Tag Archives: spelt flour

whole grain chocolate chippers

31 Saturday Jan 2015

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whole grain chipper

This recipe comes from my Chocolate Lover’s Cookies & Brownies cookbook. I’ve had this book for at least two decades and have only tried a few recipes in it so far. Now with the holiday season over, I needed a ‘healthier’ cookie to ease me through Christmas cookie withdrawal symptoms. Of course, eating five of these in one sitting doesn’t count as ‘healthy behaviour’ no matter how many raw seeds they contain!

whole grain chipper

Whole Grain Chippers

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used raw cane sugar)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used spelt flour)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups uncooked rolled oats

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup sunflower seeds (I used raw, untoasted seeds)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Cream butter with sugars and eggs in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in baking soda, vanilla and salt. Blend in flours and oats to make a stiff dough. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in sunflower seeds.

Place 2 inches apart on cookie prepared sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm and golden brown on the bottom. Do not over bake. Cool a few minutes on cookie sheet then transfer to wire racks to cook completely. Enjoy!

One thing I like about ‘rolled in a ball cookie recipes’ is that you can refrigerate (or freeze) half the recipe and bake them a few days (or weeks) later. This is perfect for when you have a lot of baking to do all at once or as a stash in the freezer for unexpected company. I wold freeze the cookie dough balls on a sheet. Once frozen they could be put in a plastic container or large ziplock bag.

Resource:

Weber, L. (1990). Chocolate lovers cookies and brownies. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Ltd.

spelt crepes stuffed with cheese, back bacon and mushrooms

19 Saturday Oct 2013

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spelt crepe

This is what we had for brunch today after our morning hike. I filled the first two crepes with a mixture of sautéed ham and mushrooms then added mozzarella and asiago cheese and a pinch of dried basil. I served these with a side of salad. The remaining crepes were enjoyed sweetened with an assortment of our homemade fruit syrups. Delicious!

spelt crepes

Spelt Crepes

1 cup spelt flour (or whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil for the pan

Stir flour and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and a little of the milk. Beat well, working in all of the flour. Gradually add the remaining milk and beat mixture until bubbles form on top of the batter.

Over medium high heat, brush a small amount of oil onto a crepe pan (or nonstick pan). Add three to four tablespoons of the batter and quickly tilt the pan to move the batter around in a circle until it covers the base of the pan thinly and evenly. Turn the crepe over and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Keep crepes in a warm oven under a clean tea towel. Continue until all of the batter is used. Serve with a sweet or savory topping. Makes 8 crepes.

spelt crepes

crepe1crepe3

Resource:

Norwak, M. (1988). The Book of Crepes and Omelettes. New York, NY: HPBooks.

when life hands you lemons… make a lemon buttermilk cake

10 Sunday Mar 2013

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lemons

Yet another great recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson’s super natural every day cookbook. This is a nice simple cake to go with coffee or tea or when you just need a bite of lemony sweetness. Despite using regular-milled spelt flour (as opposed to whole wheat pastry flour) I found this cake to be very light and spongy.

lemon buttermilk cake

 

Lemon Buttermilk Cake

2 ½  cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used spelt flour)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ cup natural cane sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups buttermilk

¼ cup butter, melted

grated zest of 2 lemons

5 dates, pitted and coarsely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Butter an 11-inch round tart/quiche pan or a square baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, butter and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients and the dates and mix until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Resource:

Swanson, H. (2011). super natural every day. New York, NY: Ten Speed Press.

adventures with whole grains: quinoa cake with crystalized ginger

20 Wednesday Jun 2012

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I needed to make a birthday cake this past weekend and wanted to try something different. I found this recipe in Lorna Sass’s Whole Grains Every Day Every Way cookbook. I have never used cooked quinoa in a baking recipe before and was really surprised at how versatile this grain is. If you don’t like crystallized ginger you can add raisons or any other dried fruit, or none at all. Normally I don’t ice my cakes but as this was a birthday cake, I thought it would look more festive and decadent with some extra sweetness. I iced the cake with a simple Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting and included the recipe below.

