Ezekiel Bread

I'm obsessed with this bread right now.  Everyone in my family loves it.  And everyone I share it with love it too (although I must admit it's a little hard to get me to share this stuff).  It's called Ezekiel Bread because in the book of Ezekiel, the Lord told Ezekiel, 

"Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches (spelt), and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof."

So this is what the Lord told Ezekiel to eat while he was living in the wilderness.  Just this.   It has such an awesome variety of nutrients since there are so many different grains, and beans, and even lentils in it.  And it tastes so. dang. good.  At least we think so.  Oh and by the way, it makes really good french toast.  I find it becomes dry faster than regular wheat bread so once it gets too dry, just make it into french toast.  

The recipe below is from Bob's Red Mill.  I'm still experimenting, but I've made the following changes that I think has improved it:

I add 1/4ish cup of vital wheat gluten.

I use half cup honey, half cup molasses (instead of the full cup of honey that's called for).

I sprinkle the top (for garnish, and flavor too actually) with sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, or oats.  

Ok here's the recipe:

Whole Grains

• 2 1/2 cups Hard Wheat berries
• 1 1/2 cups Spelt Berries or Rye Berries
• 1/2 cup whole hull-less barley
• 1/4 cup Hulled Millet
• 1/4 cup Petite french green lentils
• 2 Tbsp Great Northern Beans
• 2 Tbsp Red Kidney Beans
• 2 Tbsp Pinto Beans

Bread

• 4 cups lukewarm Water
• 1 cup Honey
• 1/2 cup Oil
• 2 Tbsp Active dry yeast
• 2 tsp Sea salt

Directions

Whole Grains

Stir whole grains together very well and grind in grain mill until mixture becomes flour.

Bread

Step 1

Measure water, honey, oil, and yeast in large bowl. Allow to mixture to sit 5 minutes for yeast to grow.

Step 2

Add 2 tsp salt and the grain mixture to the yeast mixture- mix well.

Step 3

Pour batter into two greased pans, 10x5x3 or equivalent. Let rise in a warm place until 3/4" to 1/2" from top edge of pan. Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes. Shorten baking time if using shallow pans.

Each loaf makes 12 slices.

Thair Basil Chicken Fried Rice

This was really yummy.  I ended up adding more rice because I thought the flavors were a bit strong.

4 Tbsp coconut butter (coconut oil is same thing)
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 scallions, white and greens, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 Thai red peppers, cut into ribbons
2 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp Oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup fresh thai basil
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes

1) Heat coconut butter in large wok over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and scallions and stir-fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
2) Add garlic, chicken meat and red peppers.  Stir fry for 4 or 5 minutes.
3) Add fish and oyster sauces and sea salt.  Stir fry into mixture.  Reduce heat slightly if too hot.
4) Add basil and rice.  Stir fry until heated through.
5) Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Steamed Wheat Berries

I have found several uses for this lately. It is so yummy and I can't believe I have never steamed wheat before.

Steam 1 cup wheat berries and 2 cups boiling water for about 2 hours. Add salt also. I think about 1/2 tsp or more. I brought it to a boil then let it simmer for over 2 I believe. Keep cooking until it is soft or at least like you like it.

Then add to other hot cereal for breakfast.
Or put it in soup, eat it as a snack, or throw it into a casserole. Be creative.
Yesterday I put it on my spinach salad with feta, craisins, sliced almonds, and my poppy seed salad dressing. It was so good.

Caroline's Cake

Caroline made a cake mix the other day and decided to add in some extras. It turned out so moist and delicious and even healthy ?!

1 yellow cake mix
2 grated carrots
3 smashed bananas
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 tsp baking soda
couple handfuls of chocolate chips
several sprinkles of wheat germ

Toni's Outrageous Muffins

1/3 c. course ground corn meal
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 cup soy flour ( i used flour)
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup ground almonds ( I didn't use because of my kids, grrr.. . )
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. oil (next time I will try these with half applesauce)
grated peel of one orange
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup diced dried apricots ( I used frozen blueberries instead of dried fruit)

Mix dry and wet in separate bowls then combine just until moistened. fill muffin cups and bake at 350
until golden.
This recipe is on the back of the Bob's Red Mill Course Grind Cornmeal package.
They are my new favorite blueberry muffin recipe. All my kids ate them.

Cilantro Corn Feta . . .and Tomato Salad

Freezer corn thawed
Lots of Cilantro (did you know you can use the whole thing not just leaves?) Could also use basil, instead.
Tomato diced
Onion (unless they are banned in your house like mine)
Black pepper, Sea salt, a little olive oil, a little balsamic vinegar
FETA CHEESE!

I add all ingredients together and just top each serving with feta so it doesn't get all soggy in the fridge. I have also turned this into a pasta salad by adding cooked pasta which is also good, but I prefer it without.

Fumi Yamasaki's Pork Donburi

Brown in a lightly oiled skillet 1 pound of pork steak, cut in bite sized cubes.  (May use  chicken breast)
Add in 2 cups assorted chopped vegetables (green onion, regular onion, cabbage, carrot, celery, bean sprout, brocolli) and saute until tender crisp.
Sprinkle with ground black pepper and 1 T. fresh grated ginger root, 2 T. sugar, 1/2 c. soy sauce
Pour 6 beaten eggs over the top and bake in 300 degree oven until the egg is set.
Cut in wedges serve over steamed rice with pickled ginger.