The New-Ancient Grain-Seed...I Think I'm in Love!

One of many varieties, even the leaves
are eaten with relish...but today,
we focus on its seeds...
photo credit: (Dysviz)

It's one of the newer 'buzz word' foods.

But it's not new. In fact, it's part of ancient history.

It's considered, and often called, a grain.

But it's actually the humble seed of an often grandiose flower.

A seed that can be ground into gluten-free flour.
A seed that can be popped like popcorn and eaten as a snack or garnish, used as a cereal and even baked in bread.
This is a seed that acts much like a grain in usage, but instead of being high in carbs, is high in protein, as well as lysine, methionine, iron, calcium and fiber...three times as much fiber as wheat, in fact. It is gluten-free and highly digestible even for those with celiac disease.

It's called Amaranth.
 

A very, very special seed.
(Puritan.com)

I've been hearing about it, and perhaps you have too, for a while now, but only in connection to bread, but the GF part of it scared me off because I know there are extra steps to take to get bread to rise when there is a lack of gluten, and I haven't felt ready to embark on a new mission. I haven't been completely thrilled with the gluten-free photos of bread I've seen, either. (If I just stepped on toes, I'm sorry, but I need to be truthful about the reasons for my aversion.)

But, someone gave me some amaranth and because they did, I had to find a way to use it.

I looked up bread recipes, telling myself it couldn't be that hard, right? Well, I've still to put it to the test because every single recipe I found required the use of three or more flours, and of them, at least one other, besides the amaranth, was something I didn't have on hand.

So, I compromised and used some in my tibicos bread and it did turn out nicely, but I really didn't use that much, so I still needed to find another way to use it.





My results from popping.

With a bit of research, I discovered the merits of amaranth are rather profound, as stated above. So today, I chose the easiest way to incorporate it into my diet...well one of the two easiest ways. I popped it. (See HOW-TO video above.) It was sort of fun, even if a little more time-consuming than I would have liked. But a little seems to go a long way and I love the light, vaguely crunchy and toasty taste of it. It was delicious topping my yogurt at lunchtime and later, after this cooler weather passes, I think I'll try it on ice cream.

Loved the taste and texture! This is a keeper!

(Okay, folks, I just went to take pictures to post here and remembered as I was clicking away that someone had told me popped amaranth is similar to popped corn, only smaller. Well, I'd have to say it's almost microscopic in size comparison,
   however......while clicking, I wondered if it would taste as good as popcorn if prepped similarly? It was an experiment worth merit to me since I am a popcorn fiend. Unfortunately, unless I am psyched up to accept my body's negative reactions, I must usually refrain from the indulgence. But what if, what if my body says yes to popped amaranth? So, I took about 5 heaping Tbs, added about one Tbs. melted coconut oil- there's one way to get in that wonderful, nutrient-dense fat!- and sprinkled it lightly with sea-salt.)

I ate the whole little bowl (seen in the photo above), relished every bite, felt full and concluded that although it's not something I'd eat with my fingers, it's certainly comparable to popcorn. So much so, in fact, I would be tempted to sneak it into the next movie I attend. I am awaiting pop-cornish side effects, but have a feeling they won't happen. I'm fairly certain, in fact, that I've just stumbled upon a winner.

The other easy way to use amaranth is to soak it much the same as I now soak oatmeal before eating. Sarah Pope has a recipe for home-made soaked cold cereal and I'm thinking after grinding, this could be used in place of other flours for a gluten-free, fast and easy summer breakfast.

Why gluten-free? Because the more I read and study, if begrudgingly, about gluten's connection to gut disease and how it affects body and mind, the more I think it would be good to at least substitute some gluten-free foods for gluten-full foods. So, just as I recommend that newbies to traditional cooking and food prep take it in baby steps, I am doing likewise in my own toe-testing of GF food prep.

See, from what I am learning, if there is a serious gut problem, our nifty probiotic beverages, grass-fed meats and coconut oil alone...which are great and good and I don't want to take from that...cannot completely fix it. They can do the job of ensuring less toxins in my diet, adding substantial nutrient-dense quality and creating an intestinal environment attractive to gut-enhancing flora, but they cannot re-create that flora because the problem is that there are other critters, bad ones, that are feeding off all starches and most sugars. Those critters have to be starved to death and the only way to starve them is to not feed them those starches and sugars. (I understand date sugar, very ripe fruits and honey are okay.) So, that's a very big sacrifice to me...bread, potatoes, starchy veggies...Therefore, what I'm approaching it all via the low and slow method.

