Alaska Chat for September

[Icequeen_in_ak]

I didn't see one, so I figured I'd start it. I can't believe it's already here. Our yard is full of yellow leaves

[Pinoikoi]

Our trees are full of brilliant red leaves..

thanks for the Sept thread!

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Okay... does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sprouted wheat bread?

I just tried one from a blog that I found last week. I had to sprout them a full day longer than her blog said, but I figured that is because the house stays pretty cool.

Then... as I was making it, I thought to myself...they sure are calling for a lot of salt (2 tsp) but I figured since so many people raved about this bread, I'd stick with it. She didn't mention anything about prepping the pan, other than making sure every surface you touched with the ground wheat berries was wet (because it's pretty sticky) so I wet the pan and then proceeded to bake. HUGE MISTAKE. That loaf is seriously desecrated from the removal from the pan. I don't think I've ever had anything stick THAT BAD... ever.

Next, I tasted it... the texture was pretty good (very textured, which I like) but it was SO salty it was disgusting. I'm super disappointed that I tended to these sprouts for 3 days and did all this work to have something that truly is only good for the trash (I can't even feed it to my dog... he has grain allergies). So I was wondering if somebody here had one they've done before.

[~PurityLake~]

[tallanvor]

Sorry, Karen, don't know. I'll email my SIL and see if she's tried before. I think she normally just buys sprouted grain bread already made though.

Now, if anyone can figure out how I can get my yeasty gluten free bread to not collapse when i take it out of the oven, I'm all ears. I like the taste of this one bread, but it always collapses. We still use it, but it's hard to cut the cheese to fit when the sides are 3-4 inches tall and the middle is only 2 inches tall.

[akwifeandmomma]

Hello, September! My sunflower stalks are about 7.5' tall and still no actual flowers. I'm really hoping to actually see some blooms before we get a frost...

My 1st grader is having a rough transition back to school. It's bumming me out.

I'm totally intimidated by sprouting my own grains. But I'm interested!

[spruce]

Wow, 7 foot sunflowers!! We grew dwarf sunflowers this year (E grows some type every year), and they STILL haven't gotten heads. Our growing season up here was just STRANGE.

Dislocator, I hope you're feeling better. I PM'd you, but I know PMs sort of freak me out (like uninvited guests or phone calls from people you don't know)...so anyway, I'm here if you want to hook up for tea at Gullliver's or whatever.

Karen, thanks for remembering that visit so well! I'm so glad you didn't freak at the amount of toy grime in the toy bins...what's that all from, anyway?

We're gearing up for this bday party (can't believe she'll be 14~~~ ). Going to be a busy few days. Anyone with ideas, we could still use them.

OH!!! The other Fairbanks Tang Soo Do Mothering mom....did you go to practice tonight? Or Monday? Do I know you by sight?

love, p

[PaulaJoAnne]

Fair

Anyone going to see the 125 pound cabbage at the fair?

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by PaulaJoAnne

Anyone going to see the 125 pound cabbage at the fair?

Holy cow! That would be almost worth the price of admission.



Karen,
Sorry about your bread. I have never tried to sprout the wheat berries. Heath benefits please? I usually stick with what I know and that is ground flax and oatmeal. LOL

P,
I think we all had a weird growing season! My plants all did very strange things and nothing grew right. I finally brought all my peppers and toms inside to see if I can salvage them. They got a funky rot/mold that just decimated my fruits this year.
I had some sunflower seeds that sprouted in our yard, left overs from the bird seed. They never got over 6 inches tall. They were on the shady side. All our attempts at beautification died this year.
On a happy note, I did see an Apple Tree with apples on it downtown Anchorage the other day! :

Tallanvor,
I wonder if you might be letting it rise too much before putting it in the oven? I have never attempted to make a gluten free bread though but some of my traditional recipes have fallen for that reason. Good Luck


I seem to have the most leaves in my yard in the neighborhood! and I have 2 teenagers...............something is amiss here!

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Tammy,
This is what I found on the health benefits:

"Sprouting induces the wheat berry to produce enzymes that break down starches, proteins, and fats; this makes the grain easier to digest. Also, sprouting makes the grain’s nutrients more available to us by degrading phytic acid, a substance in wheat bran that impedes our absorption of iron, calcium, and other minerals"

Basically.... what I was told in layman's terms is that once the wheat sprouts, the body digests it as a vegetable versus a starch. So it's easier on your digestive system.

