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.

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.

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.

My favorite muffin spice is ginger. In these muffins, it tastes a little bit lemony. So I think adding some poppy seeds to the soaking would be a really nice addition. I’m going to try that next time.

Soaking grains is very important – the step of soaking neutralizes the phytic acid, which, if left unchecked, would block mineral absorption. You might also be interested in the Basic Sprouted Muffin, which uses sprouted flour. Sprouted flour offers the benefit of phytic acid being neutralized, but it also offers additional benefits: it digests like a vegetable, and certain vitamin levels are increased.

See all basic recipes.

Makes 1 dozen muffins

• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar or Kombucha
• 1 cup raw milk
• 2 local, pastured eggs
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice or Sucanat or other solid natural sweetener (powder in food processor if coarse)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup virgin, unrefined coconut oil (melted if solid at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

Spices of your choice: (I like…)

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Add-ins of your choice: (I like…)

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped crispy nuts (soaked, then dehydrated ala Nourishing Traditions style)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup shredded zucchini, apple, or carrot (additional moisture may require additional cooking time)

In mixing bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, apple cider vinegar (or Kombucha), and milk. Cover and let soak overnight, up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sweetener, and vanilla. While whisking (to avoid cooking the eggs if the coconut oil is on the warm side), add in the coconut oil. Whisk until smooth.

Add salt, baking powder, and spices to the wet ingredients. Whisk fully.

Add wet ingredients to the soaked flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Add add-ins and mix to incorporate.

Fill oiled muffin tin, or paper-lined muffin tin, with the batter to a generous three-quarters full each.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and muffins are gently browned.

Take out of oven and transfer muffins to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container when fully cooled.

The Gallery of Thanksgiving Sides is coming up on Thursday, November 19 – think about what Thanksgiving side dish you’d like to contribute!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday, this week hosted by Cheeseslave.

The ricotta cheese I used is definitely a frugal option – as I make it from the leftover whey from my other cheeses (chevre, queso fresco, and feta). I could say it is a recycled cheese. But the process of getting it out of leftover whey requires heating the whey to near boiling, so ricotta is not a raw cheese. That makes it a good option for a baked dish, because I hate to bake raw cheeses – why would I voluntarily kill all that probiotic goodness?

This is a general quiche formula – feel free to use whatever local, seasonal veggies, or cheese you have on hand. Also, other herbs are very good, too; I stuck with a simple dried parsley.

1. Saute (all diced) onions, bell peppers, and cabbage in unrefined coconut oil until soft.
2. Whisk together: 8 eggs, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper, 1/2 t. garlic powder, 1 T. dried parsley; Mix in 1/2 c. ricotta cheese.
3. Rub coconut oil all over 9 inch pie dish. Put sauteed vegetables in bottom. Pour egg mixture over. Use fork to mix all together slightly.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour, until firm and edges are brown.
5. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting into pie-shaped wedges. Serve and enjoy!

I’m submitting this post to Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet.

In summertime, soaked muesli is just about the best breakfast one could have. It is refreshing and cool. Who wants to start the day hot? Some of us will have an egg or two also, but this is the main course.

Muesli is as simple as can be. It combines the traditional, necessary step of soaking (to neutralize anti-nutrients and improve digestibility) with the ease of a put-in-your-bowl-and-add-milk instant breakfast.

This week, we have the most wonderful local fruits to top our muesli, and we are enjoying that fully. But even without those, adding dates, raisins or figs provides a nice chewy texture along with sweetening.

You must start this dish the night before and it takes less than 5 minutes to assemble. The next morning, it is ready to eat – scoop into a bowl, top and serve! This amount serves my family of five.

Ingredients

Only the oats, water and Kombucha (or other soaking acid) are essential; everything else is optional.

• 3 cups thick rolled oats, organic (choose certified gluten-free if desired)
• 3 cups clean water
• 6 tablespoons Kombucha, kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, or whey (may also use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, but they will make the muesli more tart)
• 1/8 teaspoon green leaf stevia powder
• 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 cup raisins, chopped dates, or diced figs
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (soaked and dehydrated ala Nourishing Traditions, pages 514-515)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• raw milk, yogurt, or kefir
• fresh local fruit: sliced strawberries, sliced peaches, raspberries, blueberries, marionberries, blackberries, etc… (the best part!)

Combine oats, water, and Kombucha, kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, or whey in a bowl. Mix. Add spices, dried fruit, coconut and nuts. Cover and allow to soak for 7 to 8 hours, or overnight.

When ready to serve, scoop into bowls and garnish with fresh fruit and milk, yogurt or kefir. Enjoy!

Pennywise?

I am submitting this post to Pennywise Platter Thursdays at The Nourishing Gourmet. So let’s talk price, aiming to keep this dish’s total cost around $5.

