I. About The Author
II. Why Whole Grains
III. Painless and Easy Money-Saving Tips IV. Getting Started Tips
V. Abbreviations
VI. Bread Machine Recipes
50% Whole Wheat
7-Grain Bread
Anadama Bread-#1
Anadama Bread - #2
Absolutely Apricot Bread
Airy White Bread
Apple Oatmeal Bread with Raisins
Apple Onion Rye
Applesauce Bread
Avery Island Hot Bread
100% Whole Wheat Bread
Almond Oatmeal Bread
Aloha Loaf
Amish Bread
Amish Bread (1.5lb loaf)
Apple Carrot Bread
Apple Cinnamon Bread
Apple Cinnamon Bread (2lb loaf)
Apricot Spice Bread (1lb Loaf) Apricot Spice Bread (1.5 lb Loaf)
Australian Bread
Duet 28:17 - "A blessing upon your grain-basket and kneading-bowl."
Before we get started, I want to share with you a brief history of how our sites, books, videos and delicious recipes came into being. It will give you some insights into why I bake with whole grains, and why I believe it is so important.
My generation and many of those after mine, were products of TV dinners, food in a box and processed goods that were convenient and accessible. At the time we knew nothing of the deficiency of nutritional value, or the dangers of the convenience additives. The short and simple of it is that many time honored cooking/baking techniques were laid aside for speed and ease.
Shortly after my marriage to my wonderful husband began (24 years ago as of this writing) I realized that I was lacking some serious domestic skills. Cooking and baking were my weakest link in the domestic chain of tending to a family, home and husband. While still needing to keep an eye on our budget, eating healthy became a type of quest for me as I learned to create many of our favorite foods from scratch for pennies on the dime to replace those convenience items that were so costly, yet empty.
With much determination, study, practice and prayer, this weak link became a passion for me as I found others who also felt they entered the role of tending to a family lacking those same skills. I soon realized that there were so many other wives and mothers like myself who wanted to learn. It is my hope to save some of the ‘learn on your own’ feelings and mentor those who have an interest in keeping costs low and nutrition high for their family.
We purchased our first mill, the NutriMill, and soon began my journey. Learning to work with the whole grain flour, fresh out of the mill was a joy. The smell, the taste, the nutrition, all big pay offs!
The most rewarding things have been to hear these statements:As a side note, there are continually more and more food products getting recalled due to contamination. Not only am I more secure with the nutritional value of the home, made-fromscratch goods that are made in my own kitchen, but I know exactly what is IN them and it isn't metal shavings as one of the major bread bakeries recently had for a massive bread recall.
This is not to give myself accolades. It is to encourage you! I felt inadequate in the area of cooking and baking and can now share what I’ve learned in hopes of inspiring others who may feel the same way to not give up - but forge ahead and keep learning!
Your family will thank you!Duet 28:17 - "A blessing upon your grain-basket and kneading-bowl."
Disclaimer: The information in the Millers Guide is provided “as-is” and offers no implied guarantees that you will achieve the same delicious results. We recommend that you subscribe to our newsletter and video
Why Whole Grains
At the beginning of each New Year, one of the resolutions for many people is to eat more healthy and take charge of their nutrition. People also start talking about the need to eat healthy, when they face uncertain or difficult health issues. Here's a novel idea – let's NOT wait to make a decision to prepare healthy food for our family!
The FDA has said to make at least half of your grain choices 'whole grains'. This is certainly good advice to follow, but why stop there? Why not make MOST of your grain choices whole grains? Below I will share some suggestions on how easily increase your consumption of healthy grains.
First, let's take look at the food pyramid for a better understanding.
The base of the New Food Pyramid is still grains - but the focus has turned to make sure there are more WHOLE grains, not just empty starch. Interestingly enough though you can see that the allowance is for only half of the grains to be whole grain. My personal opinion is that this is still cutting us short of our much needed fiber and vitamins in our diets that we can get from only whole grains.
A diet which consists of virtually all of the grain choices as whole grain is healthier than what is recommended. Remember, however, even if you consume only whole grains asLet me give you some simple suggestions:
1. Eat brown rice (not par boiled) instead of white rice.
3. Whole rolled oats (also known as 'old fashioned') are a whole grain. Choose them over instant.
4. Ditch the pancake and muffin mixes and use at LEAST half whole wheat for the flour (again home milling means you can use ALL whole grain flour)
- see a video I did on 'Make a-head Muffins" here.