[PaulaJoAnne]

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

Tammy,
This is what I found on the health benefits:

"Sprouting induces the wheat berry to produce enzymes that break down starches, proteins, and fats; this makes the grain easier to digest. Also, sprouting makes the grain’s nutrients more available to us by degrading phytic acid, a substance in wheat bran that impedes our absorption of iron, calcium, and other minerals"

Basically.... what I was told in layman's terms is that once the wheat sprouts, the body digests it as a vegetable versus a starch. So it's easier on your digestive system.

All grains and seeds have something called Phytic acid in them.
This is a natural preservative that prevents sprouting until the right time.
Moisture, warmth and a bit of acidity are required for this to happen.

Phytic acid blocks mineral absorption, is the real cause of tooth decay, and the biggest reason for the sharp rise in Celiacs today.
Modern day wheat now contains 7 times the gluten in them that ancient grains contained as well.

Before industrialization, grains were cut and shocked in the fields, and left out there for a few days.
The dew would settle on the heads at night, and the sun would warm and dry them in the day.
When the grains were ground for making bread later, the usual method being sourdough, the body was able to utilize the grains fully.

It is also intersting to note, that sprouted grains have 75% less carbs in them, (as noted above).

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by tallanvor

Sorry, Karen, don't know. I'll email my SIL and see if she's tried before. I think she normally just buys sprouted grain bread already made though.

Now, if anyone can figure out how I can get my yeasty gluten free bread to not collapse when i take it out of the oven, I'm all ears. I like the taste of this one bread, but it always collapses. We still use it, but it's hard to cut the cheese to fit when the sides are 3-4 inches tall and the middle is only 2 inches tall.

I'd love that! thanks

What ingredients are you using in your GF bread? I know when I first had to make GF breads, I had to play around A LOT with the different types of flours and I found the best one ever was one that had a mix of like 4 or 5 different flours in it. Have I ever given you that recipe? It was my staple as my dd was an avid sandwich girl at that time. It's heavy and dense, but tasted good and was still good for sandwich. I preferred it in a big ol slice with butter slathered all over it (and I wonder why I'm so big! LOL)

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Next on my how-to list....

Anybody have experience with making their own yogurt?

I saw an episode on Alton Brown last night and I thought.... for the amount of yogurt we go through in this house, I really should learn how to do it. It would be nice to know exactly what is going into our stuff. We already buy the organic yogurt, so I know it's pretty pure... but if I can make 4 cups of it for the cost of a qt of organic milk... then I think I'm way ahead of the game.

His recipe seems pretty simple... but it does require some massive temperature monitoring, so I thought I'd ask if anybody else has experience and a different method.

[PaulaJoAnne]

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

Next on my how-to list....

Anybody have experience with making their own yogurt?

I saw an episode on Alton Brown last night and I thought.... for the amount of yogurt we go through in this house, I really should learn how to do it. It would be nice to know exactly what is going into our stuff. We already buy the organic yogurt, so I know it's pretty pure... but if I can make 4 cups of it for the cost of a qt of organic milk... then I think I'm way ahead of the game.

His recipe seems pretty simple... but it does require some massive temperature monitoring, so I thought I'd ask if anybody else has experience and a different method.

I'll take this one, as I am sitting here waiting for glue to dry on a project before I can continue.

I make raw yogurt, but have made it with processed in the past.

All you need is a crockpot, pint jars with lids, milk and plain yogurt.

With raw milk, you do not have to be nearly as carefull, as it takes care of itself quite well, but pasturized milk is essentially dead organisms, and its very easy for bad bacteria to grow in it.
So, make sure you are very clean in your process.

Fill your crockpot 1/2 full with warm water, and turn it on to warm.

Gently warm the milk up to 80 degrees on your stovetop, pour it into the pint jars, and then add 2 tblsp of yogurt, put the lid on and shake well.
Place jars in the pot, bring water level to the top of the jars, and then lay the pot lid on part way.
In an hour or so, check the temp of the water, and make sure its not to hot.
Take the lid off if it seems to warm.
Leave overnight, and you will have yogurt for breakfast.

