Now What do you Do with It?

Now that you've started to obtain your food storage you need to use it. It can be challenging to start cooking with wheat and beans and such if you haven't been doing so. There are many methods and ideas to help you use it regularly. The first thing I would recommend is obtaining quality cookbooks that address using the basics, then you'll always have a reference on hand. Next, just START USING IT! Learning how to cook is best learned by just doing it and experimenting as you go. Another interesting reference is a booklet put together by Wendy DeWitt. You can find a link to download this booklet by clicking on The Idea Door up in the links section of this blogspot.

Here are my own personal ideas and some things that have worked well for our family:

Wheat it the #1 thing we use and what people ask about using the most.

*Sprouting--grains become vegetables when you sprout them. This increases their nutritive value and adds freshness which is especially helpful if you don't have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Sprouted wheat can be added to recipes (bread, cereals, pancakes, soups, etc.) to make it easier to digest the wheat flour and may even help those with allergies to wheat be able to handle it better in their systems.

*Grinding--when you grind wheat, it's a good idea to grind small amounts at a time (maybe 20-30 cups or less) and freeze what you don't immediately use. That way the wheat retains most of its vitamins and minerals. We use the flour for bread, all kinds of baked goods, pancakes, waffles, egg noodles, etc. Having some white flour on hand is a good idea because it is nice for dessert type things and lightens bread recipes, etc. However, it is certainly not a staple.

*Cracked--used as a cereal, you would cook it in water with 3 parts water to 1 part cracked grain. We like to mix it with other cracked grains as well, including oats, rye, brown rice, etc.

*Pre-cooked whole wheat kernels--this will store in the fridge for a week or so and can be added to different meals such as soups, chili, salads, etc. To see how to prepare just look in the recipe section to the left.

*Bulgur--a dried form of cooked wheat and will last several months. Bulgur may be re-hydrated quicker than cooking wheat in the first place. To see how to prepare just look in the recipe section to the left.

Other grains such as whole oats, rye, brown rice, ground corn, etc. can be used similarly to wheat and work well with wheat in various recipes to add nutrition and variety to you diet.

Beans are probably the second most puzzling thing for people to get used to cooking. They add a lot to your diet, however, so don't be afraid to work with them. When preparing to use dry beans for cooking, you will want to soak them first. You can soak them overnight for 12-18 hours, changing the water once or twice and then cooking them. You can also do a "quick soak" by using a pressure cooker and then cooking them in your selected recipe. Some great ways to use beans include:

Sprouting

Adding to salads

Using in soups

Chili

Using the ground up bean flour

in soup bases and even in baking

recipes like cookies and breads

Rice is another staple that we sometimes under use. It is a great compliment to most bean dishes and when combined with beans the protein in each is better utilized. Long grain white rice and Whole grain brown rice are cooked in 2 parts water to 1 part rice. When cooking brown rice you will need to cook on a lower temperature for a longer period of time (about 30-45 minutes). Rice is wonderful to add to soups, enchiladas, stir fry, many bean recipes and just as a side dish.