These are just a few suggestions to get you started. You can visit my blog at EatGrains.com for more suggestions. I also have a library of training videos that will help you become a baking pro fast. Be sure to subscribe to my Newsletter for monthly ideas and money-saving tips.
Once your diet starts to include more whole grains, you will find more ways everywhere to add them to your menu! (By the way, don't forget the family favorite - POPCORN!)
Painless and Easy Money-Saving TipsYears ago I started increasing my family intake of whole grains and milling fresh flour at our home. The excellent health results have been only ONE of the benefits to this change in lifestyle.
We also have realized a great amount of money savings on the grocery bill. Now, with food prices higher than ever in addition to our regular intake of whole grains, we are adding more dried beans to our diet as well. Of course, we still get the same great
health benefits.1. Add soaked/cooked lentils to ground beef to make 'more' for lasagna or tacos.
2. Use in place of meat in soups
3. Cook and serve with a whole grain to make a healthy low fat protein.
4. Pinto beans and potatoes are a family favorite here for pennies.
6. Minestrone Soup is mostly beans and quite hardy for the winter.
Easily used dried beans can be soaked overnight and cooked in a crock pot all day with seasoning. Also, they can be soaked, then drained and frozen (the ice crystals soften the bean) in zip lock baggies to use almost instantly!
Both whole grains and beans do also have the added bonus of extra fiber. This helps to create the 'satisfied' filled filling without all the fat and heaviness of many meats.So in these leaner times - don't rule out beans along with grains. They truly can help stretch the food dollars!
you do not know, try first all moist ingredients as written in most of these recipes then dry. If that does not seem to work - try to work from dry to moist. Different machines suggest different order of ingredients.
Let's get ready to begin baking some of our delicious recipes. Ahhh, this is my favorite part. The smell of fresh bread baking in the oven makes everything wonderful!
First General Tip – be sure to read through the recipe completely from start to finish before attempting to start making it. Making sure you know the steps and have all the ingredients on hand will save you both time and stress.
Second most important general tip - If you KNOW your Bread Machine manufacturer's suggested order of ingredients (look at their recipe book that came with the machine if you are not sure) then follow THAT order with the ingredients listed for each recipe. If
When using honey in place of a dry sweetener such as sugar or succanant - decrease water by at least 1/8 of a cup.Troubleshooting Tips for BEFORE and WHILE it bakes:
Make SURE your paddle(s) are securely attached before adding ingredients. If you are baking IN the machine, loose paddles will come off as you remove your loaf.
If the loaf appears too dry when you first take a peek (about 10 minutes into the process) you may add 1 tsp of warm water - wait 2 minutes and check again. Repeat until the ball forms (not stuck to the bottom or sides) and looks moist but still has a matte finish.*
If the loaf appears too wet when you first take a peek (about 10 minutes into the process) you may add 1 tsp of flour - wait 2 minutes and check again. Repeat until the ball forms (not stuck to the bottom or sides) and looks moist but still has a matte finish.**
Abbreviations:
HWW - Hard White Winter Wheat
HRW - Hard Red Winter Wheat
HRWHP - Hard Red Winter High Protien
Below are some excellent Bread Machine Recipes. I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to share these with your friends, and try some new things. I'd love to hear about your adventures in your kitchen, and would be happy to share with my readers.
If you want additional recipes, visit my site and subscribe to my Newsletter. I am always trying new things, and share my findings with my subscribers. I also offer some excellent video tutorials, and my “Supreme Bread Machine Cookbook” is loaded with over 120 recipes that you can easily prepare. Get the Supreme Cookbook here.
Okay, let's get started...100% Crunch Bread
-----1 POUND LOAF----
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Mill 1.5 Cups of Wheat (HRW, HWW or 3/4 Cups of each) ********************************
Ingredients:
3/4 cup -- plus 1 tablespoon Warm Water
4 teaspoons Honey
4 teaspoons Molasses
4 teaspoons Olive oil
2 cups Wheat flour
2 teaspoons Gluten
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Seeds (any kind)
2 teaspoons Yeast (active dry)
Place first four ingredients in Machine pan in this order.
