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Whole Wheat Crackers

January 24, 2016 by andrea Leave a Comment

Whole Grain Crackers

I feel I should start this recipe description with a warning – these crackers are addictive! Now we can move on.

Crackers are one of the few foods that we still buy in packaged form. The man loves Wheat Thins and even though I rarely buy them for him, I will occasionally find boxes in the pantry after I’ve sent him to the store for other things. And to be honest, Wheat Thins are not all that bad as far as processed foods go – there are not many ingredients and I can pronounce all of them.

But I have this desire to be able to bake things myself instead of having to buy them. If you need a box of crackers at the last minute, it often seems like it should be easier and quicker to whip some up instead of heading out to the store. And crackers really don’t seem like they should be that hard. And they aren’t – but I have had a difficult time finding a good recipe. I’ve tried several different recipes over the last year or so and I basically gave up looking because nothing was as good, quick or easy as the boxed ones. But I was recently inspired to try some new recipes and this time I’m pretty sure I hit the cracker jack pot.

The recipe itself is super simple – basic ingredients that you’ll probably have on hand.

You can play with the flours you use in these crackers

You can play with the flours you use in these crackers

If you know me, then you can probably guess that I’ve been making these crackers with freshly ground whole grain wheat flour. I’ve been playing with different heritage wheat varieties such as Einkorn, and I’ve also played with subbing some buckwheat flour for the wheat flour. The buckwheat made the crackers a little chewier that the all wheat version. If you aren’t milling your own flour and don’t have any on hand, this recipe will also work with a good store bought whole wheat or white flour.

Your dough should be sticky.

Your dough should be sticky.

When you mix up the dough, it should be sticky. Just be generous in flouring your dough as you roll it out.

I like a few seeds on my crackers. For my favorite seed mix, I combine equal amounts of caraway seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds in a little jar and then sprinkle away. This mix is one I use on bagels and dinner rolls. You could really use any seed, herb or finely ground nuts as the topping – have fun with it. To get the seeds to stick, I rolled the dough out just a tiny bit thicker than I want it at the end. Then I sprinkle the seeds on and finish rolling the dough out. This way you won’t have seeds everywhere in your kitchen except where you want them.

Using your rolling pin, lightly roll the seeds onto the crackers.

Using your rolling pin, lightly roll the seeds onto the crackers.

Whole Wheat Crackers
Author: Andrea
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 45 mins
These simple crackers are amazingly tasty. Roll them really thin for a super crispy treat or a little thicker if you like your crackers a little chewy.
Ingredients
  • 3 cups of whole grain wheat flour
  • 2 t sugar
  • 2 t salt
  • 4 T olive oil
  • 1 cup water
  • topping, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 and place the rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven.
  2. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Stir oil and water into dry ingredients. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  4. Divide the dough into halves. Cover one half with a clean towel.
  5. Pat the other half into a rectangle and place onto a floured surface.
  6. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/8″ thickness or thinner. Add flour as necessary to control stickiness.
  7. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the dough and gently roll the topping into the dough.
  8. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch x 2-inch crackers – or whatever shape you fancy.
  9. Poke each cracker with a fork and line up onto an oiled cookie sheet. Place the crackers as close as possible, they won’t spread.
  10. Bake 12-15 minutes, one sheet at a time. Check at 12 minutes for desired doneness. If some crackers bake quicker than others (because they are thinner or in the center of the pan) you can pull them off and bake the remainder a few minutes longer.
  11. Repeat with remaining dough.
3.5.3208

 

Filed Under: recipes Tagged With: cracker, whole grains, whole wheat, whole wheat cracker, whole wheat flour