Quinoa Cake with Crystalized Ginger

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup spelt flour, plus more for the pan (or substitute with your flour of choice)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup coarsely chopped Brazil nuts, toasted (or walnuts or pecans)

4 to 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystalized ginger, to taste

1/2 cup golden raisons

3 large eggs

1/2 cup orange juice

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until the grains are translucent and tender (there should be a white dot of uncooked starch at the center), 11 to 14 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a fine-meshed strainer. Spread the quinoa out on a large platter to cool.

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter and lightly flour a rectangular baking pan that measures 11 by 7 inches. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, nuts, ginger and raisons.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, orange juice, butter and vanilla extract. Stir the liquid ingredients and the quinoa into the dry ingredients until just blended. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of pan. Rotate the pan halfway through for more even baking.

Set the pan on a cooling rack. When cool, cut into squares and serve. Note: I used two round cake tins and iced this as a birthday cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, milk and vanilla in medium bowl on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and of spreading consistency. Frosts a 13 x 9 inch cake or fills and frosts two 8- or 9- inch cake layers. Refrigerate any remaining frosting.

Resources:

Sass, L. (2006). Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers.

Zeman, A. (1991). Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook. New York: Prentice Hall.

adventures with whole grains: chocolate chip-hazelnut cookies

14 Monday May 2012

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This recipe is adapted from Lorna Sass’s Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. These tasty morsels are tasty, chewy and decadent with the toasted hazelnuts. I like to keep a bag of these in your freezer for unexpected visitors!

Chocolate Chip-Hazelnut Cookies

2 cups spelt flour

½ cup raw cane sugar

½ packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semisweet (or dark chocolate) chocolate chips

1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

1 large egg

10 tablespoon (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degree (F). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, blend the flour, sugars, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to create a soft dough.

Form the dough into 1 ½ -inch mounds. Place on cookie sheet and flatten. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (a few minutes longer for crisper cookies). Place cookies on a cooling rack (slide the parchment onto the rack). Cookies may appear fragile but they will firm up as they cool.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

Resource:

Sass, L. (2006). Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. New York: Clarkcon Potter/Publishers.

adventures with whole grains: cheesy barley and spelt muffins with thyme

08 Tuesday May 2012

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I adapted this recipe from Lorna Sass’s ‘Whole Grains Every Day Every Way’ cookbook. This delicious recipe uses barley and spelt flour- both of which are easy to find at your local health food store or Farmers Market; unless you mill your own flours as I have been doing since getting the mighty WonderMill last month.

Cheesy Barley and Spelt Muffins with Thyme

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup barley flour

2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teasoon dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (half for the batter, half for the topping)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (F). Grease 12 standard muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the spelt and barley flours, baking powders, baking soda, thyme and salt. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Blend in the buttermilk, oil and honey.

Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, just until most of the flour is absorbed. Do not over-mix. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Top with a generous pinch of grated cheese over each muffin. Brush away any cheese that lands outside of the muffin cups.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the muffin tin on a cooling rack. Let cool for a few minutes, then twist the muffins to release them or run a knife around the edges to pop them out. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Note: If not eating the same day, freeze in a zipper-topped freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in a warm oven.

Resource:

Sass, L. (2006). Whole Grains Every Day Every Way.  New York: Clarkson Potters Publishers.

adventures with whole grains: almond oatmeal cookies with spelt

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

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I took my basic oatmeal almond cookie recipe and simply substituted freshly milled spelt flour for the all-purpose flour. The cookies turned out a bit darker in color but there was no other difference in taste or texture. They were just as yummier as the ‘unhealthier’ version (using white flour) only with the added benefits of a more nutritional flour that also has a lower Glycemic Index. Oh… I added half a cup of chocolate chips to this batch just for fun!

Oatmeal Almond Cookies with Spelt Flour

1/2 cup raw organic sugar (or maple syrup)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 ground almonds, toasted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups large-flake oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degree (F). Mix together sugars, butter, vanilla and egg. Stir in oats, flour, ground almonds, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in sliced almonds. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool for 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Enjoy!

adventures with whole grains: French bread using spelt flour

22 Sunday Apr 2012

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I took another one of my ‘tried and true recipes’: French Bread and wondered what would happen if I substituted freshly milled spelt flour for the all-purpose white flour? I found that the bread did not rise quite as high, making for a bit of a heavier bread (which I prefer) and the flavor was wonderful! In the future, if I need a lighter bread, I can try blending the spelt with other lighter flours. I’ll keep you informed on my continuing experiments and explorations with whole grains!

