!

• 2 cups sourdough starter (I feed mine at night, and it is ready to go in the a.m.)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use celtic sea salt.)
• 2 tablespoons sweetener (maple syrup, honey, your choice of grainy natural sugar…)
• 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed in a little cup with 1 tablespoon water
• a couple tablespoons of ground flax (optional)
• just a bit of vanilla and maybe a smidgen of cinnamon (optional)

I’ve never tried this, but as I was typing I was hit with a thought… I bet adding a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder would be a fun treat. Top with a homemade raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream… Oh, mercy!

Plug in your waffle iron. It should be hot and ready to go by the time you have finished making your batter. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil (not too hot), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons sweetener (you could leave this out if you want), and your flax, vanilla, and cinnamon (if you choose these options). Whisk it about until the batter is nicely combined. Pour the starter on top of that. Cut it in and stir it with the whisk until incorporated.

In a little cup combine 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon water. Stir it up a bit and then pour it on top of your batter. Do a few quick whisks. Not too many, but not too few, either. You want to incorporate the baking soda quickly. I probably whisk it four to five times. Your batter will get pillowy looking. Throw your whisk into the sink.

Open up your hot waffle maker and pour some batter on it. I’m not going to tell you how much, because you will figure it out as you go.

“Oh, that one could’ve used a little bit more.”

“Whoa! Guess I filled that one a little too full!”

It’s all part of the waffle making fun! Place your finished waffle on a plate. Gussy it up a bit. Delish! Should make about eight large waffles. These waffles turn out incredibly light and crispy! Enjoy!

On a side note for just a moment… The other day I got to thinking. What’s nice about this waffle recipe is that you don’t have to soak your flour overnight. If you have two cups worth of starter, you can whip these up in a moment’s notice. Well, what if you forgot to soak your rice or you had no bread made… I think, with a tweak of the ingredients, you could have yourself a delicious savory waffle! Instead of sweetener add some cheese and herbs! Top your waffle with a homemade chili, bean soup, or a creamy sauteed vegetable dish. I’ve not tried this yet, but when I look at the waffle ingredients, I don’t know why it wouldn’t work! Let me know if you give the savory waffle idea a try!

These look fabulous – thank you, Erin! To everyone, please remember that I am looking for guest posts. Read this for ideas of what I’d like to see and then contact me with your great and/or helpful ideas. You have an open invitation, so please contact me at any time.

I shared this post in Real Food Wednesday and Pennywise Platter Thursday.

Egg salad! We love it. It is a great meal for a busy mom, because it is so easy to whip up in a pinch. I’ll be really happy when we have our own duck eggs. For now, the local farm from whom we get pastured eggs has got eggs coming out their ears. Literally.

This is sad – the farmer told me that until the Farmer’s Market starts, they don’t have enough regular customers who go out of their way to arrange egg purchases. Recently, they had to give away 36 dozen eggs. I’m sure that is great for the food bank, but not so good for the farmer. Another reason to support your local farmer, especially during the off-season!

This is my basic egg salad, which is admittedly, nothing fancy. I season to taste, so it is a formula rather than a recipe. Last weekend, we had egg salad sandwiches on Erin’s fabulous sourdough English muffins. Oh, man! So good.

See all Basic Recipes.

Basic Egg Salad

• 10 to 12 hard boiled eggs – cooled, peeled, and diced
• 3 to 4 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill
• herbed seasoning salt (or sea salt) and pepper, to taste
• add-ins: crumbled feta cheese or other raw cheese, sliced olives, etc.

Stir all ingredients lightly. Serve as a sandwich, a side, or atop a salad. Enjoy!

How do you make your egg salad? Do you have any special ingredients that kick yours up?

I’m sharing this post in Real Food Wednesday and Pennywise Platter Thursday.

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If I had had time yesterday to participate in the Tuesday Twister (better go add myself now), I would have shared that I made these gluten-free soaked biscuits. They are moist, light, and tasty – even after three days. This is a gluten-free and soaked version of my cinnamon and honey sprouted spelt biscuits.

For the gluten-free flour blend, I used equal parts of these fresh-ground flours: millet, sweet brown rice, hulled buckwheat, and tapioca.

Makes about 24 biscuits

• 2 cups gluten-free flour blend (cannot be warm from grinding or will melt the coconut oil)
• 6 generous tablespoons unrefined, virgin coconut oil, chilled if liquefied at room temp (like during the summer)
• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar, kefir, Kombucha, yogurt, or whey
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw milk, coconut milk, or nut milk (or even water)
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional raw milk

Cut coconut oil into flour with a pastry cutter or fork, until coconut oil is the size of peas or smaller. Lightly stir in the raw apple cider vinegar and milk. Cover and leave on the counter for 8 hours or overnight.

The next day…

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Mix in the honey, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt – gently. If it is not mixing well and needs a bit more moisture to make a workable biscuit dough, add additional milk as needed.

Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 1/2″ thick. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2″ squares.

Transfer squares to a coconut-oiled cookie sheet, leaving space between. Put sheet in oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to drying rack. Eat!

I wanted a granola recipe that combined the benefits of soaked oats (or other flaked grain, if oats are off your list) and soaked nuts. Soaking the grains neutralizes phytic acid, a mineral absorption blocker. Soaking the nuts starts the process of  germination, de-activating enzyme inhibitors. A raw granola that does this is a highly nutritious and a great source of digestive enzymes!