My Thoughts on Flour

September 15, 2015 by andrea Leave a Comment

I’ve been meaning to put this article out here for a while. These are just my personal opinions on flour and food. I make no claims to know what is really affecting so many people’s bodies. Is it gluten? Or is it too much sugar? Too much processing? Too many chemicals? Or a combination of all of these things?
I don’t really know the correct answer – and honestly, I don’t think anyone really does. But, like most people, I have some thoughts on the subject. And once in a while someone asks me why I mill my own flour. People might be aware that white flour isn’t that great for us, but they wonder if there is really much difference between store bought and freshly ground whole wheat flour. And honestly, when I was first introduced to the concept of flour milling, I wasn’t sold on the idea that it was so much healthy. But it didn’t take long for me to be convinced. All I had to do was make a loaf of bread using the freshly milled flour and I was converted. The dough was softer than any dough I’d made using whole wheat flour. And the bread tasted fabulous.
I think that because we don’t hear about flour milling very often that people assume it must be something that is difficult or time consuming. If you’ve been to one of my classes, you already know that it’s neither of those things. If you grind your coffee beans most mornings, then you are already exerting the same amount of effort as I do when I grind flour. So, it’s not hard. And as a mother of four who occasionally fits in a little civil engineering on the side, I honestly don’t have time for anything that adds an extra challenge. But I do make time for things that I feel make a difference to the quality of my family’s food and health – and flour is one of the easiest places I’ve found to make a difference. Plus baking your own bread is a rewarding and relaxing experience in its own right.

Before wheat berries are ground into flour, they can be considered a live food. If they are exposed to moisture, they will sprout and germinate. When they are ground into flour, they immediately begin to oxidize. And just like your coffee beans, the flour will taste better when it is freshly ground. Oxidation also affects the vitamin and nutrient levels in the flour. Most of the vitamins and nutrients are contained in the wheat germ. There is also Vitamin E oil in the wheat germ. Over time, the Vitamin E oil eventually will go rancid in whole wheat flours. If you have ever had whole wheat flour that tastes bitter, it is likely it’s been sitting on the shelf too long. This is one of the reasons that white flour became so popular for mass production – it has the germ removed for shelf stability, but removing the germ also removes the vitamins and nutrients from the flour. White flour also has the bran removed, which contains fiber and helps with digestion. All of this processing means that white flour barely resembles the original whole wheat flour made directly from wheat berries.

kernel_jpg_935612582

Source for image: http://wbc.agr.mt.gov/wbc/Consumer/Diagram_kernel/

I can go on and on about the flour. But really, in the end, you should decide for yourself. Here’s some ideas to start:

  • Do some research on processed flour. While it can be hard to find clear, non-biased articles, try this one on WebMD as a start and then try googling processed flour. You’ll find that flour is one of the most processed foods in our grocery stores.
  • Take one of my classes or find a local class on whole grain baking. You’ll learn something new and get lots of samples. Try this link through Bosch Kitchen Centers to locate other demonstrators who teach milling and whole grains.
  • Bake your favorite recipe using freshly milled whole grain flour and see if you don’t love it.

 

Filed Under: Clatter in the Kitchen Tagged With: flour, fresh flour, milling, whole grain, whole wheat, whole wheat flour

Blueberry Muffins

February 24, 2015 by andrea Leave a Comment

I love muffins!  They have a little sweetness to them like a cookie, but it is easy to sneak in some healthy ingredients without compromising what you expect a muffin to look or taste like.  I don’t like it when someone tries to make a “healthy” cookie and you end up with something that doesn’t remotely resemble a cookie – but you can make a muffin little healthier and still have a muffin.

When I start with a new muffin recipe, I typically cut back the sugar by 1/3 to 1/2 of what the original recipe calls for.  I also like to add in yogurt and maybe some fruit.  This recipe for blueberry muffins covers all of those approaches and results in a great muffin.

I made this muffin at a recent class on Cookies & Quick Breads and I love bringing them the kid’s playdates.  I think the nutmeg and almond flavoring make it a little extra special.  Give it a try – you wouldn’t know that it is made with whole wheat flour.

Blueberry Muffins
Author: Andrea
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 18 muffins
If you’d like, you can substitute 3/4 cup honey for the sugar. I’ve also made these with fresh blueberries and they are awesome.
Ingredients
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour, preferably freshly milled (13 oz)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (can substitute butter, if you’d like)
  • 1 cup plain, unflavored yogurt (if using Greek yogurt, use 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1/2 cup of milk)
  • 1/2 t almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (whole wheat flour through salt).
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar through almond extract.
  4. Add wet ingredients and coconut oil to the dry ingredients and stir just til combined. Using a rubber spatula to make sure the dry ingredients on the bottom are stirred in.
  5. Add blueberries and stir just til combined.
  6. Spray muffin tin pans and scoop the batter into the muffin tins.
  7. Bake 20 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
3.5.3208

 

Filed Under: recipes Tagged With: blueberry, class, muffin, whole wheat flour

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