The good thing is that it's reported those who go on a GAPS type diet...a diet that eliminates bad-critter food...gives great results in how one feels and bodily reaction within short order. The total healing may take as much as two years, but the truth is, it does heal and it makes its clients feel better relatively quickly. This is not just a matter of being healed of a gut disease but auto-immune disease, which stems from gut disease, as well!



(healthytastebuds.wordpress.com)

So, you see, I may not be all in at this time, but I sure am listening. I'm trying a few new-to-me things with this old non-grain, too. And if I find it a lot to my liking, I may get my Little Red Hen on and plant some in my garden...

Oh, Nuts!

Soaked, dried pecans. ~Wonderful taste!

I could eat pecans till the cows come home...and since I'm fresh out of bovine beauties, that could be a really long time. The usual 'nut fare', (besides me), around here are the less expensive walnuts. They give a good taste to foods as well as a crunchy texture. Soaked as directed in Nourishing Traditions, the bar on taste and texture is raised, making our walnuts beyond the norm for a really good nut choice.
But for me, nothing beats a pecan. Perhaps that has something to do with being raised in a Southern home with three pecan trees on our property. Every fall, 'the boys', (my brothers), and I had the job of picking up the pecans that fell from the tree. One year our parents gave us these really neat gadgets on the end of a stick, like a broom handle, that captured the nuts in a metal basket when pressed over the nut on the ground. We put the pecans in brown paper bags from the grocery store...and always, there were bags and bags of them. We never hurt for pecans and when we played survival games, we'd sometimes climb the trees, crack some nuts and eat them 'to survive'. Or throw them at one another as our games turned into games of battle...depending on how things developed.
When it came close to holiday baking time, Mom laid newspapers all over the den floor-always on a Saturday-and we cracked and picked pecans from after breakfast into the afternoon. It went by pretty fast most of the time, while watching the Roadrunner with Wile E.Coyote and similar classic cartoons. Of course, we ate nearly as many nuts as we picked-Mom didn't seem to mind too much as long as she had what she needed in the end.
So, I guess my great love for pecans could have something to do with happy memories.
And in a way, that's really too bad. I wish I did have the same love for walnuts today, because almost always, they're cheaper. Recently, however, the Commissary sold them at under $6.00 per pound. After seeing them and struggling with whether to pay $12.00 per pound at another location, (I declined), I was ecstatic.
I am currently in the process of soaking both pecans and walnuts so I'll have plenty ready for the upcoming season. I've thought of mixing them together in recipes to give my goodies that rich pecan flavor along with the crunch afforded by both types of nuts.
Soaking nuts does so much for them in regard to taste and nutrition! I give all the reasons for soaking nuts, as well as the 'how-to's', HERE at "The Easy Art of Soaking Nuts", so take a look if you're new to the idea. To whet your appetite, let me tell you that soaking and drying is how nuts are made more digestible*, how they can be crunchy without cooking**, and how the nutrients within the nuts are heightened and best assimilated by the body. Remember, eating 'real food'/'traditional food' is about retaining or increasing the nutrient density of unprocessed real, or whole, foods. Ideally, this makes them as good as they can possibly be for our overall health. (Although I do occasionally veer a little to the left or right on this blog, nutrient density is what it's about...generally.)
I have a niece who's boyfriend calls nutrient-dense food, 'hippie food'. This immediately tells us that he's far too young to know what a real hippie is...or rather...was. In the day of the real 'hippies', they were better known for singing songs about being 'natural' among unnatural 'family members', while filling their lungs and veins with unnatural substances like narcotics and opiates and generally any other thing that gave a 'high'. Were all that way? Of course not...some just dressed the role, as the style became quite popular. Those who lived the real 'hippie life', often ended up like Forrest Gump's girlfriend. Many, much faster. It was not a healthy lifestyle. But if this generation wants to call this way of eating, due to misconceptions, 'hippie food', then I'm thinking that's okay. I guess I could change the name of this blog to "The Happy Hippie", "The Healthy Hippie", "Hip-Hippie Hooray!", or how about "The Hippie Grannie"? Anyway, it's funny how the word 'natural' can be so misrepresented...Which turns my mind towards thoughts of how our food is labeled 'natural' when 'natural' can mean just about anything...
Oh, nuts. There I go chasing rabbit trails again...
Back to the actual nuts...I have some pictures for you of today's final bounty...They are so amazingly delicious, I just wish you could taste them, too!