It is hard for me to figure cost and truly, cost is not that important to me. I would rather pay significantly more for good food, than pay anything at all for conventional food. However, it is a good exercise to figure out an approximate cost. … Now I’m back, having crunched some numbers and take a look! This makes me feel good that in fixing this breakfast, we are being penny-wise. Check this out:

• The oats are purchased in bulk and I would approximate their cost at about $1.50.
• I make my own Kombucha and kefir (and whey, dripped out of the kefir), so they are low cost – about $.03 for 6 tablespoons.
• The milk products come from our own goats – a high estimation would be $2 per gallon. If we use a quart for this meal, as topping in whatever form (kefir or plain milk), that is $.50.
• Buying seasonal, local fruit is inexpensive, about $1 to $2 per pound at a U-Pick or right from the farm. Let’s say we use a 1/2 pound at $2, so $1.
• The other items, all optional, can be purchased in bulk for additional savings. Or left out to bring the price down. Let’s say $1 for any other dried fruit and nuts. (1/2 pound of raisins is $1, so this isn’t too far off.)

So this makes the grand total: $4.03. Pretty cool! There’s another dollar in there to add some more yummies.

I’m sure I’m not reinventing the wheel on this oatmeal – but here’s how we’re eating our oatmeal lately. It is sweet from the milk, raisins, and a bit of stevia. Depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal, you may want to add raw honey, too. Soaking the oats the night before in an acid medium ensures maximum benefits and assimilation of nutrients. It is not hard to do, just needs to be done ahead of time. It is a good job for kids to do before bed! Beyond nutritional benefits, you’ll find that the soaking decreases the cooking time necessary in the morning – thick rolled oats take just 5 minutes to cook! If you want to save more time for yourself in the morning, add the cinnamon and stevia the night before.

The night before, combine in pot:

• 3 cups thick rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats if desired)
• 3 cups filtered water
• 6 tablespoons Kombucha, kefir, whey, or buttermilk

The next morning, add:

• 3 cups raw milk
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon green leaf stevia powder (optional)

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook, covered, for 5 minutes, or until thick. Turn off heat. Stirring gently, add:

• 2 tablespoons virgin, unrefined coconut oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup organic Thompson raisins
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (soaked and dehydrated according to Nourishing Traditions, pages 514-515)

Spoon into bowls. Add raw milk for the liquid (or cream!). Enjoy!

© Copyright 2009 by Wardeh Harmon.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays, hosted by Cheeseslave.

When I make red palm oil popcorn, I use my 1/2 cup measurer to scoop the red palm oil into the popcorn pot. Then I tip the measuring cup upside down in the little cast iron skillet we use to fry eggs. That way, we are able to use every last drop.

The drippings will fry at least two eggs, sometimes more.

I’m kind of weird about how I fry eggs. I use the spatula to break the yolks. We like our eggs cooked all the way through. If I didn’t break the yolks, the whites would be crisp by the time the were cooked through. Breaking the yolk makes the whole egg done at the same time. I also keep the heat really low (like between 3 and 4 on our electric stove) so the cooking heat is low and gentle.

The resulting eggs are yellow from the red palm oil. In addition to the salt, pepper and garlic seasonings, the red palm oil gives a little bite — not spicy, but just a little spice. I’m no good at describing flavors. So try it. I think you’ll like it.

How do you fry your local, free-range eggs?

The irons come coated with paraffin wax to prevent rust. This must be removed. My method of choice was to smoke up the entire house by putting a half of an iron on each burner (2 irons, 4 halves, all 4 burners) and letting the wax burn off over medium heat. The exhaust couldn’t keep up with it all, thus the smoky house. Caution: Don’t assume I’m recommending this method; try it at your own peril. Paraffin wax is extremely flammable!

Then I seasoned the irons right on the four burners, too. For about fifteen minutes, and while over medium heat, I brushed each half over and over with coconut oil until they turned dark.

The recipe: a thick four grain flatbread batter, with an addition: 1/4 cup of organic, extra-virgin olive oil. Each waffle took 4 minutes. I flipped the entire waffle iron over on the burner after 2 minutes to brown both sides.

Result: crispy, delicious (really delicious). Drizzled with agave. That’s it, simple! Jeff ate his with two fried eggs and sans the agave. The recipe works as either savory or sweet. I know I’m going to have to make some tomorrow ASAP, otherwise I will have to listen to very polite beggars all day.

For breakfast, we are pretty boring in that we eat pretty much the same thing every day. However, we are not boring in the sense that our breakfasts are filling, nutritious and delicious! The main breakfast dish around here is Four-Grain Breakfast Cereal, which includes the gluten-free grains of millet, quinoa, amaranth and teff. The amaranth and quinoa offer complete amino acid profiles, which means that all the amino acids required to make a complete protein are present. What it doesn’t mean is that they are present in the same ratio. However, one can get complete protein from this grain dish, which is a great benefit. In addition to adding nuts to the porridge, we pour nut milk over it, which adds more protein to the meal. My husband is sensitive to overloads of sugars from carbohydrates and does very well with this meal.

A favorite breakfast choice of the kids is to make the batter-style flatbreads, but substitute 1/2 cup of garbanzo bean/fava bean flour (or a combination) for one of the flours. The breads can be toasted and topped with nut or seed butters and fruit-sweetened jam or honey. The bean flour combines with the grain flour to make a complete protein and obviously, the nut/seed butters add protein as well.

Please add your ideas for boosting protein in breakfast without relying on eggs, dairy, or meats.