Granola Drops

Granola Drops

Adapted by Lynette Robinson from a recipe by Melissa Richardson in Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast.
These can be baked right away or stored in the fridge until later.  Leftovers freeze well.

Diabetic Friendly:  Because of the higher protein and natural sugars in this recipe, it is a wonderful way to help return blood sugar levels while the protein helps maintain.

Yield 15-24 cookies

Ingredients
2 tsp flax seeds or flax meal
2 tsp chia seeds

Grind the seeds in a coffee or spice grinder

In food processor
6 prunes
1/4 C golden raisins
1/4 C pecans
1/3 C shredded coconut

Grind all the ingredients including flax and chia in food processor until most is small.  Not powder but not whole pieces.
At this point I change to my cookie dough attachment. or mix by hand
add 1/2 C oatmeal (purists will want to either sponge at least 6 hours because of the flax, chia and oatmeal or substitute other previously soaked ingredients)
1/2 tsp baking soda (sift or break up really well)
1/4 C starter
1 egg (beaten if mixing by hand,.then blended with starter before adding to mixture.)
1/2 Milk or dark chocolate chips (optional) mini chips or slightly chopped disperses them more)

Mix well and drop on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.  I use a small scoop.
Bake at 350' for 8 minutes.  Let them cool down on the pan.  (they will be gooey but turn spongy as they cool.

You can change this recipe a million different ways.  I have used walnuts, apricots, almonds.
Any dried fruit or nuts work.  I just always use what I have on hand.

Sourdough Artisan Bread

Sourdough Artisan Bread

1 loaf

This method creates a nice chewy artisan type crust

3 c. flour (may be white, whole wheat, kamut, spelt, amaranth, or a combo. 

Avoid flours with bromate which is a toxic bleaching agent.

1-1   ¼ c water (may need less if your starter is wetter)

¾ to 1 c. active sourdough starter

1-2   TBS Maple Syrup or Molasses.  (More or less depending upon how sweet you want your bread or you can eliminate it altogether. )

1 ½ tsp/ sea salt or Himalayan salt

Use a dough hook, large wooden spoon, large kitchen mixer and/or your hands to knead until dough is well blended and not too wet.  You should be able to give the dough a big strong fingered squeeze and not have it stick to your hand but still be a little moist.  Dough will become a little more moist as it sponges.

Cover with plastic wrap or wet dish towel and let rise about 8 hours.  This doesn’t need lots of babysitting.  Just send it thankful thoughts as your walk by to encourage the work of this productive micro life as it breaks down the gluten and eliminates phytic acid from your bread.  The easiest thing to do is put it together at night and let it go to work while you sleep, or in the morning before work.  The longer it cultures the more the gluten is broken down.

When the dough has doubled in size, dump it onto an oiled counter, (olive, hemp, avocado but not any form of vegetable oil)  Knead, stretch and fold again a few times then shape into a round loaf.  Place on parchment paper large enough that you can pick up the dough ball by the edges of the paper.  Put the dough on parchment paper back into the bowl, smith side up.  Let rise for another 2-4 hours or until doubled in size.  (This happens quickly or slowly depending upon room temp)

About 40 minutes before your bread is ready to bake, place an enameled, 8-10 inch, deep dish cast iron Dutch oven into your cold oven and turn heat to 450 degrees.  Set the time for 40 minutes.  This thoroughly heats the cast iron pot and lid creating an artisan oven effect.  You can use almost any ceramic, oven type lidded pot.  (I use my cast iron Dutch oven)

Just before you transfer your bread into the Dutch oven, make about a ¼ inch slice across the top of your loaf.  This prevents your loaf from breaking along the edges as it bakes but rather fives a nice puffy slice across the top.

At the 40 minute mark transfer your bread dough, parchment paper and all into the hot pot by holding the edges of the paper.

If you like chewy crust, before you transfer the bread and parchment paper, put about 1/4 cup water in the hot Dutch oven.  Replace the lid quickly to capture the resulting steam.  Wait a few seconds and then remove the lid and transfer the sourdough cradled on the parchment into the steamy pot.  Quickly replace the lid.

Bake for 12-15 minutes with the lid on.  Remove the lid and continue baking for another 12-13 minutes until golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack and cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

After you master this wonderful bread, play around with it by adding garlic, onion, rosemary, etc. and less sweetener for more earthy bread, or raisins, nuts, cinnamon, etc. with a tad more sweetener for a more festive bread.  Remember that if you add flax, chia or other yummy grains, pre-soak them and then add at the very beginning with the starter, water.  Let the added grains/seeds soak for a few minutes before adding the flour.  Most of all, HAVE FUN and be thankful for these microorganisms.

Sprouted and Fermented Sandwich Bread Recipe

Such a long title but well earned for such a delicious staple in your kitchen.

A year or two ago I was chatting with the owner of our local flour mill and she was telling me that they sell wheat sprouts for baking.  I really wanted to try them but I never got around to going there to get them.

A couple of weeks ago I had an extra tray in my sprouter so I put some white wheat in it.  A couple of days later I had some really cute shoots and I decided to try some sprouted wheat bread.

My go-to bread recipe is adapted from a very old pioneer recipe that was in our church recipe book.  My

White Wheat Sprouts

young friend Ryan Smith actually went to Neta Allen's house and watched, measured and recorded the pinches, handfuls and dollops of ingredients.  Thank you, Ryan and Neta.  Neta has since passed on and I feel her spirit with me often as I make her recipe which was actually used in the advertising the Young Women in our ward who sponsored the book as a fundraiser for camp.  "Order our book!  It contains Neta Allen's bread recipe!"  Oh, yes. I snapped that thing right up.  It is full of great, yummy goodies from people I know and love.

I also love freshly ground wheat and then I use a little unbleached, un-bromated white flour that I buy from our local grain mill.  I know it's fresh and it helps the texture.  I made a batch last week and have another batch of Sprouted and Fermented Sandwich Bread in the bowl on my counter getting happy for a day.  This also makes the most amazing toast!

I'm not one who likes to scroll through lots of fluff and talk so I'll get right down to the recipe.

Sprouted Sandwich Bread

makes 4 loaves

5 C Scalded milk (cooled) or water with 1/3 C powdered milk
4 C wheat sprouts
1 C Organic Sugar. (white sugar won't feed natural yeast growth)
1 1/2 Tbs Salt
1/2 C oil
1/2 C natural yeast start

Blend milk/water and milk powder, and sprouts in blender.  I use a Vitamix and it is pretty much liquified
Pour liquid into large mixing bowl (I use my Tupperware fix and mix with the lid but you can also use your Kitchen Aid or other bread mixer.)

Natural Yeast Start

Add 1/2 c. natural yeast start, (be sure to feed your start and return to fridge.) sugar, salt, oil and 3-4 c. flour of your choice.  Mix well.  (I use a whisk for this part then use a wooden spoon until the dough is ready to be kneaded by hand.)  Keep adding flour and kneading until your dough is smooth and elastic.  Make sure all the flour is incorporated and the dough is still slightly sticky.
Put on a lid or wet dish towel and let set for at least 8 hours. If it raises out of the bowl, punch it down and continue setting. (I typically make it one day and bake the next..  This dough also stores wonderfully in the fridge so you can make scones or bake at different times.)

The dough should at least double and then it is ready to shape into loafs and let rise in pans. If your room is cool, let it set a while longer to fully feed.  Natural Yeast will actually pre-digest the things in the wheat that makes it easier to digest and uptake the vitamins and minerals.

I grease two bread pans for every loaf and put the second pan upside down over the bread.  This gives it protection from drying out and lets it rise.  Natural yeast bread tends to rise more slowly than yeast bread but my sprouted bread was a little quicker.  Just watch it.

When your bread is ready to bake, preheat your oven to 365', turn it down to 350' as you put in your bread and set your time for 25 minutes.  Oven temperatures and times may vary. 

When done your loaves should be golden brown on top and sound somewhat hollow when you tap the bottom.  Internal temperature should be between 195' and 200'.It's better to over-bake a little than to under-bake it.

Natural Yeast bread tastes fresher longer and does not mold as quickly as traditional yeast baked breads.  Please let me know how it goes for you.

Proper Care and Feeding of Your Live Yeast Start

by Lynette Robinson

Your New Baby Natural Yeast Start

Don't you just love the smell of fresh homemade bread?  Do you have a little tummy issue with bread?  Well, you just might be in luck.  Ever since cave woman first rubbed two sticks together, well, maybe not that far back, but for a very long time, woman has baked bread.  Man came home from a rough day hunting or farming and sat down to a big bowl of stew and a hunk of hot bread with butter and jam.  Bread is a comfort food that fills us and makes us feel better.  My taste buds are active now and I am in luck because, actually, I have a batch in the mixer even as we speak.

OK, let's get back to business.  I've heard a few women say that they want to make their own natural yeast start from scratch and Yes! you can do that.  There are even instructions on making your own yeast start in Melissa Richardson's book, The Art of  The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast but, I have also heard them say that it is more difficult than they thought it would be or their bread isn't as sweet and smooth as mine.  You see, your natural yeast start is a living organism and as we know, all living organisms have unique characteristics.  The characteristic of my natural yeast start is that it is healthy, has been around for awhile and is full of the love that I send it every time I feed it with the very best, very best food and most perfect water.  I love my natural yeast start and besides, I don't want you to get discouraged before you even bake your first loaf.

Tattler Lid on the left and a canning flat upside down on the right.

If you have received a 1/2 or 1/4 cup of start, the first thing you want to do is feed it as soon as you get it home.  I feed mine about once a week.  For two feedings it gets organic spelt flour and for one feeding it gets organic unbleached white flour.  The white flour keeps it sweet.  Your start should be kept in the frig but in the front where you will see it every time you open the door.  If liquid, usually a little darkish color starts to form, this means that your start needs to be fed again.  Don't be surprised if it needs nourishment a little more often for the first few weeks as it is adjusting to it's new environment.  Make sure that it's new home is large enough to accommodate a double in volume as it grows and then falls a bit.  I bake around 4 loaves a week and my start lives in a wide mouth pint jar with a tattler lid minus the rubber ring.

Feeding Your Natural Yeast Start

It isn't always necessary to remove your start from its bottle but you can if you like.  For your first feeding, go ahead and measure it out in to a bowl.  At this time note the consistency of your start because you will want it to be just like this after feeding each time.  The measurements aren't exact and you can always feed a little more if you would like a larger start.  For your first feeding add 1 Cup of either organic unbleached white flour or organic spelt flour to your start and about 1/4 Cup of water. (I filter my water then let it sit out on my cupboard for at least 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate.  You can also feed it with bottled water.)  I love Smart Water for this.  Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon as your start does not like too much metal.  Yes, my mixing bowl is metal but this is just what I was taught.  Stir and add little bits more of water until your start is the original consistency.  Put your start in to it's new home, bottle or jar and make sure the lid allows a little breathing space. Referigerate and watch for your start to raise a bit and have a few bubbles.  As long as you have fed and watered it correctly and sent it a little love, it will make lovely bread, with your help, for years to come.

When I Need a Bigger Start

This is a good place to talk about your natural yeast start's dwelling.  When I'm teaching classes and need a larger start, I keep her in a 2-quart jar, If you are baking multiple times a week or for a family, you might need a 1-quart size jar,  DO NOT use an air tight lid.  You can simply flip the flat upside down or use a Reusable Tattler Lid.  Tattlers are great for dry food and for more acidic food storage also.  If you use a Tattler lid, don't put the rubber ring on the jar and this will give a little breathing air without drying out your start.

Referigerate and feed your start.  Check it every time you open your frig door or at least every 7-10 days.  You'll get the hang of it.  Enjoy!

P.S. I do very highly recommend Melissa's book that is full of great explanations and recipes.  My favorite bread recipe is Honey Molasses Sandwich Bread found on page 56.  Melissa's Second book, Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast  Her recipe for Dad's  Sourdough Pancakes found in page 62 is the best.  I've fed many a missionary at camp with these pancakes.  You just have to remember to mix them up the night before.

I'm going to post an exquisite white wheat bread recipe that was adapted from a 100 year old yeast recipe.  A sweet woman from our ward, who has since passed away, used to supply our Sacrament bread every Sunday and since she is gone, my husband has said how much he missed Neta's bread.  I was fortunate to find it in the ward cookbook from her ward, as we were caught up in a boundary change a few years ago, and adapted it to my natural yeast.  I get raves each time I share a loaf.  Watch for it.

And in the meantime please follow my blog and join me on Facebook for tips and tricks on eating healthy by adding more whole foods to your diet and on food preservation and storage.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Sure They're Organic.

by Lynette Robinson

A couple of weeks ago, on a Thursday,  I purchased four organic lemons from my local grocery store.  You see, f or years I have considered the produce isle in my local grocery store to be a fairly safe bet for healthy food and I believe that compared to no raw fruits and vegetables, its it.

Ok, let's get back to my lemons.  I brought them home, used one, and put the rest in the bowl on my counter top.  On Saturday I got them out and went to use another when I discovered that one of the lemons was moldy.  I'm not talking about a little mold but a good third of the one end was covered with fuzz.  Hmmm!, I thought. I've had these for only two days.  I have had dozens of lemons lounge for weeks on my counter and never had a moldy one.  I purchased a couple more lemons later in the week and put them in the frig.  A few days later, one of the lemons was really squishy on one end.  Hmmmm? I thought.   Why is it that for so long I have never had a lemon do that?  Even after weeks of sitting on the counter or crisper.  I have seen lemons lose their size and finally go hard but never have I saw one go moldy.

Then I thought back to what I had recently learned about plant enzymes.  "Plant enzymes bring the plant to maturity or ripeness.  If the conditions are right, they will "digest" the plant when properly activated.  The body is provided with enzymes every time raw food is eaten because all raw food contains just the right amount and type of enzymes to digest itself.  Nature put enzymes in raw food to aid in the digestive process so that the body's enzymes would not have to do all the work."  ref. Enzyme Formulations, Inc.  Dr Holly Meade Serenity Choice

If the lemons that I have purchased over the years never rotted or molded and the organic lemons rotted within days then something is different.  Something happened to those other lemons to cause them not to deteriorate.  There are a few reasons that could be the culprit.  My question is, If the enzymes are lacking that deteriorate the lemon on the counter, and they are the same enzymes that help it digest in my body, am I robbing my body of the enzymes needed to digest my food by eating non organic foods.

Do I need to buy a cow?

I also read that raw milk contains the enzymes necessary to digest milk and pasteurized dairy lacks these enzymes.  Do I need to buy a cow?

Something to think about!

Have a great day!

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