Now, in case you are interested, if you were to use raw milk, you can order a raw starter that allows you to make yogurt at room tempature.
Makes for a very easy process, plus you will have a yogurt that has true probiotics in it

[an_aurora]

Hi everyone! We live within easy walking distance to the fair and every time we drove by the fairgrounds for the past month my 4 yo would ask when we could go, so we went three days in a row last week! I am fair-ed out but my mom comes up from WA tomorrow and we'll probably go again.

We are going up to Denali this weekend to take a bus in and see the park in fall colors!

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by PaulaJoAnne

I'll take this one, as I am sitting here waiting for glue to dry on a project before I can continue.

I make raw yogurt, but have made it with processed in the past.

All you need is a crockpot, pint jars with lids, milk and plain yogurt.

With raw milk, you do not have to be nearly as carefull, as it takes care of itself quite well, but pasturized milk is essentially dead organisms, and its very easy for bad bacteria to grow in it.
So, make sure you are very clean in your process.

Fill your crockpot 1/2 full with warm water, and turn it on to warm.

Gently warm the milk up to 80 degrees on your stovetop, pour it into the pint jars, and then add 2 tblsp of yogurt, put the lid on and shake well.
Place jars in the pot, bring water level to the top of the jars, and then lay the pot lid on part way.
In an hour or so, check the temp of the water, and make sure its not to hot.
Take the lid off if it seems to warm.
Leave overnight, and you will have yogurt for breakfast.

Now, in case you are interested, if you were to use raw milk, you can order a raw starter that allows you to make yogurt at room tempature.
Makes for a very easy process, plus you will have a yogurt that has true probiotics in it

isn't there a raw co-op out here somewhere? I'm getting more and more interested in being a part of it.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by spruce

Karen, thanks for remembering that visit so well! I'm so glad you didn't freak at the amount of toy grime in the toy bins...what's that all from, anyway?


love, p

LOL P! I have no idea where that grime comes from... but I'll have you know, we've had plenty a bin in this house that has produced that exact same grime that you were so worried about I call it immunity boosters

[tallanvor]

Karen, for the sprouted grain bread, my SIL said she hasn't made it, but her close friend has. She said that the first few loaves don't usually turn out and that with all the work that goes into it, it is cheaper to buy it already made.

As for the gluten free bread, it has garbanzo, fava, tapioca, and corn, I think. I have a loaf that I make that is yeast free, but it's a little sweeter. Not bad, but the one with yeast is more like regular wheat bread, so I like it better for sandwiches. I've tried reducing the water and it's only rising to the top of the pan before I bake it, so am not sure what. But I have heard other ladies say they have a hard time getting yeast breads to consistently turn out.

Oh, you can also buy a yogurt maker. My MIL has one. I think my SIL makes it the way Paula mentioned, though. Either way works great. I am really missing my raw milk.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by tallanvor

Karen, for the sprouted grain bread, my SIL said she hasn't made it, but her close friend has. She said that the first few loaves don't usually turn out and that with all the work that goes into it, it is cheaper to buy it already made.

As for the gluten free bread, it has garbanzo, fava, tapioca, and corn, I think. I have a loaf that I make that is yeast free, but it's a little sweeter. Not bad, but the one with yeast is more like regular wheat bread, so I like it better for sandwiches. I've tried reducing the water and it's only rising to the top of the pan before I bake it, so am not sure what. But I have heard other ladies say they have a hard time getting yeast breads to consistently turn out.

Oh, you can also buy a yogurt maker. My MIL has one. I think my SIL makes it the way Paula mentioned, though. Either way works great. I am really missing my raw milk.

Thanks for checking for me I really want to keep trying. My time is free... so if I can buy a pound of wheat berries for a buck and make a loaf of bread out of it... I'm saving myself tons... PLUS, I know exactly what is going into it.. y/k? That is more of my concern than anything else. Even the organics I used to put all my trust in aren't as clean as they used to be.

I've seen the yogurt makers, but I made a vow that I would no longer buy any gadgets that only serve one purpose. I was embarrassed by the amount of things I ended up purging because I just didn't have the room for them. So anything that comes in, has to serve multiple purposes. So I think when I'm feeling better, I'm going to have to give it a try the good old fashioned way.

[spruce]

Karen, I bookmarked this page from the newsminer a while back. It just takes a crockpot and a small container of live culture yogurt to start.

http://newsminer.com/news/2009/may/2...made-goodness/

love, p