When the nuts are done, (no moisture, and slightly crispy is my preference), I put them in a jar. I don't put the lid on until they're completely cool.

Our 'good old stand-bys', crispy walnuts.

Because walnuts cost less, I soaked and dried three trays this time around, while I only did two trays of pecans...That's all my dehydrator holds. I will make another batch tomorrow. After they're done, they may be stored in a jar as show at the top of the page, or they may be frozen if they're not going to be used soon.


~Happy soaking!


*When nuts are soaked and then dehydrated at around 118 degrees, (higher temps not recommended as the higher the temp, the more enzymes are killed), they retain their enzymes, which are specific to that particular nut in helping our body to break it down. (I never get tired of telling about this...EVERY food we eat has it's own specific enzyme, uniquely designed into that food alone, so we are able to better digest it...How amazing is that?)
**Enzymes are killed above 118 degrees, so the less we have to cook/bake many foods, the more digestible and beneficial they'll be. For a variety of reasons, this isn't true for every food...some are actually better for us cooked...but if it's a grain, nut, bean, or legume, soaking is always best.

My Perfectly Imperfect Kitchen

I want to set a record straight for those of you who haven't guessed yet: I am an imperfect person. REALLY imperfect. When you read my other blog posts and look at the pictures, it may seem that my kitchen is this nice, orderly world of everything in its proper place at all times.

Dream on.

Now, like going out to lunch after a morning of housework, I can 'clean up pretty good', and if I know I'm having visitors, I do pretty well with kitchen clean-up, too.

But on those days when I live in my kitchen...
Dream on.

In those pictures seen on other posts? I move everything just out of camera shot and clean the immediate area. I mean, immediate. Not one half-inch further. And I only do that so all the clutter doesn't confuse the subject. I am in the midst of creating and taking the photos is for you, not me. The time they take cramps my kitchen-rhythm. So, I do as little as I can as fast as I can to 'git 'er done!'  Then, I can get back to what I'm really doing...cooking on a limited time schedule.When I'm finished, I take a break if I have a little time to manage it. THEN I tackle the cleaning.

But I know there are some of you who won't believe me, so I'm going to do you a favor...
I'm posting the evidence.

Now, you have one less person with which to compare your cleaning and organizational skills. Hopefully, this brings even more freedom and fun to your visits here. As for me, I find confession good for the soul. Now, I have less fear of falling off someone's invisible pedestal.

Enjoy!

 See? This is a close up of part of my counter area...Note the papers and books...mostly recipes, poking out beside the grain mill. I was starting the grain soaking for the bread that's in the oven right now, by the way...

Stuff everywhere as I hurry along...even forgot to close one of the cupboards...

Yes, it's cluttered, but it's my organized mess. And by the way, I do have an oven...it's to the left, where you can't see...But then, I wasn't using that portion of the kitchen during this shooting, so it was too uncluttered to include.
By the way, I am leaning against my washer while taking this picture...Yes, it's one of those kinds of kitchens...Which just goes to show, it doesn't have to be big or state-of-the-art, (although I would WELCOME both!), to work.

My final piece of evidence of my imperfection in the kitchen is the recipe I am working on. This is the recipe I sort of use for soaked grain bread. You can see by all the scribbles that I'm still tweaking! I will eventually take the time to put all my squiggles to good use by losing what I don't use of this recipe and incorporating my tweaks.


But if you think that's happenin' today...

Dream on.