There are many ways to go about this, with varying degrees of complexity. My goal was to make it as simple as possible. I aimed to start all ingredients soaking at the same time; and not to call for already soaked ingredients, just in case they aren’t on hand. I also aimed to make it flexible to the pantry, using what you have on hand. At the same time, I chose many ingredients that I knew to be rich in digestive enzymes, making this a hearty breakfast or snack that will help digest itself and any other foods you serve at the same time. We love it in kefir!

If you’ve already got soaked and dehydrated nuts/seeds on hand and want to use those, Cheeseslave has a raw granola recipe that works the granola that way – and it includes coconut oil and sprouted flour! Elana’s pantry features a raw grain-free granola that is made similarly to mine. So between these, I think you’re covered.

Makes about 1 gallon. For the nuts, seeds, and dried fruit – choose raw, organic and unsulphured.

• 3 cups assorted raw nuts and seeds (I’ve been using 1 cup each of almonds, filberts and pumpkin seeds)
• 1-1/2 cups flour-free date pieces or pitted whole dates, chopped (or raisins or fig pieces)
• 8 cups thick rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary (or other flaked grain such as spelt – not GF)
• 6 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar, Kombucha, kefir, or yogurt
• 1-1/2 cups water, plus 5 cups water, plus 8 cups water
• 5+ tablespoons dried cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon dried ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• assorted dried fruit (optional)

Put the nuts and seeds in a medium bowl along with about 5 cups of warm water (to cover generously). Cover with a towel and let soak overnight in a warm place, 8 to 12 hours.

Put the date pieces in a small bowl, along with 1-1/2 cups of water. Cover with a plate or towel and let soak overnight, 8 to 12 hours. You may also use fig pieces or raisins. The figs are an excellent source of digestive enzymes, and I believe raisins are, too, since grapes are on the list.

Put the rolled oats in a large bowl, along with 8 cups of warm water and the apple cider vinegar (or Kombucha, or yogurt, or kefir). Cover with a plate or towel and let soak overnight in a warm place, 8 to 12 hours.

When the soaking time is complete, drain the nuts and seeds, discarding the water. Coarsely chop with food chopper or food processor. Put in a large mixing bowl.

Blend the dates, their soaking water, and all spices and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add this paste to the large bowl with the nuts and seeds.

Drain and rinse the oats in a fine colander or sieve. The drier you can get them, the quicker the dehydrating will go. Add them to the big bowl with the date paste, nuts and seeds. Toss gently to mix well.

Spread thinly (1/4″ or less) on dehydrator trays that are covered with unbleached parchment paper, plastic liners, or in the case of an Excalibur dehydrator, the ParaFlexx liners. This amount of granola fills almost 5 trays of my Excalibur 9-tray dehydrator (see Resources for sources).

Dehydrate at less than 115 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 24 hours. With the Excalibur dehydrator, you can start out dehydrating at 145 degrees Fahrenheit for the first 2 hours, which will kick start the dehydrating but not make the internal temperature of the granola go over 118 degrees – the temperature at which enzymes die.

About halfway through the dehydrating time, check to see if the granola peels easily off the paper or plastic lined trays. If it is does this without much stickiness, turn it all over. It is easiest to keep it in big sheets, if possible. Continue dehdyrating until the granola is dried out to your preference. Test frequently.

When done, remove from dehydrator and place in a big bowl. Break up the sheets into bite-sized chunks. With small amounts of the granola in a big bowl and using the pestle of a mortar & pestle works well to crush the granola sheets. Mix in assorted dried, raw fruit pieces (or save the fruit and add to the bowls when serving). Let it cool fully before transferring to an airtight glass jar for storage.

When ready to eat, place in bowl and add fresh or dried fruit, along with raw honey and raw milk – the latter two are excellent sources of digestive enzymes!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday, this week hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

We wanted fluffy – and we got fluffy. And sourdough to boot, which gives us all the benefits of pre-digesting the grain and neutralizing phytic acid for maximum mineral absorption. These are the most awesome pancakes ever. I promise.

I got a little booklet the other day, Baking with Sourdough by Sara Pitzer (see Resources for sources). This is an inexpensive 32-page booklet with many sourdough recipes. The only disappointment is that few of them are whole-grain. But what I really need to learn is there: the principles and the basic formulas. I used the Old-Fashioned Pancakes recipe for ideas on how to create these pancakes.

Another book I was reading recently – Wilderness Cooking – mentioned that baking soda and sourdough have an amazing reaction that fluffs up batters. I really saw that in action on this recipe. I’ve never seen such a fluffy batter!

The whole wheat pastry flour makes these pancakes white-flour soft and light. Give them a try – your family will love them!

See all Basic Recipes. Or check out Erin’s Oh-So-Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes, which truthfully, are better than these. Erin teaches her pancakes in the Sourdough eCourse. Come on and join us!

Makes 30+ pancakes

• 1 cup fed sourdough starter
• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 3-1/2 to 4 cups raw milk
• 2 pastured eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

The evening before, or 12 hours before, combine fed starter, flour and milk in a medium or large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth. Cover with a towel and leave out at room temperature for twelve hours, or overnight.

After resting time, pre-heat a seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Whisk eggs, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add to the flour/starter mixture. Mix until smooth – but don’t beat.

Put butter or coconut oil in the skillet as needed to prevent sticking.

Pour batter by 1/4 to 1/3 cup scoops into the skillet. Turn when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Cook the second side until it is browned also. Adjust heat of burner as necessary. Add more oil as necessary.

Garnish with butter or coconut oil and grade B maple syrup. Yumm!

© Copyright 2009 by Wardeh Harmon.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet.