A few years ago, we started making homemade gifts for family and friends…

Can I share a secret with you? At first, I was embarrassed ?. What would people think? Would they laugh? Would they think we were having money problems? My insecurity snuck in.

Despite the voices of doubt, we went for it. It all started with homemade candles and vanilla extract. You know what happened?

Everyone LOVED the homemade gifts!

Not only did they love the homemade gifts, many family members request vanilla extract each year and others have taken to making vanilla extract and candles at home.

Homemade gifts don’t need to be fancy or complicated. In fact, the simplest gifts always result in the greatest reactions from recipients. A few of our favorite gifts to make and give, include: hand scrub, body butter, lip balm, hot chocolate kits (mix + a mug + mini organic marshmallows), and cookies in a jar. These gifts are fun for the kids to make, and allow our family to create something together so that we can bless others. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

Check out my 6 easy-to-make homemade gift ideas here

How to Make Cookies in a Jar

Today’s recipe, Cowboy Cookies in a Jar, is one of our favorite homemade gifts to make for teachers, family, and friends. The jars come together in just a few minutes, particularly if you prep the ingredients in large bowls ahead of time.

Simply layer each ingredient in mason jars. Easy as 1,2,3! You don’t have to cook or bake anything–that’s for the recipient to do.

To complete each gift, we like to add a ribbon around each jar, along with a gift tag and baking instructions. If there’s time, we like to add the remaining ingredients to a bowl (along with butter, vanilla extract, and eggs) and treat ourselves to our own freshly-baked cowboy cookies.

Download gift tags for your cookie jars here 

Now that’s a gift worth making, giving, and receiving!

How to Make Cookies in Jar Video

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Cowboy Cookies: a Gift in a Jar

A naturally-sweetened and whole grain cowboy cookie mix in a mason jar. Make the mix for a fun gift, or bake the cookies on the spot. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cowboy Cookies, Gift in a Jar

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes minutes

Total Time 34 minutes minutes

Servings 1 jar (12 baked cookies)

Calories 3429kcal

Ingredients

Cowboy Cookie Mix (in a mason jar):

• 1 cup whole white wheat flour (140g), some folks have asked if einkorn flour can be used in this recipe. I haven't tested this option, but I think it might be possible. Please do a trial run first if you want to go this route.
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (105g)
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar (123g)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (70g)
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped (58g)
• 1/2 cup organic semi-sweet chocolate chips (93g)*

Make the Cookies:

• 11 TB butter softened**
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract ***
• 1 jar Cowboy Cookie Mix see recipe above

Special Equipment:

• quart-size mason jars These are super expensive on Amazon. Check home stores and grocery stores for the best price.

Instructions

Cowboy Cookie Mix (in a mason jar):

• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Pour the mix into a quart-size mason jar (any quart-size, or slightly larger, wide mouth jar will work). I highly recommend using a funnel to pour the flour and remaining ingredients into the jar. Add the oats and sugar. Gently tap the bottom of the jar on a hard surface to compact the ingredients without compromising the individual layers. Add the cranberries and chopped pecans. Gently tap the bottom of the jar to compact the ingredients again. Finally, add the chocolate chips, tapping the jar if more room is needed. Place a lid on the jar and attach the gift tag instructions (download the printable gift tags, here).

Make the Cookies:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, using a hand-mixer, beat the softened (to room temperature) butter. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. Pour the contents of the mason jar into the bowl, and mix everything together. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet (I use an ice cream scooper). Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. 

Notes

*Bittersweet or extra dark chocolate chips will also work. I bet white chocolate chips would also be delicious in this recipe.  

**I've used both salted and unsalted butter in these cookies. Unsalted is usually preferable for baked goods; however, I haven't had an issue (with taste or texture) with using salted versus unsalted. 

***I make vanilla extract for Christmas presents. I use vanilla beans from Frontier Co-op and vodka. I'm planning to place a jar of vanilla extract in a gift bag with the cookie mix. If you don't want to make vanilla extract, I think it would be really sweet to purchase a bottle of vanilla extract for each cookie mix recipient. Simply Organic makes a fantastic vanilla extract. 

11 tablespoons of butter = 1 1/2 standard sticks of butter (minus 1 tablespoon). A standard stick of butter is 8 tablespoons. 

Quart-size jars may be found at craft stores, grocery stores, or via Amazon (search "mason jars"). 

Many readers have asked where I found my wonderful funnel. It's made by Progressive, and it may be purchased via Amazon. 

Nutrition

Calories: 3429kcal | Carbohydrates: 352g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 213g | Saturated Fat: 106g | Cholesterol: 668mg | Sodium: 2704mg | Potassium: 1297mg | Fiber: 37g | Sugar: 155g | Vitamin A: 4380IU | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 15.3mg

The post Cowboy Cookies in a Jar: An Easy Homemade Gift appeared first on Live Simply.

There are many feelings that surround the current state of the world. (If you’re reading this in the future, we’re currently in 2020, the year of coronavirus, toilet paper and meat shortages, business closures, mask- wearing, and murder hornets…I know it sounds sci-fi like and, trust me, it feels that way.)

Despite the challenging times, there is a glimmer of hope. Folks are turning to local farms and have returned to their kitchens and are now cooking at home (because when you’re not hustling 24/7 you have time to make nourishment a priority). I’ve also noticed the number of people outside, enjoying bike rides and playing with their kids. I know we’re all eager to get back to “normal life,” but I hope we don’t rush back too quickly. I hope we remember the practices we’ve developed during these “slower times.” I hope the sourdough starters continue to thrive, the home-cooked meals continue to be celebrated and enjoyed at our tables, farms continue to experience local demand, and we continue to embrace the beauty and joy that comes from getting outside and connecting with our loved ones. In a way, this virus situation has brought us back to the basics, back to what matters, and for that I’m grateful.

With the hope that all the sourdough starters that were created and loved on during quarantine continue to thrive post-corona, let’s talk about some ways to use that starter beyond just a loaf of crusty bread (which don’t get me wrong is amazing).

If you’re reading this post, my guess is that you already have an active sourdough starter. Or, maybe you’re about to make one and you’re doing some research on how to use your starter once it matures and becomes active. If you’re brand new to the idea of sourdough, then before we proceed on, let’s talk about what a sourdough starter is and why it’s the foundation for all sourdough recipes.

Any type of sourdough (whether pizza or bread or muffins or cake) is made by first creating a sourdough starter. A starter is simply a blend of water and flour and wild yeast. Wild yeast lives everywhere, so the intent of creating a sourdough starter is to capture naturally-occurring wild yeast and use it for baking bread. A sourdough starter is full of life, literally, in the form of healthy and active bacteria. According to Discover Magazine (check out the article, it’s fascinating), “Sourdough is teeming with bugs—some 50 million yeasts and 5 billion lactobacilli bacteria in every teaspoon of starter dough.”

This bacteria, when mixed with flour (and usually some water and maybe a few other ingredients) and given time (hours to rest and make a fermented dough), goes to work at breaking down (pre-digesting) the gluten and phytic acid found in grains. This makes sourdough easier to digest and full or beneficial nutrients.

Sourdough is truly a magical process. It’s fascinating to watch how something so simple (water, flour, and air) can create the most delicious breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, crackers, and so much more. (PS: If you have Netflix, I recommend watching Michael Pollan’s Cooked and the episode about Air which is all about fermentation and sourdough.)

To make a starter, you’ll need flour, water, and patience. Here’s my tutorial for how to make a sourdough starter. You can also purchase one online or ask a friend.

In order to make sourdough, you need flour. I’ve found the quality of your flour makes all the difference when it comes to making good sourdough. If you’ve been around the blog for long, then you know that I love einkorn flour. Einkorn is the original wheat, an ancient grain that hasn’t been hybridized. You can learn more about einkorn here. Einkorn is very easy to digest compared to most flours so I prefer to keep my einkorn for quick baking projects like quick breads (banana bread, etc.), muffins, biscuits, pie crusts, etc. Here are my favorite (non-einkorn) sources for quality whole wheat and all-purpose flours (the two flours I use most often for making sourdough bread)…

• Sunrise Flour Mill
• Hayden Flour Mills
• Central Milling

Below, you’ll find a few of my favorite ways to use my sourdough starter. Along with the sourdough recipes below, I recommend picking up a copy of Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple. This book is my go-to for sourdough recipes. There are so many ideas for how to use a sourdough starter and every recipe is easy to make.

Pizza

This is my go-to recipe right now to make on Friday night. On Friday morning, I feed my starter and by mid-morning make the dough. In the evening, we roll out the dough and make a couple of pizzas to share with the family. The pizza dough can be made with all-purpose flour or einkorn or a mix of wheat and all-purpose.

Focaccia

This is one of my favorite ways to use my sourdough starter. Trust me, make a focaccia and you’ll see why. Focaccia is a wonderful bread to eat as-is with soup or cut in half and enjoyed as a sandwich. For a quick lunch, I love to cut focaccia in half and top with a red sauce and cheese then broil for few minutes until the cheese is melty. The cookbook mentioned above (Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple) offers a few different variations, from a pesto version to a fresh tomato option. Here is an easy recipe for a basic focaccia.

Muffins

It’s currently blueberry season in Florida so we’ve been making lots of blueberry muffins. This recipe starts by combining a sourdough starter with flour and water and then allows for an overnight fermentation period. In the morning, add a few other ingredients and bake the muffins. You can add a variety of mix-ins to this recipe. I use einkorn flour (since so little flour is used and I love the flavor), but there is room for variation with all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

Banana Bread

I’ve been experimenting with sourdough banana bread, using brown bananas leftover from the week. It’s so good! There’s a slight tangy and sweetness that’s unlike any other banana bread. This recipe only calls for a small amount of honey or maple syrup, too.

Crackers 

Crackers are a good way to use the discard from your starter. (Each day you have to toss half the starter and give the remaining sourdough a fresh feeding, the tossed sourdough is called the discard.) Crackers are a fun way to use that discard and enjoy a delicious and nourishing snack. Pair the crackers with cheese or some homemade hummus.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but it comes from one of my favorite recipe developers (Carrie was on the podcast back in season 2). The fermentation process that takes place in this recipe makes the cookies easier to digest and I’m sure the flavor is amazing.

Chocolate Cake

We made this recipe over the weekend. I was skeptical because it’s just so stinkin’ simple, but simplicity is gourmet (as Hilary from Live Yum Yum says, another podcast guest). The kids made the recipe and then we topped the cake with buttercream frosting (this frosting cut in half). The cake was gone that night. We used einkorn flour, but the recipe calls for all-purpose so there’s room to work with what you have on hand. This cake is also dairy and egg free (see why I was skeptical), so it’s great for anyone with an allergy or anyone wanting to use pantry ingredients and a sourdough starter to make a delicious cake.

Garlic Knots

This recipe is sooooo good and comes from the book I mentioned above (Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple). Fresh roasted garlic is added to this sourdough recipe to make the best garlic knots you’ve ever had. I made the knots recently for a friend who had a baby and her family couldn’t stop raving about them. Naturally, my family was quite jealous so I had to make another batch for our family the next night. Not a bad problem to have.

Pancakes

This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I’ve made them with einkorn and they’re so good! A nice addition to our favorite pancake recipes (found on the blog) and a great way to use my sourdough starter.

Waffles

Sourdough waffles are another favorite in our home: light and fluffy with a slight sourdough tang. I think your family will love them, too. This recipe is my go-to right now. I usually make the recipe with all-purpose einkorn flour.

The post How to Use a Sourdough Starter: 9+ Easy Recipes appeared first on Live Simply.

Now, before you dismiss the idea of making sourdough bread let me just encourage you: If I can find the time to make sourdough bread, you can, too!

I lack the patience for baking on most days. There are those rare times when I’ll get the urge to make cookies or cupcakes, but most of my time spent baking is due to a special occasion or because there are ripe bananas on the counter (hello, banana bread).

On top of the fact that I lack patience in the baking department, making sourdough bread has been a struggle and challenge for me. I’ve taken classes, read online tutorials, and experimented over the years with various sourdough methods. I’ve even purchased sourdough kits from the store. I’ve tried it all. On top of that, it’s hard to find good sourdough bread in my area. Well, that is, real sourdough bread that’s made with basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and a sourdough starter.

Every one of my attempts resulted in less-than-ideal bread. I’d always give up and keep purchasing sourdough bread from the Whole Foods’ bakery (which is actually really tasty and it’s made with good ingredients).

Last spring, I purchased a book from Amazon called, Tartine Bread. The book is written by the master baker and owner (I believe, I’m still a bit unclear about the owner part) of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Tartine makes some of the most famous sourdough loaves in all the land, so I figured the book might help me on my quest to achieve good, homemade sourdough bread. After reading the book–which is very short considering that the first few pages contain the most important information–I felt confident enough to attempt homemade sourdough, again.

Trying to make sourdough bread, again, meant that I had to create a sourdough starter, again. I had the sourdough starter process down, so I quickly whisked together the flour and water needed for the base of the starter and then let it sit for a few days until it “came to life.” Once the starter was active, I was ready to try my hand at the Tartine method.

My first attempt at making sourdough bread, using the Tartine method, was a huge success. I had never created such perfect sourdough before. The crust crackled, the crumb was deliciously moist, and the holes in the bread were definitely Instagram-worthy. It was at that very moment that my love for making homemade sourdough began.

Over the past few months, I’ve tweaked the Tartine method, using the lessons from the book and the classes I’ve attended in my local community, to create a process that works for my schedule. I’ve also played around with using different flours to make the actual sourdough bread.

As I’ve played in the kitchen, I’ve shared my sourdough loaves over on Instagram. Many Instagram friends have messaged me, asking for the sourdough recipe. So here we are today. Together, I want to help you embark on your own (homemade) sourdough journey. I’m going to share my recipe and tips, from making the starter (yeast) to mixing the bread dough to baking the sourdough loaf, and then it’s your turn to experiment in your kitchen.

Before we can make an actual loaf of sourdough bread, we need to make a sourdough starter–the base on which sourdough bread is formed. Before sharing how to make a starter, let’s talk about what exactly a starter is and why it’s so important. Then, I’ll share how to use this starter to craft a loaf of homemade sourdough bread (see this post for the method I use).

A sourdough starter is simply yeast. Sourdough yeast differs from commercial active dry yeast (and other store-bought yeast varieties) in that a starter is made up of wild yeast. Wild yeast lives everywhere, so the intent of creating a sourdough starter is to capture the naturally-occurring wild yeast and use it for baking bread.

To make a starter, two simple ingredients are combined: water and flour. Wild yeast is already in the flour and air, so at this point it’s just a matter of “capturing” that yeast. After just a few days of the water and flour mixture sitting on the counter, the starter will begin to show signs of life–there will be visible air bubbles throughout the batter, the batter will rise and fall, and it will smell slightly sour (but not in a rotten food way). Once the starter shows signs of life (the good bacteria at work), the starter needs to be maintained with regular feedings of fresh flour and water. Think of the starter like a pet. A pet that gives you delicious bread! That’s my kind of pet.

Once the starter shows signs of life, a loaf of sourdough bread can be made using the starter as the yeast. Not only does a starter help the sourdough bread rise, it also breaks down phytic acid in the bread (thanks to the bacteria), making the bread easier to digest. <–This is just one of the reasons why I’ve wanted to learn the art of making sourdough at home, and why I think it would be beneficial for others, too. According to Discover Magazine (check out the article, it’s fascinating), “Sourdough is teeming with bugs—some 50 million yeasts and 5 billion lactobacilli bacteria in every teaspoon of starter dough.”  

Using wild yeast to make bread is a practice that’s been around for a very long time. It’s a practice that’s beneficial for us in a day when people are afraid of bread and gluten. We’ll talk more about this next time, when we actually make bread together.

Above, you’ll notice my active and mature sourdough starter. This starter was made with all-purpose organic flour from Whole Foods (365 brand), and it’s maintained (fed) with all-purpose flour.

Notice the white line, that’s where the starter sat after discarding half and then feeding the leftover starter with 60 grams water and 60 grams flour. After about 5 hours, my starter grew to where you see it in this photo (double in size). This is a very mature and active starter. Your starter will start to behave in a similar way after about 7-12 days of starting–you just need patience and daily feedings.

Notice the bubbles, these are air pockets and a sign the starter is active and full of good bacteria (the kind that will make your bread rise and also predigest the gluten). When you first start, you’ll notice these bubbles are gradual and small. Overtime, the longer you maintain your starter, the more active and noticeable they’ll become. Seeing bubbles throughout your starter and also seeing it double in size after feeding (and then fall back down to the white line when it’s ready to be fed again) is a sign you can use this starter to bake!

Once your sourdough starter is active (which can take anywhere from 5-10 days, depending on the temperature in your home–bacteria thrives in warm conditions so if your home is cold it may take longer), you can begin baking. Active = you notice air pockets in the sourdough starter and the starter rises (actually doubles in size) and then falls back down each day. Yes, you can make a classic sourdough bread, but there’s so much more you can do. Here are some ideas for how to use your active starter.

• Focaccia: An Italian classic. This is my favorite sourdough bread to make. Enjoy with soup, make it into a pizza, use it to make sandwiches, or just snack on it throughout the day.
• Garlic Knots: A fun garlic bread made with fresh garlic and grated cheese.
• Muffins: Add any filling, such as blueberries or chopped apples or shredded zucchini.
• Banana Bread: I use 1/3 cup of maple syrup instead of the brown sugar in this recipe.
• Waffles: This is a great way to use the discard from your starter once active (you’ll need to discard half your start each day so why not use it?). I’ve used einkorn as the flour in this recipe with good results.
• Pancakes: Another great way to use the discard from your active starter.
• Crackers: Another great way to use the discard from your active starter.
• Pizza Dough: I’ve used einkorn flour in this recipe and it works great.
• Chocolate Chip Cookies: Yep, you can even satisfy your sweet cravings with a sourdough starter.

Tools make the sourdough process easy and enjoyable. While you’re working on your starter, gather these supplies so you’ll be ready to bake in a few days.

• Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple: This is the best sourdough book for easy recipes. Every recipe in this book is easy to make and delicious!
• Flour: If you’ve been around Live Simply for a while, then you know that I love baking with einkorn flour (an ancient grain). When it comes to sourdough, I prefer to use other wheat varieties. Einkorn is expensive and easier to digest (easier than most grains), so I reserve this flour for non-sourdough baking adventures. The sourdough process breaks down the gluten protein in wheat (predigests it), making wheat easier to digest. For flour, I love Sunrise Flour Mill, Hayden Flour Mills and Central Milling.
• Glass Jar: A tall jar (quart sized works well) for storing your starter. Think of this jar as your starter’s home. I like to pour my starter into a new jar (home) every couple of weeks to keep the sides and top of the jar from getting too crusty.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Most recipes will require mixing the sourdough in a large mixing bowl and then letting it rest for several hours (this is when the magic happens).
• Proofing Basket: This is not required, but does help with making a crusty, traditional sourdough loaf.
• Bread Pan: If you want to make a loaf bread (or banana bread), you’ll need a bread loaf pan.
• Dutch Oven: A Dutch oven creates the perfect steam oven for making a crusty loaf of sourdough.
• Dough Whisk: This is particularly helpful for keeping your hands clean when mixing your dough. The dough scraper is also nice for scooping the dough out of the bowl without dirtying your hands.
• Bread Lame: This tool allows you to score the bread (make cuts in the dough before baking), which allows the bread to expand and rise during baking.

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Sourdough Starter

How to make a from-scratch sourdough starter, and maintain that starter, for making homemade sourdough bread. 

Course How To

Cuisine American

Keyword Sourdough Starter

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 starter

Calories 510kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

To Make a Starter:

• 100 grams whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 100 grams filtered water

To Maintain/Feed an Active Starter:

• 60 grams whole wheat flour about 1/3 cup or all-purpose flour
• 60 grams filtered water a bit less than 1/4 cup

Special Equipment:

• digital scale you'll also need this to make the sourdough bread
• high-rimmed jar a large mason jar works well
• cheesecloth
• rubberband
• patience

Instructions

To Make a Starter:

• In a high-rimmed jar, mix together the 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water. Once combined, the flour and water will be thick and resemble a very thick pancake or waffle batter. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or small towel and secure the cloth over the jar with a rubber band. 
• Your work is done for now. It's time to wait and let the natural yeast (bacteria) do its work and bring your starter to life. I recommend placing your starter near a fruit basket (on the counter) or if your home is cold put your starter in the warmest location of your home.
• After about 1-2 days, you should notice that your starter looks and smells different. It may have a slightly sweet and sour aroma, air bubbles may appear in the starter, and the starter has risen. The starter will also change from a thick and hard-to-stir to batter to one that's a bit more pliable. You're not looking for any kind of crazy WOW changes, just slight changes here.
• Discard 50% of your starter.
• Feed the sourdough starter with 60 grams of fresh flour and 60 grams of filtered water (it's important to stick with the same flour for your starter versus change things up). Stir the fresh ingredients into the starter, place the cheesecloth (or towel) back on the jar, and secure the cheesecloth or towel with a rubber band. Place the starter back on the counter (near a fruit basket or warm spot, if possible). Continue to do this for 4-7 days.
• Once your starter is mature (around 5-7 days after starting and consistently feeding it, depending on the temperature of your home), you'll notice that it grows and shrinks throughout the day. Growth happens after you feed your starter with flour and water (and discard half of your starter before doing this)--growth usually happens during the first 2-12 hours of a fresh feeding. It's ideal to feed your starter when it shrinks back down as this means it's ready to fed again (it's consumed all the food you gave it and now it's ready for more so it can grow again). The more you feed your starter (between 1-2 times a day, depending on the current temperature in your home as warmer weather can make for a lively starter while cooler temps so it down), the healthier and more active it will be. When it rises (roughly 2-12 hours after feeding), this is considered an "active and bubbly or freshly fed starter" and it's the ideal time to make bread dough. You can use the discard starter (what you toss each time you feed it), to make waffles or pancakes or crackers.

To Maintain an Active Starter (AKA: Keep It Alive):

• Once a day, refresh your starter by feeding it with fresh flour and water (60 grams each). If your starter is super active (rising and falling often), you can feed it twice a day.
• If you're not going to regularly bake bread, you can keep your mature starter (it's been alive and healthy for a couple of weeks now) in the fridge. To do this, at feeding time, discard 50% of the starter (remember, you can use this to make waffles, pancakes, or crackers if you want), feed the starter with 60 grams of water and flour, and cover the starter. Let the starter sit at room temperature for an hour and then place the starter in the fridge to hibernate. This is also a good way to keep your starter alive if you're going to be traveling and won't be around to feed the starter on a daily basis. There's no need to feed the starter until you pull it back out of the fridge because you're ready to start baking bread again. The starter doesn't need to be fed while it's hibernating in the fridge. I recommend feeding it once a week, if possible, when keeping it in the fridge. You'll need to pull the starter from the fridge at least 1 day before starting the sourdough bread process, discarding 50% of the starter, giving the starter a fresh feeding (60 grams of flour and 60 grams of water), covering the starter, and placing it back on the counter in a warm spot.
• If you need help with troubleshooting or maintaining your starter, I recommend this quick-read guide: https://www.baileyraeskitchen.com/blog-hq/2020/3/25/troubleshooting-amp-maintaining-your-sourdough-starter

Notes

I've had the most success using whole wheat flour to make and maintain my starter. Plus, whole wheat flour is pretty inexpensive, which is important to me since I'm discarding and feeding my sourdough starter on a daily basis. 

I personally don't keep my starter in the fridge, because I usually bake bread 1-2 times a week and don't mind the regular feedings. I keep my starter in the fridge to hibernate when we travel, or during busy seasons of life when I won't be able to regularly feed my starter and make bread. 

Now that my starter is mature and thriving, I don't actually weigh the 50 grams of water and flour each time I feed the starter. I know, just from eye balling it and using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, what my starter should look like when it's fed. Once you get to a point of regular feedings, you'll get to know your starter and the ideal feeding appearance and consistency very well--so don't feel like you need to use the scale for this once you're a pro. You will need a scale for the initial starter creation and each time you make bread, because weight measurements are far more accurate than volume measurements. 

Now that you have a starter, you can make sourdough bread. A Sourdough starter can also be used to leaven more than just a loaf of sourdough bread. You can use a sourdough starter to make sourdough waffles or in place of the leavening agent (i.e. baking powder) in quick bread recipes. It can also be used to make pizza dough. Google is a wonderful resource for recipes. 

For troubleshooting (mold, etc.), Cultures for Health is a great resource. I recommend checking out this article. 

Nutrition

Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 16g | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 5.4mg

The post How to Make a Sourdough Starter (and Keep It Alive) appeared first on Live Simply.

Making sourdough bread causes us to seek out high quality ingredients, get back into our kitchens, and use a time-honored technique to make a very simple and basic food. A technique that’s therapeutic, rewarding, and beneficial for our bodies.

Making sourdough bread is a traditional practice that’s been used to make grains more digestible and to help unlock the nutrients found in grains. 

“Traditional societies usually soak or ferment their grains before eating them, processes that neutralize phytates and enzyme inhibitors and in effect, predigest grains so that all their nutrients are more available. Sprouting, overnight soaking, and old-fashioned sour leavening can accomplish this important predigestive process in our own kitchens. Many people who are allergic to grains will tolerate them well when they are prepared according to these procedures.” -Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions 

I don’t soak, sprout, or sour every grain we consume. This is evidenced by the number of recipes on the blog that call for simply combining flour and other ingredients in a bowl and then putting those ingredients in the oven to bake. Just because I can’t/don’t/won’t soak, sprout, or sour every grain we consume doesn’t mean I can’t incorporate these time-honored, gut-loving techniques into my kitchen from time to time.

PS: If you have a Netflix account, I highly recommend watching Micheal Pollan’s Cooked Series, particularly part three, Air. Pollan explores the art, science, and reason why we should get back to making sourdough, particularly in a day and age when so many folks are afraid of gluten. If you don’t have a Netflix account, or don’t want to watch the documentary, read this short article. 

Most sourdough recipes are written in very complicated formats. The recipe formats are well and good if you know what you’re doing, but, to me, these instructions have made sourdough recipes feel intimidating.

Because of this, I’m going to share today’s recipe in steps. To me, this makes logical sense. This is how I initially wrote down and tweaked this recipe, so why change it up and try to make it all fancy.

Sourdough isn’t a process that’s meant to be fast or quick–that’s why active dry yeast was invented and became so popular–but don’t let this fact discourage you. Most of the process is a hands-off process, which means you can have a life outside the kitchen and still make sourdough bread.

Also, I highly recommend picking up the book, Tartine Bread. The book uses technical, baker terms (which are helpful as you progress along in your sourdough journey) for what I’m calling “steps.” The book is also filled with recipes, from pizza dough to olive sourdough bread. The Tartine recipe and method was published by the New York Times a couple of years ago, too. So if you want to try out the full method, which I’ve adapted to work for my schedule, check out the recipe.

The Tartine method uses some of the starter to create a separate leaven (the yeast, leavening agent in the bread) with a small amount of flour and water. I tried this when I first started using the method, but found this extra step too time-consuming for my schedule. After attending a local sourdough class that recommended skipping the leaven-creation step, I decided to skip it, too.

So, step one…

In the first step, I combine some of my sourdough starter (here’s a tutorial), with the majority of the water and flour used to make the dough. At this point, the dough is jagged and thick. The dough is covered with a towel, and then rests on the counter for about 6 hours.

After about 6 hours (I’ve tried other time periods and this works best for my schedule), the dough has spread and increased in size. Now it’s time for step two.

At the beginning of step two, I add more water and the salt to the dough. At this point, the dough is very wet and sticky. I set a timer for 3 hours, and every 30 minutes return back to the dough to knead it or “turn it.”

To knead the dough, I use the method described in Tartine Bread, “…dip one hand in water to prevent the dough from sticking to you and then grab the underside of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over the rest of the dough. Repeat this action three times so that all the dough gets evenly developed. This is considered one turn.”

It’s fascinating to watch how the dough develops and transforms itself. By the end of this process, the dough is smooth and easier to handle. Some air bubbles develop in the bread during this process, too.

After 3 hours, the dough is ready to be placed on a floured surface and folded. After folding the dough over itself, on each side, I dust the dough generously with flour and cover it with my towel. The dough then rests for 30 minutes, during which time it will flatten out like a thick pancake.

Note: This is a very wet dough, so if this is your first time working with sourdough, you may want to add a bit more flour to the dough (about 30 grams, up to 50 grams) to make it easier to work with.

After 30 minutes, it’s time to form the loaf. Before doing this, I mist my proofing basket with water and sprinkle it, heavily, with flour. To form the loaf, the dough is folded and gently rolled into what Tartine Bread describes as a “neat package.”

The dough is placed in the floured proofing basket, and then into the fridge it goes to rest overnight.

After resting the dough in the fridge overnight, it’s time to bake the bread, finally! To bake the bread, I use a Dutch oven and raise the temperature of the oven to 500F. Once the oven and Dutch oven are hot, the bread is carefully dropped into the Dutch oven and baked with the lid on for 24 minutes (this creates natural steam inside the Dutch oven). The lid is then removed and the bread bakes for 20 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, and the Dutch oven, the bread is ready to rest and cool.

Sourdough bread is just as much of an art as it is a science. No two loaves are the same, and no two methods are identical (thanks to different environments, schedules, and personal taste preferences).

The more you make sourdough bread, the more you can tweak and perfect your ideal bread, and the process that goes into making the bread. This recipe and method, which I’ve tweaked from Tartine Bread and the classes I’ve taken in my local community, works for my schedule and produces a loaf of bread that’s slightly sour, but too sour; slightly dense, but not too dense; slightly imperfect, but absolutely perfect to me and my family.

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Homemade Sourdough Bread (Spelt and Wheat)

Homemade sourdough bread made with spelt and wheat flours. A recipe and method adapted from Tartine Bread. 

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Bread, Homemade, Sourdough

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 44 minutes minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Calories 2305kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

Step One:

• 50 grams sourdough starter about 2 tablespoons*
• 400 grams filtered water
• 100 grams whole wheat flour
• 450 grams white spelt flour unbleached, unbromated and unenriched**

Step Two:

• 25 grams filtered, warm water
• 10 grams salt
• 30 grams white spelt flour
• white spelt flour for dusting the countertop and top of the dough

Step Three:

• whole wheat flour for dusting the proofing basket
• white rice flour for dusting the proofing basket

Special Equipment:

• digital scale because you'll need to weigh the above ingredients
• large bowl ceramic, glass, or stainless steel work best
• dish towel
• proofing basket or a medium-size bowl--you'll also need a dish towel if using a bowl
• bread lame or a very sharp knife
• Dutch oven I use a 3 quart oven
• sharp bread knife

Instructions

Step One:

• In a large bowl, using your hands or a spoonula, combine the starter, water, and flours. The dough should be jagged and thick. Cover the bowl with a towel (or you could use plastic wrap or beeswax wrap), and allow the dough to rest for 6 hours. I usually start this in the morning, before I leave the house for the day, and allow it to rest on the counter until I get home. After about 6 hours (it can go for a bit longer, if needed), the dough should have spread and increased in size.

Step Two:

• Add the water and the salt to the dough. To do this, fold the ingredients into the dough by grabbing the underside of the dough, stretching it , and folding the sides over and on top of the dough. This is all done within the bowl. Cover the bowl with the towel and set a timer for 3 hours. 
• During this 3 hour time period, every 30 minutes, return back to the dough to "knead" it or "turn it." To knead the dough, I use the method described in Tartine Bread, "...dip one hand in water to prevent the dough from sticking to you and then grab the underside of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over the rest of the dough. Repeat this action three times so that all the dough gets evenly developed. This is considered one turn." The goal is to knead or turn the dough 3-4 times during this resting period--I've found that every 30 minutes works well. 
• By the end of this step, the dough should have increased by 20-30%, if not let the dough rise for another hour. <--This may be particularly true during the winter if your home is very cold. 
• Turn the dough onto a well-floured countertop surface (I use extra spelt flour). If the dough feels unreasonably wet to you (the dough should be a "wet dough"), you can knead in 30 more grams of spelt flour. If it still feels too wet to work with, you can add 20 more grams of flour (up to 50 total grams of flour). 
• Using the same kneading/turning method, fold the dough together to form a ball. Sprinkle the top of the dough with extra spelt flour and cover the dough with a towel. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. During this time the dough will flatten and spread, like a very thick pancake. 

Step Three:

• Now it's time to shape the dough and get it ready for a final rise. Before doing this, you'll need to prep a proofing basket.
• Whisk together 50/50 whole wheat flour and white rice flour--I mix 1 cup of each flour and keep this in a dedicated container that I pull out for this step.
• If you're using a proofing basket, mist the basket with water and generously sprinkle the basket with the flour mixture. If you don't have a proofing basket, place a dish towel in a medium-size bowl, mist the towel with water and generously sprinkle the towel with the flour mixture. (The water misting helps the flour stick to the surface.) 
• Now it's time to shape the dough into what Tartine describes as a "neat package." To do this, fold one side of the dough (the side near you) up and over the center of the dough. Stretch out the dough to your right and fold the dough up and over the last fold. Repeat this with the left side. Now fold the dough "in the back" (furthest from you, I don't know what else to call this part) up and over the previous folds. At this point, you should have a compact dough ball. Gently roll the dough away from you, creating a smooth ball, and dust the top of the ball with some of the wheat and rice flour blend. 
• Let the dough rest for a minute, and then place your hand under the dough and drop it in prepared basket (with the floured top now at the bottom). Cover the basket with a towel, or plastic wrap or beeswax wrap, dust the top with a bit of the wheat and rice flour mixture, and place it in the fridge. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 12 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can leave the basket on the counter, covered, and let it rest for only 3-4 hours before baking. 

Step Four:

• To bake the bread, preheat the oven to 500F and place a Dutch oven, with a lid, in the oven. Remove the bread from the fridge and allow it to rest on the counter (at least 30 minutes before baking). Once the oven reaches 500F, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Flip the bowl upside down and drop the bread into the Dutch oven. Use a very sharp knife, or a bread lame, to make a couple of cuts on the top of the bread to allow steam to escape. 
• Place the lid on the Dutch oven. Reduce the oven to 450F. Bake the bread, with the lid on, for 24 minutes (this creates a natural steam oven). After 24 minutes, remove the lid and and bake the bread for 20 minutes. 
• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and then remove the bread from the Dutch oven. Place the bread on its side to cool. 
• Cool the bread before slicing and enjoying. Use a sharp bread knife to cut the bread. 

Other Recipes:

• There are many ways to make sourdough bread. This is just the method I use. Here's another method I've used with good success that calls for all-purpose flour: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/

  To learn more about all the ways to use a sourdough starter, check out this post.

Notes

*Try to use a starter that's been fed in the last 12 hours--so it's fresh and very active. After using some of the starter to make the bread, you'll want to feed your starter. You shouldn't need to dump any of the starter (since roughly 50% just went into your bread) before feeding. 

**The price on Amazon is much higher than what I pay in the store. I purchase the white spelt flour (and the rice flour) from Whole Foods. I believe the spelt flour costs $10 for the same bag. I've tried making this bread with both 100% whole wheat and stone ground spelt, and I don't care for either one. The texture is far to dense for me. You're welcome to try stone ground spelt, if desired, just know that the texture may be a bit more on the rustic side and the flavor may be, too. All-purpose flour is the flour Tartine Bread calls for in the book. Tartine Bread does offer a 100% whole wheat recipe in the book. 

Don't worry if the bread looks like it's a "flop" when you remove it from the bowl and drop it in the Dutch oven. It's okay! I've had this happen several times, usually because I didn't add enough flour to the proofing basket to prevent the loaf from sticking. The bread will be fine, don't mess with it in the hot Dutch oven. If you find that the dough continues to be difficult to remove from the proofing basket, try adding the 30 grams (up to 50 grams) of spelt flour during the step 2. 

As you practice the art of making sourdough bread, you'll learn what to expect at each stage, including what the dough should feel like and what it should look like. Just like with anything, the more you practice the better you get. You'll also be able to develop a schedule that works best for you. I begin with step one in the morning, set a timer, and then come home in the afternoon/early evening and start step two while I'm making dinner. After the dishes, I finish up on step two and step three. The next morning I bake the bread (step four). During the school year, I make bread on Saturday and then bake the bread on Sunday. 

If your first loaf comes out too flat (the loaf spreads and doesn't hold its round shape), try adding the extra 30-50 grams of spelt flour during step 2, as talked about in the recipe. This should fix the issue. The bread will still be usable and tasty, even if it spreads and flattens while baking. 

Nutrition

Calories: 2305kcal | Carbohydrates: 433g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 3915mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 75g | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 26.6mg

The post Homemade Sourdough Bread appeared first on Live Simply.

Recently, while scrolling Pinterest, I clicked on a promising (at least from the photos) lemon bundt cake recipe. The cake was gorgeous and looked like it was simple to make from the photos, but when I scrolled to the recipe section I was gravely disappointed. The recipe called for “2 cups flour.”

At first glance, this may not appear to be a big issue, but this vague description can really make or break a recipe, and no one wants a “broken” lemon bundt cake. What’s the big deal?

From my baking experience, not all flours are created equal. One type of flour may need 2 eggs to create the perfect cake, while another flour may need 4 eggs to create the same cake. The same goes for liquid to flour ratios. One flour may need 1 cup of liquid, while another may only need 1/2 cup of liquid.  This means it’s important to know about the various types of flours, and how to use them in baking; especially since the world of healthier flour options is quite vast these days, ranging from wheat flour to ancient grains.

Today, let’s talk about the real food flour options I personally use in my kitchen. We’re not going to talk about gluten-free flours today, because I’m not a gluten-free baker (other than a few almond flour recipes we enjoy from time to time). Renee, from Raising Generation Nourished, will be sharing her guide to gluten-free flour in the next few weeks.

Real Food Flour 101: My Top Picks for Healthier Baking

Einkorn Flour

Einkorn is known as the oldest variety of wheat, making it an ancient grain. This ancient grain is believed to have originated in the Tigris-Euphrates region and is possibly the main grain referenced in the earliest accounts of the Bible. To put it simply, einkorn is the wheat men were eating in the earliest days before modern-day wheat varieties. While modern wheat has undergone hybridization, einkorn still holds true to its original properties. Einkorn is slowly gaining popularity, but is still grown in only a few regions in Europe.

The sweet, ancient grain has a lighter texture and taste than modern-day wheat, and contains a more favorable gluten ratio. People with minor gluten sensitives may be able to consume einkorn without the issues associated with whole wheat due the lack of D-genome; however, einkorn is not gluten-free.

How To

Einkorn slowly absorbs water and requires less working time and more rest time.

When I’m replacing a wheat or all-purpose flour recipe with einkorn flour, the amount of liquid called for in the recipe must be adjusted. This means using less liquid particularly in yeast breads. According to Jovial Foods, “Sometimes, the amount of liquid in the recipe needs to be reduced by roughly 15-20%.” (source)

As mentioned earlier, einkorn likes to rest, which means less kneading is needed when working with yeast dough. It’s preferable to avoid using a stand-mixer when kneading einkorn dough. Instead, use your hands and knead the dough just until “hydrated.”

I often refer to Jovial’s “Baking with Einkorn” page for tips on using einkorn flour in my favorite recipes. Jovial’s tips for increasing the eggs called for in cake-like recipes, kneading, and proofing yeast have helped me produce delicious baked goods countless times.

When making the switch from all-purpose flour to whole grain flour, einkorn is my number one choice. Einkorn flour produces baked goods that closely resemble baked goods made with white flour: light, fluffy, and yellowish in color.

Spelt Flour

Spelt is believed to have originated in the Near East over 8,000 years ago, eventually making its way into Europe, particularly Germany. The mildly-nutty tasting spelt berry is considered an ancient grain much like einkorn, and is even referenced in the Bible.  The spelt berry has not been hybridized like modern-day whole wheat.

Spelt has a lower gluten content than today’s whole wheat, making it easier to digest. Spelt is not gluten-free and should not be used by those with celiac disease or a severe gluten intolerance.

How To

Due to spelt being water soluble, more liquid is needed when converting a recipe to a spelt-based recipe. This simply means watching the dough or batter and adding a couple of extra tablespoons (or more) of liquid to prevent a dry baked good.

When it comes to yeast breads, it’s important to take into account the low gluten content and more fragile characteristics of spelt. Spelt does not like to be over-mixed or over-kneaded. Over-working spelt (too much mixing or kneading) will result in a crumbly final product.

Whole Wheat Flour

Modern-day whole wheat is believed to have originated from the ancient emmer grain in the Fertile Crescent. Modern-day wheat, known as whole wheat, has undergone hybridization from its original form. The word hybridization may sound scary, but the fact is that much of our food today has been hybridized. Emmer’s hybridization resulted in a wide selection of whole grains. Whole wheat’s change is simply due to hybridization, not genetic modification.

Whole wheat is wheat in its whole form, consisting of bran, germ, and endosperm.

How To

Hard red wheat (whole wheat flour) is best used for breads. Baked goods made with whole wheat flour have a slightly “earthy” taste and a dense texture.

Some of the best advice I’ve received for using hard red wheat (whole wheat flour) comes from a Better Homes and Gardens Q&A segment:

“When making cookies with whole wheat flour, reduce the butter by 20 percent. When making cakes with whole wheat flour, add another tablespoon or two of liquid. When altering a white bread recipe to become whole wheat bread, you may need another ¼ cup or so of liquid.” (source)

This little nugget of advice has been valuable for making delicious whole wheat cookies and bread countless times in my kitchen. I’ve also found that using half oat flour (which we’ll talk about later) and half whole wheat flour produces lighter muffins and quick breads.

White Whole Wheat Flour

Just like whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour is believed to have originated from the ancient emmer grain. White whole wheat was originally developed by cross-breeding red wheat, resulting in a different color kernel and a less “earthy” and bitter taste. White whole wheat flour produces baked goods that are fluffier than baked goods made with whole wheat flour.

According to King Arthur Flour, “What white whole wheat is missing is the pigment that makes the outer layer of bran the traditional reddish color we associate with whole wheat. This pigment contains phenolic acid, which can be perceived as a stronger, astringent taste. White whole wheat lacks this acid, and because of its milder taste is often called ‘sweet wheat’ by the farmers who grow it.”

How To

White whole wheat flour may be substituted 1:1 for all-purpose flour. This means it’s easy to convert just about any recipe into a real food, whole grain recipe using white wheat flour.

Oat Flour

Oat flour has quickly become one of my favorite flours to use in 2016 due to its nutty and sweet flavors.

Oats, whether rolled oats or steel cut oats, originate from oat groats. Rolled oats, which is my preferred oat preference due to availability and cost, come from steaming and then flattening the groats. This process maintains the “wholeness” of the oat, so the nutrients remain intact. Technically, oats are gluten-free, but oats are only guaranteed to be gluten-free if they are processed on equipment that doesn’t touch gluten.

Oat flour may be purchased at health food stores, but there really isn’t a need to purchase special bags of oat flour since it’s super easy to make at home. To make oat flour, simply grind old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor until they turn into a flour consistency. That’s it! You can also make oat flour using steel cut oats or oat groats, but you’ll need a high-speed blender or grain mill.

How To

I love that oat flour, which is light and very absorbent, lightens heavier flours like whole wheat and spelt flour. If you’ve been following the blog for a few months now, you’ll remember these applesauce muffins and these morning glory muffins. Both recipes use oat flour to add a light texture and sweet flavor to the wheat-based muffins. I also love to use oat flour to make scones, pancakes, and cookies.

Honorable Mentions

Sprouted Flour 

Sprouted flour is essentially flour that’s made from sprouted grains. Sprouted flour is considered more digestable since the sprouting takes the flour from just a grain to a living plant. I used sprouted whole wheat flour for about a year, after making the switch to real food, but I couldn’t get over how dense my baked goods always turned out, and the hefty price or time involved to make my own sprouted flour wasn’t ideal.

Kamut Flour

Kamut is another ancient whole grain, which originated from ancient Egypt. I personally don’t have much experience with kamut. From my very limited experience, this flour reminds me of a corn meal versus a wheat-like flour.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Whole wheat pastry flour is a whole wheat flour that includes the germ, endosperm, and bran, but with a lighter taste and texture than whole wheat flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is made from soft white wheat berries that are ground for baking, resulting in a whole grain that’s light and fluffy and lacks the dense quality produced by whole wheat flour. I don’t use whole wheat pastry flour very often these days thanks to my discovery of einkorn flour.

The post Real Food Flour 101: My Guide to Healthier Baking appeared first on Live Simply.

This post is sponsored by Simply Organic. The opinions and photos expressed are completely my own. Thank you Simply Organic for helping me get the word out about real food, and warming these muffins with your spices. 

My family is very united when it comes to food, but there is one food subject that always brings out a variety of strong opinions: breakfast!

Each family member has a different idea of what a weekday breakfast should look like.

For me, a warm bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, whole milk, and maple syrup is ideal, or even a bowl of yogurt and berries with a drizzle of raw honey. Yum–I’m hungry just thinking about those options!

Piper, my almost six year-old, is more of a hard-boiled egg kind of guy; he likes breakfast as fast and as simple as possible. Hey, he’s almost six and has way too much to explore in life. Who’s got time for breakfast?

Londyn, my three year-old, is a lover of slow breakfast meals, like stacked pancakes or warm muffins. She also loves to take her time drizzling honey or smearing butter over her warm “baked” goods, and then enjoying every single bite in s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n (her new favorite phrase). Slow and steady wins Londyn’s breakfast heart and taste-buds.

And finally, Dustin. He’s more of a savory and hearty breakfast eater. The kind of foodie that loves carefully poured and flipped omelets with lots of cheese, and a side of toast and bacon.

Mornings are very busy for our family: getting kids out the door for school and visiting Grandma (Londyn’s preschool), morning responsibilities at home, and work projects that need time and attention. The last thing Dustin and I want (or really need) to do is spend a lot of time cooking a variety of breakfast meals each week. What’s a family to do? Let me rephrase that question: What’s a family to do without compromising sleep or giving into the drive-thru?

Well, sleep is definitely sacred when you’re a parent, and we’re not going back to the fast food days (and my digestion system quietly mumbles, “thank you!”).

You know where we’re going with this chat, right?!

Yes, prep time! It’s definitely an activity that’s worth chatting about again, because it really is a huge help for our family. Let’s recap the importance of prep time….

I dedicate an hour or two each week (or bi-monthly when life gets very busy) to prepping a few make-ahead breakfast options. By using this make-ahead method, we are able to enjoy a variety of breakfast options throughout the week without feeling overwhelmed with cooking each morning. For example:

Monday: oatmeal (YES!!! The best option EVER!)

Tuesday: omelet cups or breakfast casserole and toast

Wednesday: muffins and hardboiled eggs

Thursday: smoothies and muffins

Friday: oatmeal pancakes and fruit

Today’s recipe is just one more make-ahead breakfast option that helps save time and nourish my family on busy mornings.

Muffins, thankfully, are one breakfast food everyone in the family loves. Plus, muffins can be paired with multiple easy breakfast options: smoothies, hardboiled eggs, and even a cheesy omelet. Basically, the humble muffin is a huge breakfast winner, and that’s why you’ll always find my freezer stocked with one or two bags of ready-to-enjoy muffins.

Now that I’ve shared about our personal breakfast issues and chatted about my current solution, I think it’s time for a muffin recipe.

Today’s One-Bowl Whole Grain Morning Glory Muffins only require one bowl, a food processor, one muffin pan, and thirty minutes of time. That is called breakfast simplicity! Morning glory muffins are packed full of nutrient-rich veggies (carrots) and warm spices (cinnamon and nutmeg). They are also naturally-sweetened with raisins and honey. Now that, my friend, is a glorious breakfast we can all enjoy!

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One-Bowl Whole Grain Morning Glory Muffins

Muffins, thankfully, are one breakfast food everyone in the family loves. Plus, muffins can be paired with multiple easy breakfast options: smoothies, hardboiled eggs, and even a cheesy omelet. Basically, the humble muffin is a huge breakfast winner, and that’s why you’ll always find my freezer stocked with one or two bags of ready-to-enjoy muffins.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Morning Glory Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 16 -18 muffins

Calories 216kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 8 TB butter melted
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Simply Organic Ground Nutmeg
• 1 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• In a food processor*, pulse the oats for 40-60 seconds, until they are ground into a grainy, flour-like consistency. Add the oats to the liquid ingredients, along with the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then add the grated carrots, raisins, and (if using) chopped nuts. Fold the ingredients together until combined.
• Let the muffin batter rest for about 5-10 minutes. Grease a muffin pan, or line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
• Scoop the muffin batter into the muffin pan (I use an ice cream scooper). Bake for 22(ish) minutes, until the muffins are cooked through. Allow the muffins to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Leftover muffins freeze very well for a quick and easy breakfast.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2880IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1.2mg

*The oats can be ground ahead of time and mixed with the flour, baking soda, baking powder, raisins, nuts, and spices in a baggie or mason jar.  Just label your bag or jar and place it in your pantry for a pre-made muffin mix. Easy peasy! When you’re ready to make the muffins, simply combine the remaining ingredients with the wet ingredients in “one bowl.”

While you have the food processor out, you can also toss carrot chunks (I use 3 carrots cut into chunks) in the bowl after the oats are poured into the batter, and pulse the chunks until you get shredded carrots.

Whole Wheat Flour Note: I use a scoop-and-level-off-with-a-knife method for measuring flour, so the flour is compact within the measuring cup.

The post One-Bowl Whole Grain Morning Glory Muffins appeared first on Live Simply.

I had planned to share these One-Bowl Spiced Applesauce Oat Muffins next week, but after posting a photo of the ingredients on Instagram the other day, I received a number of requests for the recipe. I agree, spiced applesauce muffins are way too good to sit around in my draft folder, quietly waiting to be made in your kitchen. Let’s do this!

This muffin recipe was inspired by a case of 10pm laziness and my family’s dislike for oatmeal. Yes, it’s true. Today’s recipe is probably the one and only time laziness has led to instant success. Doesn’t that make this recipe an outlier, or some super sophisticated math label?

A few weeks ago, on a very late Wednesday night, I stood over my farm sink washing the last of the dishes for the day. As I picked up the last plate in the sink, I began to think about what I was going to make for breakfast the next day. I turned off the water and headed over to my meal plan workbook where I found my Thursday morning selection: oatmeal.

Now, I’m all for oatmeal. In fact, I could eat oatmeal just about every single morning, and bacon. Yes, oatmeal and bacon are the ideal breakfast combo for this foodie. My family on the other hand, well more like Dustin and Londyn, aren’t big oatmeal fans. I’m pretty sure their anti-oatmeal stance is the very reason why I find so many ways to turn oatmeal into mysterious and tasty creations like breakfast cookies and pancakes. Hey, oatmeal is cheap and good for the body, so I’m going to find ways to make this ingredient work for my family.

As I stood over my meal plan workbook, with my wet hands dripping onto the opened page, I started to wonder what in the world I could make with oatmeal that would satisfy the whole family. I peeked inside the fridge to take note of what I could use to create an oatmeal treat for the morning. Butter? Check. Applesauce? Check. Eggs? Check. Hmmm, I thought, what about an oat and applesauce muffin? That will work! 

I decided it was way too late for creaming butter in the mixer, so I took the lazy route of simply melting the butter in the microwave…I know, the microwave!! The melted butter was then whisked with applesauce, honey, an egg, spices, and a few dry ingredients like oats and whole wheat flour. The result was a dozen gloriously moist and perfectly sweet muffins. To be honest, I couldn’t believe a recipe that was literally thrown together in under 30 minutes, from inception to final product, actually resulted in the most divine one-bowl muffins ever. The next morning, my family devoured every last crumb of the dozen “accident” muffins. I call that recipe success!

The recipe had to be shared, so I’ve been testing and retesting it over the last few weeks. You know, I wanted to make sure the recipe was totally perfect and not just some 10pm fluke. Okay, and maybe the idea of stocking my freezer and enjoying six dozen spiced applesauce muffins was incredibly appealing. Sometimes this job is just way too hard, and tasty.

Before I share the recipe, let’s chat about the flours used to make these muffins. I know, we’re almost to the recipe, almost. One more quick note…

Typically, I use einkorn flour in my baked goods. These muffins are an exception since they are made with both whole wheat flour and oat flour. Einkorn is usually my choice flour because it produces super light and fluffy baked goods without compromising nutrition. Whole wheat flour usually produces very dense baked goods, which I have a hard time enjoying. These muffins are an exception to the dense rule. The generous amount of applesauce and butter, paired with equal parts whole wheat flour and oat flour produce super moist and fluffy muffins. No one will ever guess they are made with whole wheat.

Onto the moistest, fluffiest, laziest, and easiest whole wheat muffins…

Print

One-Bowl Spiced Applesauce Oat Muffins

The result was a dozen gloriously moist and perfectly sweet muffins. To be honest, I couldn’t believe a recipe that was literally thrown together in under 30 minutes, from inception to final product, actually resulted in the most divine one-bowl muffins ever. The next morning, my family devoured every last crumb of the dozen “accident” muffins. I call that recipe success!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Oat Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 186kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 8 TB butter melted
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats not instant oats or steel cut oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour not white wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, applesauce, honey, egg, and spices.
• In a food processor*, pulse the oats for 40-60 seconds, until they are ground into a grainy, flour-like consistency. Add the oats to the liquid ingredients, along with the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the ingredients together until combined.
• Grease a muffin pan, or line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Scoop the muffin batter into the muffin pan (I use an ice cream scooper). Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the muffins are cooked through. When the muffins are done baking, they won't feel squishy when the tops are touched, rather the tops should feel "springy" and firm. I know, that's a bit of a crazy description. Allow the muffins to cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Leftover muffins freeze very well for a quick and easy breakfast (learn more).

Nutrition

Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 0.9mg

*The oats can be ground ahead of time and mixed with the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a baggie or mason jar.  Just label your bag or jar and place it in your pantry for a pre-made muffin mix. Easy peasy! When you’re ready to make the muffins, simply combine the remaining ingredients with the wet ingredients in “one bowl.”

Whole Wheat Flour Note: I use a scoop-and-level-off-with-a-knife method for measuring flour, so the flour is compact within the measuring cup.

The post One-Bowl Spiced Applesauce Oat Muffins appeared first on Live Simply.

Many of my childhood food memories revolve around good ol’ pizza. From Friday “movie and pajamas” night that consisted of a delivery pizza from the Pizza Hut down the street to the Wednesday school lunch special that made hump day go by extra fast, pizza has been, and continues to be, a staple in my life.

These days, pizza no longer comes from a chain delivery restaurant or a school cafeteria. Oh no, we’ve tasted the better side of pizza, where the toppings are greener and everything underneath those toppings is completely real or homemade.

Homemade pizza is incredibly easy to make at home. And while pizza may be easy to make, there are times when making sauce, cutting up toppings, or making dough is just too much for a tired mom to handle. That, my friend, is when prepping pizza in advance comes in handy.

Making pizza in advance isn’t something I do every week, or even every month. Making homemade pizza in advance is a great real food skill to learn so that life can be easier when needed.

Why You Should Make Homemade Pizza in Advance

1. Easy Lunch or Snack Food:

Growing up I loved the bagel pizza bites sold in the freezer section of the store. Yes, it’s horrifying to think about the ingredients, but I didn’t know any better at the time. Today, kids are still surrounded by this kind of “food,” whether the influence comes from the school cafeteria and friends or an advertiser. Why not offer kids a tastier and healthier alternative via personal size frozen pizzas ready to cook at home? The kids can even help prep the pizzas in advance. Win-win!

2. A Dinner Backup:  

Despite my meal planning there are times when I just can’t bring myself to making the dinner planned due to an extra busy day, unexpected events that day, etc. In these times, it’s nice to have a quick homemade option available. This can take on the form of meatballs in the freezer, lunchmeat and tortillas for quesadillas, scrambled eggs (no prep time and very inexpensive), or even a homemade freezer pizza. Think of these foods as “emergency backup.”

3. Just Say No to Pizza Hut: 

I’m pretty sure we can all agree on this one statement: Delivery and frozen pizzas are not real food. Yes, maybe commercial pizza is getting better in terms of ingredients, but for the most part pizza options still have a long way to go.

We’ve been able to find a few pizza places in our area serving amazing homemade pizza, but regular visits can be quite expensive. It’s an amazing feeling to know that a homemade option is easy to make in advance and even better than carry-out. Homemade for the win!

How to Make Homemade Pizza in Advance

Step One: 

Make the pizza dough.

Here’s my basic recipe:  1 cup room temperature water, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 cups whole white wheat flour (I use all-purpose einkorn flour these days), 2 tablespoons olive oil.

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the room temperature water. After about 5 minutes, the yeast will begin to foam. Stir in the salt. Using the dough hook on your stand mixer (you can also mix the dough by hand), gradually add one cup of flour at at time. Mix the flour and yeast mixture together. Knead the dough with the bread hook or by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding 1 teaspoon of water at a time, if needed. You may not need all 3 cups of flour. Coat the dough with olive oil (2 tablespoons). Cover the bowl with a towel. Let the dough rest on the counter for 30minutes-1 hour, until doubled in size. Note: If you’re using einkorn, add all the flour at one time and only knead for about 40-60 seconds. Einkorn doesn’t like to be kneaded and fussed with.

Step Two: 

Now it’s time to roll out the dough and par-bake. Par-baking simply means partially baking the pizza crust before adding the toppings. By par-baking you’ll ensure homemade frozen pizzas are crispy, not soggy.

Preheat the oven to 425F.

After the pizza dough has risen, roll the dough out on parchment paper or a silicone mat. You may need to dust the mat/paper with flour to prevent sticking. With my dough recipe I can make two medium-size pizzas, one large rectangular pizza, or 7-9 personal size pizzas. When making pizza in advance, I like to make personal size pizzas since they take up less space in the freezer.

Pizza Size Note: The pizza(s) will need to fit in your freezer bag or container when you get to step four.

Place the pizza(s) on a cookie sheet/baking stone and par-bake for about 5-7 minutes. This is not a time to walk away and clean dishes or wash clothes, carefully watch the pizza. When the crust is ready to be removed from the oven, the pizza(s) should poof a bit on top and look dry. The time will vary with the size of your pizza(s). Once ready, remove the pizza(s) from the oven and let cool.

Step Three:

Now it’s time to add toppings.

When making homemade frozen pizza, I want to work quickly so I usually don’t make a special pizza sauce. Instead, I open a jar of Jovial crushed tomatoes, add some dried herbs according to taste (basil, oregano, garlic powder, and salt), and stir.

Top the pizza(s) with sauce (or pesto is a delicious alternative), shredded mozzarella cheese, and toppings (peppers, onions, firm mushrooms, and pepperoni freeze well). Add greens, if desired, later when baking the pizzas.

Step Four: 

Finally, it’s time to freeze the pizza(s) for later enjoyment.

First, place the pizza(s) on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-3 hours, depending on the size, until the sauce and toppings are frozen. Once frozen, wrap the pizzas with parchment paper and secure the paper with a rubberband (you could also use plastic wrap or foil–I avoid using plastic wrap at home, so I stick with parchment paper). Slide the parchment-wrapped pizza(s) into a freezer safe bag or large container, and freeze for later use.

Homemade frozen pizza will keep in the freezer for 3 months. You can also keep par-baked pizza in the fridge for a couple of days for short-term use. 

When you’re ready to enjoy a pizza, simply preheat the oven to 475F. Unwrap the pizza(s) and cook until the cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.

This isn’t a prep day activity that’s regularly included on my prep list, but I think it’s an important prep day option/skill to learn. My weekly prep activities are constantly changing based on what I’m planning to make that week, my family’s requests, and our schedule. If pizza is in high demand and our schedule is busy all week, prepping a bunch of personal size pizzas is a great way to spend my prep time.

This week, your homework is to create a meal plan, go shopping for the food you’ll need to implement the meal plan, set aside a specific day/time for prep time, and then print and fill out the Prep Day Action Plan printable. Focus on five foods you can prep this week based on your meal plan and schedule: making soup or broth, cooking and shredding chicken, washing storing greens,prepping muffins/biscuits/pancakes, making eggs, marinating meat, or blending smoothies, etc.

More Real Food You May Like:

Prep Day: How to Make Easy Crock-Pot Shredded Chicken

How to Wash & Store Lettuce, Kale, Spinach, and Other Leafy Greens in Advance

Prep Day: Why, What, & How To of Preparing Food in Advance

The post Prep Day: How to Make Homemade Pizza in Advance (Homemade Frozen Pizza) appeared first on Live Simply.

Sunday mornings have always been a special breakfast morning.

Growing up, my mom worked on the weekends, a sacrifice my parents chose to make so that she could be home during the week. Every Sunday morning my dad would wake up early to prepare the box of yellow waffle/pancake mix.  Yes, not real, but to a four year-old girl that box created the most delicious Sunday morning breakfast, lovingly prepared by a man with little culinary skills.

My dad and I would sit around the table, once I rolled out of bed, with tall stacks of either waffles or pancakes and a bottle of Aunt Jemima syrup.  I’m not recommending either “food,” just sharing memories. Stick with me!

I love that food (and yes, technically Bisquick and Aunt Jemima aren’t really “food,” but you get the point) has a way of creating strong memories and traditions. In the past, this is how family recipes were passed down from grandmother to daughter to grand-daughter (or father to daughter in this case). Families built tradition around food and time spent together in the kitchen, passing down special memories, traditions, and recipes.

As a mom with two young kids it’s my desire to pass down the Sunday morning pancake and waffle tradition my dad lovingly started. But, there’s one major issue. I’m not a morning person, particularly on the weekend. Okay, maybe it’s more of a lazy side coming out which I should fight, but the idea of waking early on Sunday to cook just isn’t as appealing to me as it was to my dad. The early bird gene somehow skipped a generation as evidenced in my father and children.

I knew there must be a compromise. Sleep and waffles must somehow perfectly meet on Sunday mornings to revive my dad’s famous tradition.

On a Saturday afternoon, two years ago, while perusing the flour aisle at the health food store, I noticed a new product on the shelf: “Pancake and Waffle Mix.” I quietly laughed at the idea of selling ready-made pancake/waffle mix. “Really, people can’t just mix flour, eggs, and milk together? How hard is that?”

Suddenly, the internal scoffing came to a halt. A ready-made pancake/waffle mix was created for people just like me. People who love to sleep on Sunday morning, but still want a tall mountain-like stack of waffles with syrup pouring over the edges.

I came home that day and whisked together the basic dry ingredients for homemade pancakes/waffles: flour, sucanat (my dry replacement for honey and maple syrup),  baking powder (the leavening agent), salt, and a bit of spice.

Sunday morning, I slept in with the assurance that half of the pancake/waffle job was already done. That, my friend, is called “peace of mind.” I came downstairs that morning, rested and happy, mixed a few wet ingredients together and added the pancake/waffle mix. Ten minutes later, our once empty dinning room table boasted an amazing display of fluffy homemade waffles, fruit toppings, and maple syrup waiting to be poured.

The great pancake/waffle tradition of my childhood can once again be enjoyed and passed down thanks to this homemade pancake and waffle mix.  With just a few basic ingredients the lazy Sunday morning with a big homemade breakfast awaits.

Print

Homemade Pancake and Waffle Mix

A ready-made pancake/waffle mix was created for people just like me. People who love to sleep on Sunday morning, but still want a tall mountain-like stack of waffles with syrup pouring over the edges.

Course Breakfast, Homemade, How To

Cuisine American

Keyword Pancake and Waffle Mix

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Pancakes

Calories 150kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 6 cups whole wheat flour white whole wheat, spelt, or einkorn flour
• 1/2 cup sucanat
• 2 TB baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 TB ground cinnamon optional

To Use:

• 2 cups mix recipe above
• 4 TB butter melted
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk add a tablespoon more at a time if the mix is too thick depending on flour used
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, sucanat, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if desired). Keep the mix stored in a large air-tight container.
• To use, whisk the wet ingredients in a large bowl: melted butter, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk in 2 cups of pancake and waffle mix. Heat a griddle (this is what I use) or waffle maker (this is what I use). Cook each pancake or waffle for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve warm with maple syrup, honey, or desired toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1.3mg

1 cup of blueberries or 2 mashed bananas can be added to the final wet pancake and waffle mix for a fruit-inspired breakfast.

Note: I’m taking a break from writing new blogposts until January 1st so that I can enjoy the holidays with my family and work on some new projects, recipes, and amazing content coming to the blog in 2015. I look forward to meeting again in the new year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

The post Homemade Pancake and Waffle Mix appeared first on Live Simply.

We’ve covered a lot of baking so far in our series: spelt, einkorn, and whole wheat (and whole white wheat). We still have more flours to explore, including the vast world of gluten and grain-free flour options.

Today, we’re going to roll up our sleeves, open the flour bags, and explore one last grain flour: whole wheat pastry flour. We’re also going to share in a delicious snack that many of us enjoyed before our real food days, Pop Tarts.

Oh don’t worry, I’m not opening a box of processed rectangles. No, no! We’re whipping up a batch of homemade whole wheat Pop Tart goodness from scratch.

But, first… flour!

What is Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

Whole wheat pastry flour is a whole wheat flour that includes the germ, endosperm, and bran, but with a lighter taste and texture than whole wheat flour. If you’re new to whole wheat, I’d recommend reading more about whole wheat flour here.

As we discussed in the whole wheat lesson, there are many varieties of whole wheat berries, ranging from earthy and dark in color, such as red hard wheat (“whole wheat flour”) to light almost white in color, such as soft white wheat. Pastry flour is made from soft white wheat berries that are ground for baking, resulting in a whole grain that’s light and fluffy and lacks the dense quality produced by whole wheat flour.

Whole pastry flour contains less gluten and protein (Bob’s Red Mill’s Whole Wheat Pastry Flour contains 3 grams of protein per serving) than whole wheat flour, and more carbohydrates.

Why Should I Use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

While I strive for healthy baking, I also desire baked goods that are delicious and mimic the white flour treats that I enjoyed as a kid. Whole wheat pastry flour is the perfect solution for baking healthier, lighter goods without compromising on the whole grain aspect of eating “real.” Baked goods made with whole wheat pastry flour are light, fluffy, and mild in taste compared to red hard wheat (“whole wheat flour”) goods.

How Can I Use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

Whole wheat pastry flour is perfect for lighter baked goods, such as: scones, pie crusts, biscuits, pancakes, muffins, cookies and waffles.  Whole wheat pastry flour is a great transitional flour as you can easily substitute this whole grain flour in recipes that call for 100% all-purpose flour.

If you’re just switching over to whole grain baking, replace 1/2 a cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour in your favorite baked goods. If you’re already used to a whole grain taste, but desire to make lighter cookies or other goodies (particularly around the holidays), try substituting whole wheat pastry flour (or 1/2 the flour) instead of whole wheat flour. When completely replacing all-purpose white flour with whole wheat pastry flour I abide by the rule of 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon. For example: if a recipe calls for 2 cups of all-purpose flour, I’ll use 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour minus 1 tablespoon.

Just like einkorn flour, whole wheat pastry flour is slow to absorb water which means less kneading is needed for yeast breads and more rest time. If possible, allow batters made with whole wheat pastry flour to rest on the counter for about fifteen-thirty minutes before baking. For cookies, refrigerating the dough (like this recipe) can help produce a whole grain cookie with a wonderfully soft texture.

How Do I Store Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

Wheat berries have a longer shelf-life than pastry flour (ground berries) when kept in sealed containers to prevent moisture and bugs from contaminating the grain. Whole wheat pastry flour (ground berries) can be stored in a cool, dry place for one to three months or long-term in the freezer. 

Purchasing Tips

I purchase both Bob’s Red Mill’s Soft Wheat Berries and Whole Wheat Pastry Flour.

Soft wheat berries require grinding at home, but this can easily be accomplished with a grain mill. My grain mill has a “pastry” setting which makes grinding berries into whole wheat pastry flour easy. Berries can be found online through Amazon and Bob’s Red Mill and natural food stores (look in the bulk section for the best price).

Whole Wheat Pastry flour can also be found on Amazon, Bob’s Red Mill, or natural foods stores.

For whole grain baking, look for “Whole Wheat Pastry Flour” versus the white, refined counterpart, “Pastry Flour.” 

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Recipes to Get You Started

To get you started with whole wheat pastry flour, I’ve compiled a few real food recipes that specifically call for whole wheat pastry flour. Remember, you can also use whole wheat pastry flour in your favorite recipes that call for all-purpose white flour. 

Soaked Whole Wheat Biscuits from Live Simply

Sparkling Ginger Chip Cookies from 101 Cookbooks

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls from Live Simply

Whole Wheat Snickerdoodles from The Elliott Homestead

Homemade Animal Crackers from The Elliott Homestead

Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for…Pop Tarts!

Homemade Pop Tarts start with a light, flaky pastry pie crust. Whole wheat pastry flour is the perfect whole grain for creating pie crusts, along with einkorn, which makes it the perfect flour for this recipe.

I’ll confess, homemade Pop Tarts require extra time to make, more than what I want to spend in the kitchen on an average day. I reserve homemade Pop Tarts for a special occasions like birthdays, or in the fall when baking is contagious and the kids and I feel like rolling dough and spending hours in the kitchen.

I chose to fill these Pop Tarts with my homemade (best ever!) applesauce, but you can also use jam or even make savory Pop Tarts with cheese and pizza sauce or pesto.

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Homemade Whole Wheat Applesauce Pop-Tarts

Homemade Pop Tarts start with a light, flaky pastry pie crust. Whole wheat pastry flour is the perfect whole grain for creating pie crusts, along with einkorn, which makes it the perfect flour for this recipe.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Applesauce Pop-Tarts

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Set Dough 1 hour hour

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Pop Tarts

Calories 443kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or freshly-milled whole wheat flour from soft white wheat
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter cold, cubed
• 2-3 tsp water ice cold
• 1 egg
• 1 TB water
• 8-9 TB cinnamon applesauce
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Instructions

• In a food processor (like this), add the flour and salt. Pulse together for 5 seconds.
• Add the cold butter cubes to the flour. Pulse until the butter resembles coarse crumbs.
• With the food processor running, add the ice cold water until the mixture begins to form a ball of dough. Turn off the food processor and separate the dough into two balls. Flatten each ball and wrap with parchment paper or wax paper. Place the dough in the fridge for at least an hour (up to 2 days).
• After an hour, preheat the oven to 375F.
• On a floured surface (I use silicone baking mats with flour sprinkled over the top), roll each dough into a rectangle. Trim the sides so they are straight with a knife or pizza-cutter, then cut the dough into small rectangles.
• Carefully, with a spatula, place half the rectangles on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and tablespoon of water. Brush the rectangles on the baking sheet with the egg wash. Place 1 tablespoon of apple cinnamon applesauce in the middle of each rectangle and sprinkle with cinnamon. Top the rectangles with the remaining Pop Tart rectangles. Crimp the edges down with a fork to seal.
• Brush the tops of each Pop Tart with the remaining egg wash.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden.
• Sprinkle with organic powdered sugar for an extra treat.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 475mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Freezer Tip: Homemade Pop Tarts can be frozen and defrosted in the toaster from a frozen state. Store the Pop Tarts in a freezer-safe bag or container, between parchment or wax paper.

More Ultimate Fall Baking:

 How to Use Whole Wheat Flour +Blackberry Scones

How to Use Einkorn Flour + Apple Dutch Baby

How to Use Spelt Flour + Chicken & Spelt Dumpling Soup

The post Whole Wheat Homemade Pop-Tarts appeared first on Live Simply.

Boy am I stuffed!

So far in the Ultimate Fall Baking classes we’ve enjoyed big slices of zucchini-stuffed chocolate cake. Cake was followed by nourishing chicken soup topped with spelt dumplings, and syrup was poured over a seasonal Dutch Baby made with einkorn flour. Yes, there’s been a whole lot of eating, but we’ve been learning too. We’ve conquered spelt and einkorn successfully with new knowledge of how the flours work and are used in every day baking.

Today, we’re going to learn about a flour many of us are familiar with, whole wheat. Until this past year I truly didn’t understand the how and why behind even the most popular of the whole grains like whole wheat. Understanding how whole grains work and when to use them has made all the difference in my baking. Knowledge is power and the difference between a dense brick-like loaf of bread and a delicious loaf that’s enjoyable and edible, so roll-up your sleeves and let’s get started. I bet you’ll learn something new!

What is Whole Wheat?

Modern-day wheat is believed to have originated from ancient emmer grain in the Fertile Crescent. Modern-day wheat, known as “whole wheat,” has undergone hybridization from its original form. The word “hybridization” may seem scary, but the fact is much of our food today has been hybridized. So what’s hybridization? Sarah at the Healthy Home Economist puts it simply: “Hybridization typically occurs through selection of desirable and inheritable characteristics that are either dominant or recessive genetic traits.” (source) Emmer’s hybridization resulted in a wide selection of whole grains.  

Before we move on to talking about whole wheat baking, it’s important to note that modern-day wheat is not genetically modified (at least not at the moment). Whole wheat’s change is simply due to hybridization, a common agricultural practice, not genetic modification.

“Whole wheat” is wheat in its whole form, consisting of: bran, germ, and endosperm. When you purchase whole wheat berries or whole wheat flour, you’re purchasing the whole nutritional package, nothing has been stripped away. The vast majority of the nutrients found in wheat originate in the outside layer called the “bran.” White all-purpose flour removes bran along with the germ (ever heard of wheat germ?) resulting in a white, soft nutritionally-void flour. All-purpose flour starts as a whole grain, but the earthy (and nutritional) qualities are stripped away. As you know, I occasionally use all-purpose flour for baking for crusty bread or quiche crust, but for the majority of baking I prefer to use grain in its whole form.

There are many different varieties of wheat that can found today. Each one has its own distinct qualities and are used for different baking purposes. The two wheat varieties which are most commonly found in stores are: hard red wheat (whole wheat flour) and hard white wheat (white whole wheat flour).

White whole wheat is not a refined flour like all-purpose flour. White whole wheat was originally developed by cross-breeding red wheat, resulting in a different color kernel and a less “earthy” and bitter taste than hard red wheat. White whole wheat flour produces baked goods that are fluffier than dense whole wheat goods due to a slightly lower amount of protein.  You can learn more about the difference between hard red wheat and hard white wheat on Bob’s Red Mill’s blog.

Why Should I Use Whole Wheat Flour?

Whole wheat flour is whole and unprocessed, consisting of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Whole wheat is also easy to find (unlike spelt and einkorn which often require special ordering) in most American grocery stores making it an inexpensive choice compared to other whole grain options. For price and convenience whole wheat flour is the easiest whole grain to start using when switching to real food.

How Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour?

Whole wheat flour can easily be subbed for all-purpose flour, however, the variety of whole wheat can greatly impact your baking results.

Hard red wheat (whole wheat flour) is best used for breads. Hard white wheat (white whole wheat flour) is best used for baked goods with a lighter, gentler texture, such as: pastries, biscuits, lighter breads (quick breads, muffins), and cakes. The two grains can also be combined to create baked goods with a lighter texture than 100% whole wheat, but with a slightly “earthy” wheat taste.

Some of the best advice I’ve received for using hard red wheat (whole wheat flour) comes from a Better Homes and Gardens Q&A segment:

“When making cookies with whole wheat flour, reduce the butter by 20 percent. When making cakes with whole wheat flour, add another tablespoon or two of liquid. When altering a white bread recipe to become whole wheat bread, you may need another ¼ cup or so of liquid.” (source)

This little nugget of wheat advice has been valuable for making delicious whole wheat cookies and breads countless times in my kitchen.

It’s important to note that you will notice a considerable color difference when substituting hard red wheat (whole wheat flour) in recipes that call for all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour produces light yellowish baked goods. The same baked good made with 100% hard red wheat will produce a brownish final product. This is important to consider particularly around the holidays when sugar cookies and white cakes are made. If you’d like to substitute a whole grain flour in these recipes, I’d recommend using the hard white wheat (white whole wheat flour), whole wheat pastry flour (we will talk more about this flour later in the week), or einkorn.

How Do I Store Whole Wheat Flour?

Wheat berries have a longer shelf-life than wheat flour (ground berries) when kept in sealed containers to prevent moisture and bugs from contaminating the grain. Whole wheat flour (ground berries) can be stored in a cool, dry place for one to three months or long-term in the freezer. 

Purchasing Tips

I purchase both Bob’s Red Mill wheat berries and stone-ground whole wheat flour, along with white whole wheat flour (now called “Ivory Wheat Flour”).

Wheat berries require grinding berries at home, but this can easily be accomplished with a grain mill. Berries can be found online through Amazon and Bob’s Red Mill and natural food stores (look in the bulk section for the best price).

Wheat flour is incredibly popular (it’s also the third most produced “cereal” in the world behind corn and rice) and can be found at many conventional grocery stores. Most stores now carry whole wheat flour and white whole wheat flour.  You can also purchase wheat flour from Amazon and Bob’s Red Mill.

Whole Wheat Recipes to Get You Started

To get you started with whole wheat, I’ve compiled a few real food recipes that specifically call for whole wheat or white whole wheat flour. Remember, you can also use whole wheat or white whole wheat flour in your favorite recipes that call for all-purpose white flour. 

Whole Wheat & Cinnamon Raisin Bread from Live Simply

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins from Live Simply

Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Muffins from Live Simply

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies from Live Simply

Whole Wheat Apple Walnut Bread from Back to the Book Nutrition

Healthier Homemade Gingerbread Men from Live Simply

Whole Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins from 100 Days of Real Food

Naturally-Sweetened Whole Wheat, Buttered Sugar Cookies from My Humbled Kitchen

Finally, before we part ways, let’s share a scone (or two), but not just any scone, a Whole Wheat Blackberry Scone. These scones are made with whole wheat flour from red hard wheat. This recipe is simple to make, so it’s perfect for a whole wheat newbie who wants to experiment with the earthy taste of whole wheat flour.

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Whole Wheat Blackberry Scones

Finally, before we part ways, let’s share a scone (or two), but not just any scone, a Whole Wheat Blackberry Scone. These scones are made with whole wheat flour from red hard wheat. This recipe is simple to make, so it’s perfect for a whole wheat newbie who wants to experiment with the earthy taste of whole wheat flour.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Blackberry Scones

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Scones

Calories 217kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour or you can also use freshly-milled whole wheat flour
• 1 TB baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 TB butter cubed
• 1/2 cup buttermilk can sub 1/2 whole milk + 1/2 TB lemon juice
• 3 TB honey
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup blackberries mashed
• 1 TB butter melted

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Place a fine mesh sieve (like this) over a large bowl. Add the flour to the sieve (a cup at a time depending on the size of your sieve) and sift the flour into the bowl. This step produces a lighter scone texture. Once the flour is in the bowl, whisk in the salt and baking powder.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the flour and butter resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and honey. Set aside.
• With the back of a fork, crush the blackberries and gently press out any extra juice. You can use the juice to drizzle over the top of the scones once they are cooked, mix in yogurt, or add to sparkling water. The juice of the berries will add too much moisture when added to the dough.
• Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are wet (don’t over-stir). Add the crushed blackberries to the dough and gently form the dough into a large ball, incorporating the blackberries into the dough.
• Break apart fistfuls of dough, dropping them onto a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes. After baking and while the scones are still hot, brush the tops of the scones with the tablespoon of melted butter.
• Serve with honey, blackberry “juice” from pressing the blackberries, or butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 268mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and photos expressed are completely my own. I’m thrilled to team up with my favorite companies to bring you this fall baking series. As a blogger, I’m privileged to partner with companies making a difference in the natural and real food world.  I only endorse companies and products I 100% love and believe in.

The post Whole Wheat Blackberry Scones appeared first on Live Simply.

It’s been a busy week and all for a good reason.

For the first time in weeks I finally sat down at my desk and opened my planner. “What? August 11?”

First, how did summer fly by so fast? It seems we were just enjoying popsicles together on the porch, chatting about the intense summer heat.  Now, suddenly we’re expected to pack delicious back to school lunches (did you enter the giveaway?), make homemade ice packs, and talk all things apples. Where did summer go?

Second, Tuesday, August 12 was a special day. Dustin and I’s ninth anniversary to be exact. I’m not old enough to be married nine years. Once I face reality, I wonder: where did nine years go? 

The sudden urge to check the abandoned calendar on my desk was probably a smart, marriage-saving move. I’m about 99% confident we would have forgotten our anniversary. Not out of a lack of love, just from the busyness of doing life together. I guess you could say everyday is like an anniversary to us. Too mushy? Okay, let’s just stick with good things happen when you marry the geeky kid from high-school youth group.

With summer ending and a special day approaching, my deep desire for pie kicked into high gear. Not just any pie. The kind of pie great-grandma would make; simple and rustic, made with the best fruits of the season and naturally sweet. One big problem: I don’t bake pies.

Trust me, friend. There’s a reason you’ve never ever in the existence of this blog viewed a pie recipe, picture, or story. I simply don’t make pies. It’s not that I don’t want to. Oh trust me, the desire and intense cravings exist, but the actual results are far from pleasing. There must be answer to the pie-making woes.

The answer lies in a fancy little word: galette.

A galette is basically a pie for people who are pie-challenged or just want a break from the same ol’ traditional pie. If you’re looking for a real definition, I’ll provide one of those too. A galette is a flat round cake of pastry or bread.  Homemade galette is just about the most divine, simplest treat one can make, and the perfect way to use summer’s sweet fruit.

Before summer passes a perfect peach blueberry galette must be shared. In celebration of summer and nine amazing years with my high-school geek (who turned out to be one hot guy…the geeks always do). So, pull up a chair at our table  (there’s enough room for everyone) and let’s enjoy one of life’s sweetest pleasures: peach blueberry galette.

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Peach Blueberry Galette

A galette is basically a pie for people who are pie-challenged or just want a break from the same ol’ traditional pie. A galette is a flat round cake of pastry or bread. Homemade galette is just about the most divine, simplest treat one can make, and the perfect way to use summer’s sweet fruit.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Peach Blueberry Galette

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 2113kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour all-purpose einkorn will work, too
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour or spelt, or all-purpose einkorn, or sprouted whole wheat
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 TB butter cold, cubed
• 2-4 TB water cold

Filling:

• 3 cups peaches sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup sucanat
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 2 TB flour of choice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 TB sucanat or organic cane sugar
• 1 egg white

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl whisk together the flours and salt. Add the cold butter cubes. Cut the butter into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter, until the flour and butter resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add 1 TB of cold water at a time to the flour/butter mixture, stirring with a fork. After a couple of tablespoons of water, begin to knead the dough together with your hands. The dough should be "wet" and form into a ball. Add more water until the dough is fully formed into a moist ball.
• Lay the pastry dough on parchment paper. Flatten with your hand. Starting at the center of the dough, slowly work the dough outward into a flat pie crust. Set aside.
• In large bowl combine the peach slices, blueberries, sucanat, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon. Gently toss the ingredients together.
• Carefully pour the peach mixture into the center of the pastry. Scatter the filling to cover a majority of the pastry, leaving enough room on the edges to fold the pastry over the edge of the filling.
• Fold the end of the pastry over the filling, leaving the top of the filling exposed.
• Brush the folded pastry dough with egg white and sprinkle with extra sucanat.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes until the pastry is golden and fruit is soft and juicy.
• Allow to cool for at least fifteen minutes before cutting.

Nutrition

Calories: 2113kcal | Carbohydrates: 292g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 2033mg | Potassium: 1392mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 128g | Vitamin A: 4425IU | Vitamin C: 56.4mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 10.4mg

The post Peach Blueberry Galette appeared first on Live Simply.