Recipe for Hush-Puppies - Using Nutrient-Boosting Soaked Cornmeal

I couldn't find it.
I searched for hours, but found not one single recipe to share about making hush-puppies traditionally, using the nutrition-boosting power of soaking. I found cornbread and other cornbread-related recipes. But this one was just not to be found. I made my own soaked hush-pups recently, but I did not use lime water for the soaking, so I know my method wasn't as effective.
It's not that the pickling lime for making the lime water wasn't available. It was in the cupboard. It's been there about three months. I knew with summer coming, our intake of fish would increase and I wanted to be ready with the typical southern side of cornbread or hush-puppies. But for both, I have taken the short cut each time...and crossed my fingers that it was at least a little effective.
But the last time I did it this way, I had a check in my mind and spirit about my method.
Once I allow myself to feel a check, I am bound to make changes, so, I researched more but still came up dry regarding a traditional cooking methods of preparing hush-puppies, so, I did 'the logical thing'.
-Improvised.
This recipe didn't look the same when I first found it. It has been tweaked and pinched and changed so that it doesn't much resemble its former self...as happens with most recipes over time. Added to those changes, are the Nourishing Traditions nutrient-boosting twists as well as a lime-water 'how-to'.
Why bother?
Because in truth, the corn kernel is the toughest grain to break down into a more digestible food. It requires more than the typical methods of grain soaking. But once soaked, B-3 is released, amino acid quality is improved, and as with the soaking of all grains, digestibility and assimilation of all the good nutrition residing within the kernel is multiplied.
Native Americans, who introduced newcomers to corn, always soaked their corn. How they understood the need for this, we do not know, but when we started taking shortcuts by not following suit, we caused ourselves a nutritional problem. Basically, foregoing this important step in corn preparation renders it a filling but rather non-nutritive food. In the absence of meats or other niacin-rich foods, as in the South during the Depression, poorly prepared corn became the meal that 'fills-but-kills' as it opened the door to Pellagra. Many people literally ate themselves to death. Read about it in detail at Medscape.com, Pellagra in the United States: The Eradication of Pellagra.

 (Last tip prior to beginning the recipe: I keep my cornmeal in the freezer because I don't use it very often and it can become rancid quickly.)

Soaked Cornmeal Hush-Puppies 

Makes 48-50 Large Hush-Puppies

If you do not already have lime-water prepared, make it the day before you start your soak. See recipe for lime-water at the bottom of this article.

If your lime water is already prepared:

Start ahead of baking day with:
2 cups yellow corn meal

1 & 1/2 Cups lime water*

Soak the corn meal in the lime water for 7 hours. (If you want the hush puppies for the next night's meal, soak the corn meal overnight. Don't sweat it if you go past 7 hours...it's more of a minimum time than a maximum time.)

After Soaking Time, Add:

1 & 3/4 Cup unbleached white flour (I use fresh-milled hard white, but if you don't mill your own, you can use another excellent brand, such as King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill.)
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt (Organic if possible.)

Soak all this,(bowl covered with a dish towel), for another 12-24 hours. (My 'twist' on this is to soak it as long as I possibly can before continuing with the recipe. HOWEVER, if that means I need to cut the soaking time to 8 hours instead of the 'minimum' of 12, I will. One of my traditional food prep 'mentors' has assured me that 8 hours is plenty of time for soaking.)

To complete the batter:
You will notice pockets of liquid have collected on top and perhaps along the edge of the top of your batter. This is NORMAL and GOOD...It's a sign that your soaking efforts are effective! Still, it will add excess liquid to the batter, which you don't want. To counter this, use a large tablespoon or ladle, (my preference), and gently push the bottom of the spoon down against the puddled areas and against the edge of the bowl. The liquid will flow into the bowl of the spoon and can then be discarded. Remove as much as possible before continuing with the recipe.

Now add:

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper (opt.)

1 teaspoon baking powder (May be home-made.**)
2/3 teaspoon baking soda

Up to 1/4 C. finely diced onion (Optional, but I wouldn't recommend leaving it out!)
2 TBS. bacon grease/melted lard. (Or in their absence, some other, 'WAPF-Friendly' oil.)

*Some people like a little sweetness. If you are among them, you may want to add a couple of tablespoons of unrefined sugar. I do use this in my recipe.
*Others enjoy a little heat-Add Tabasco sauce to taste.

Mix well. 

The batter should resemble that shown in the picture. If it seems a little runny, add more flour, only by tablespoons, until it thickens. Remember that this flour is not soaked grain, so we really want to add as little as possible until it's just drop-able, (as opposed to drip-able), from the spoon.