Place in machine and bake on Whole Wheat level or Bread Dough to form into your own loaf and oven bake. If oven baking, set aside tented or covered with a clean cloth for 25-35 minutes to rise a second time then bake in 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes.
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Mill HWW (May substitute part with store bought bread flour)
********************************
Ingredients:
1 cup Water
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
3 cups Bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Yeast
Add ingredients according to machine directions or in order given. If you would like set on Dough Only setting and try your hand at braiding a free rising (not in pan) loaf. The traditional braid is 4 strands, but 3 is pretty for a beginner. Bake the free rising braid in a 350 oven for about 18 minutes after it has doubled in size from the time you braided it.
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Mill 2.5 Cups of Wheat (HRW, HWW, HRWHP or 3/4 Cups of each) ********************************
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Warm Water
3 tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Salt-heaping
3 cups 100% Whole Wheat Flour-level
3/8 level cup Wheat gluten flour
3 teaspoons Active dry yeast
Mix in separate bowl, flour, gluten flour and salt.
Place first two ingredients in Machine pan in this order.
Add flour mixtures, remembering to sprinkle across pan not dump in one spot.
Place in machine and bake on Whole Wheat level or Bread Dough to form into your own loaf and oven bake.
If oven baking, set aside tented or covered with a clean cloth for 25-35 minutes to rise a second time then bake in 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes.
-----1 POUND LOAF----
********************************
Mill 1.5 Cups of Wheat (HRW, HWW or 3/4 Cups of each) ********************************
Ingredients:
1 cup Warm Water
1 1/4 tablespoons Dry milk
1 1/4 tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Molasses
1 1/2 melted tablespoons Butter
2 1/2 cups Wheat bread flour
2 tablespoon Gluten
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
Add next three ingredients in this order, remembering to sprinkle across pan, not dump in one spot.
Now make a 'well' near machine paddle(s) which collects with the warm water to put in yeast. Add yeast into watery well. Place in machine and bake on Whole Wheat level or Bread Dough to form into your own loaf and oven bake. If oven baking, set aside tented or covered with a clean cloth for 25-35 minutes to rise a second time then bake in 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes.
----1.5 POUND LOAF----********************************
Mill 2.5 Cups of Wheat (HRW, HWW or 1.25 Cups of each)
********************************
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups + 2 tb Warm Water
2 tablespoons Dry milk
2 tablespoons Honey
1 tablespoon Molasses
2 tablespoons melted Butter
3 3/4 cups Wheat bread flour
3 tablespoons Gluten
3/4 teaspoons Salt
2 1/8 teaspoons yeast
Place first five ingredients in Machine pan in this order.
Now make a 'well' near machine paddle(s) which collects with the warm water to put in yeast. Add yeast into watery well. Place in machine and bake on Whole Wheat level or Bread Dough to form into your own loaf and oven bake. If oven baking, set aside tented or covered with a clean cloth for 25-35 minutes to rise a second time then bake in 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes.
-----1.5 POUND LOAF----
********************************
Ingredients:
1 3/8 c Water (11-1/2 oz)
1 1/2 tablespoons dry powder Milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons Butter or Oil
1 2/3 cups Whole wheat flour (8 oz)
1 2/3 cups White Bread Flour (8 oz)
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dry yeast
Add next three ingredients in this order, remembering to sprinkle across pan, not dump in one spot.
Now make a 'well' near machine paddle(s) which collects with the warm water to put in yeast. Add yeast into watery well. Place in machine and bake on Light or White Bread level or Bread Dough to form into your own loaf and oven bake. If oven baking, set aside tented or covered with a clean cloth for 25-35 minutes to rise a second time then bake in 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes.
-----1.5 POUND LOAF----
********************************
Ingredients:
1 cup + 3 TBS + 2 tps Warm Water
3 tablespoons Nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons melted Butter/margarine
1/8 cup Dark molasses
1 cup Bread flour
1 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Crumbled 7-grain cereal Flakes or Hot 7 grain cereal uncooked
1TBS gluten
1 teaspoon Salt
2 1/4 teaspoons Dry yeast