About cooking oil for frying: You may see Nourishing Traditions or the Weston A. Price Foundation for recommendations. In the absence of pasture-grazed lard or tallow, I like peanut oil. It's not the highest in all-around nutritive value, but it's better by far than shortenings or canola oil and has a higher burning point than some other good choices. Use organic if possible. Peanuts are one of the most-sprayed (with pesticides) crops.

Many deep-fry their hush-puppies, but I prefer to fry them in about 2 inches of oil right in my cast iron skillet. I turn the heat on high just to get the temp up. After 3-5 minutes, I turn it down to 7-8, (out of 10), setting. When there are little bubbles on the bottom of the pan, I wet one hand and shake the excess water over the oil. If it sounds a little sizzly, it's ready, if it spits and sputters voraciously, it needs to be turned down and allowed to cool a little before dropping in the batter.

When the oil is ready, drop the pups in by the spoonful. You can use dinner teaspoons for small, round ones, or a larger, serving-type spoon for larger, elongated ones. If using a small spoon, drop directly from spoon into the oil. If using a larger spoon, drop from the side of the spoon into the oil. (If you dip the spoon into cold water between each drop, the batter will move more easily off the spoon.)

This isn't a job you walk away from. (My somewhat strange tool of preference is my large serving fork.) Turn the pups, watching for that golden-brown color on each side. Don't overcook. Drain on paper towels or recycled paper bags. 

If you aren't eating immediately, put hush-puppies in a ceramic serving bowl and place in oven on lowest heat. Once the oven's warm, you may want to turn the heat off so they don't dry out. Try to eat them asap! Many consume 'as-is' while others like to slice them in half and spread a little butter on each half.

*LIME WATER

In a 2 qt. canning jar, put about 1 inch of pickling lime. Fill the jar to the top of the shoulder with filtered water. Cover with lid and shake well. Allow it to settle several hours or overnight. The clear liquid above the lime that falls to the bottom is the lime water. When a recipe calls for this, do not shake the jar, but carefully pour or ladle out the amount of water called for. 

** HOME-MADE BAKING POWDER-(Excerpt from "How I 'Roll' with Blackberry Roll")

 To make baking powder yourself, Wardeh shares this mix: 1 part baking soda, 1 part arrowroot powder, (Bob's Red Mill has this, but many grocers carry it as well), and 2 parts Cream of Tartar, (usually found in the spice section at the grocery store.) I store mine in my cupboard in a small jelly jar.

Pleasing Porridge Hot

Today's post explains the simple process of soaking grains. Wolves In Sheep's Clothing fully explains the need for this method of grain preparation and in our home, other than the slow fermentation method used in creating sourdough starter and the long-rise period required for authentic sourdough breads, this is the method of grain preparation most often used. This is true only because our mornings don't generally allow a lot of time for meal preparations, so we save the bigger breakfasts for Saturdays. During the week, however, we usually eat either oatmeal or farina, ('Cream of Wheat' is the name by which many know farina), hard boiled eggs w/sourdough toast, or maybe a good slice of raw cheese melted on sourdough toast.

Although it is perfectly natural for many animals, like cows, to eat whole grains raw, man is not created to do this. So, although there is much ado about eating 'raw' foods, we'd be wise to follow the traditions of our forefathers by excluding raw grains from our diets. The scientific principles behind this are outlined in my last post, but perhaps the easiest route of explanation is to remind that the cow has three stomachs while mankind has but one. In fact, any animal that chews the cud has other means of digestion that man lacks. Chewing the cud in itself is something man does not do, yet the act aids the simplest rabbit in the art of digesting grasses.

When man attempts to do the same, we do so at risk to our digestive system and every system affected by the digestive system...ie: all of them. Thus, as infants, we may develop colic. As children, tummy aches. As adults, heartburn, acid reflux, GERD, etc. Are non-soaked grains the only cause of such problems? Did I say that? I did not. But whole grains that have not undergone the process of mimicked germination can cause any of these problems and certainly contributes to them. Many factors come into play, as with all things pertaining to health...genetics, for one. However, no evolution of a second or third stomach has, as yet taken place. (Don't hold your breath).

There are two major reasons to pre-process grains before eating them. The first is the fact given above...We need another stomach to 'do it right'. The second is contained in my last post: The wholesomeness of grains cannot be released without germination, therefore, germination must be mimicked. Along with this, it is becoming more widely understood that there are particular substances within the grain that are only removed during germination. These substances, if not removed, interfere with and block absorption of all the wonderful nutrients found in grains.

In the past, before mass production and combines, wheat and other grains would be gathered and stacked in the field. You may recall paintings depicting this. Those were the grains used by the local populace and by the time they arrived in the home, they had endured rain, dew and sun and for the most part, they had germinated. The blocking substance (phytic acid) found in grain, as well as enzyme inhibitors, protect the grain until germination. Phytase, the good enzyme indwelling grains, is only released during germination. This is the enzyme that specifically helps our digestive system absorb/digest the nutrients of that particular grain. (It is an awesomely interesting fact that every food known to man has its very own enzyme that aides in its digestion.)

So, man has never possessed the extra stomach needed to help in the proper digestion of grains, and today, due to the marvels of the industrial age, he is not provided with grains ready for consumption. Fortunately, we can hearken to the wise food traditions of our non-industrialized great-grandparents as well as well-nourished people groups world-wide who have never known the benefits of industrialization. Seemingly via intuition, all of them developed ways to make grains more friendly towards the human gut. The methods require the use of an 'external stomach', namely a pot, pan, or bowl and an acid that mimics digestive juices in action.

I have learned of two very good methods for preparing breakfast grains and both work equally as well. Both use two essential ingredients: time and acid. For maximum nourishment, the acid should be whey (not the powdered kind), yogurt, kefir or buttermilk. These are all dairy products and in the forms given here, are full of beneficial 'critters' for the intestine. However, those with severe milk allergies may use vinegar (try coconut vinegar), or lemon juice.

The basic amount, which would serve 3-4, is 1 Cup cereal, such as rolled or steel-cut oats, to 1 Cup filtered water. To this, add 2-4 T of the acid. (See last paragraph.) For next morning ease, mix this in the same pan you plan to cook it in, allowing for the addition of another cup of water just before cooking.

Cover the pot with a tea towel-you can secure with a rubber band if you feel more comfortable with that. Soak this 'porridge' in a warm place overnight. (I mix ours up right after dinner clean-up.) The 'warm place' we use is the closed oven with the light on. The next morning, add another Cup of water and 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt, stir well, bring just to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer. It will be ready in less than 5 minutes.

The other way to do this is to soak the cereal in the acid starting the morning before you want to eat it. Do not refrigerate, but just leave it covered at room temperature in a warm place...the top of the fridge or in an oven with the light on is fine.  Before bed, drain and rinse-I use a fine mesh colander. (This method is particularly good for those who may not like the extra little bit of zing the acid can add to the taste of the cereal.)

Now put the soaked cereal in a small, lightly greased crock pot, preferably one with a low setting. Add 1Cup of milk, (preferably raw, or try organic coconut milk for a spectacular flavor), 2 Tbs. butter and 2 C. of filtered water. Cook on low overnight and when you waken in the morning, it will be ready to eat! For the same reason some like programmable coffee and tea pots, this method is great for those wanting to eat, but not cook, first thing in the morning.(I must admit, once I discovered this method, I haven't used the other.)

Whichever method you choose for preparation, when it's ready, get your creative juices flowing and customize it. Add honey, butter, coconut oil/milk, cream, raw milk, walnuts/pecans/almonds, blueberries, real maple syrup, vanilla, chopped apples or dates, or even a spoonful of organic/homemade peanut butter...You get the idea. It will be so delicious that even your guests will enjoy it. Our latest guest, who rarely eats oatmeal, commented on the 'smorgasborg' of additions we provided, and ate every bite of her steel cut oats with gusto. Needless to say, both of us were well satisfied.

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If there are leftovers, there's no need to leave your porridge in the pot until it's nine days old...No, save it in the fridge until you're ready for it, add a little milk and an egg or two until it's the consistency of thick pancakes. Ladle onto a hot, well-greased griddle, then turn the heat to medium or even a little lower, and cook your oatcakes until done on both sides. It takes a bit longer than pancakes, so be patient and be sure not to cook too high, too fast! Scrumptious with a bit of butter and real maple syrup! 
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Next Post: Prepping Nuts