French Bread with Spelt Flour

1 oz (or 1 tablespoon) dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon honey (or natural sweetener of your choice)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups organic spelt flour

1 egg white, beaten (to glaze the loaves)

Place yeast and water in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. If yeast has begun to bubble or foam a little, add the honey, olive oil and salt and mix together. (If yeast isn’t bubbling, discard as this means that your yeast is dead and your bread will not rise.)

Add 2 cups of the spelt flour, mixing in with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed for a smooth, elastic dough.

Place dough into a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to sit in a warm place for an hour and a half (or for one hour in the oven on the ‘proof’ setting).

Punch down dough. Cut in half. Roll out each half on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick, then roll up the dough into a long loaf. Make three diagonal cuts in the top of the loaf and place on a baguette or loaf pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Place loaf pan(s) in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until double in size. Brush beaten egg white over the loaf just before baking.

Bake in a 375 degree (F) oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

adventures with whole grains: spelt waffles with Saskatoon berries

18 Wednesday Apr 2012

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I have been busy having fun with the new WonderMill and experimenting with freshly milled spelt flour. As spelt flour is very versatile and can be substituted for most flours, I thought I’d start with my ‘tried and true’ recipes just to observe how it behaves as opposed to the all-purpose flour that I was used to.

I decided to start with waffles. I used the same recipe, as previously posted. The only difference is the substitution of spelt flour for the all-purpose, I used buttermilk (as I was out of almond milk) and I added about 1/2 cup of Saskatoon berries. The waffles turned out beautifully! They were light, fluffy, crisp and flavorful. I served them with my rose hip jelly. I made the full batch as I like to refrigerate (or freeze) the extra waffles and pop them in the toaster for quick breakfasts.

Spelt Waffles

2 eggs (preferable from organic, free-range hens)

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 cup canola oil (or extra virgin olive oil or melted butter)

1-3/4 cup almond or soy milk (I used buttermilk as I was out of almond milk)

1 tablespoon maple syrup (or raw cane sugar, brown sugar or natural sweetener of your choice)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs with a whisk until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Pour batter from a cup or ladle onto center of waffle iron. Bake about 5 minutes or until steaming stops. Remove waffle carefully and serve immediately, or keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Yield: 12 four-inch waffles

Resource:

Zeman, A. (1991). Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.  New York: Prentice Hall.

spelt pasta with gremolada

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

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I have been making my own pasta for quite a few years now have been having a lot of fun experimenting with various recipes. Now that I am milling my own flours, my pasta will be even more fresh and flavorful. This spelt pasta was my first experiment using the spelt flour that we milled just minutes before with our WonderMill. If you’ve never tried fresh pasta (not including store-bought, which has preservatives), it is worth either making your own or taking a special trip to the farmers market to get some!

Spelt Pasta

about 2-¾ cups spelt flour

3 medium eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place the eggs and oil in the mixer bowl and attach the flat beater. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the flour a little at a time just until the dough begins to form a ball (you may not need the full amount of flour). Exchange the flat beater for the dough hook and knead at medium speed for 5 to 8 minutes, and a smooth, elastic dough has formed. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, wrap with plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Attach the pasta roller to the mixer and adjust to setting 1. Pass the dough through the roller at low speed (dust with flour first if dough is sticky), then fold in half. Do this four or five times. When the dough is no longer sticky, adjust setting to 2 and roll the pasta through. Do not fold in half this time. Continue rolling the dough through four to five times at each setting until the desired thinness is reached. Place on a clean tea towel or over a pasta rack. Repeat with the other portions of dough.

Change pasta roller for the desired pasta cutter attachment. Feed the flat pasta dough through the cutter and place back on clean tea towels or over a pasta rack. Pasta dough can be frozen, dried or cooked immediately in a pot of salted, boiling water.

Gremolada

Grated zest from 2 large lemons (about 2 teaspoons)

Grated zest from 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1-½ teaspoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound pasta (linguini, fettuccini, capallini, etc.)

In a glass jar, add the grated lemon and orange zests, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Cover the jar with the lid and shake vigorously to mix. Let stand until ready to use. (Can be made the day before.)

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done. Drain and toss with the sauce. If desired, add parmesan cheese, capers, olives, minced and cooked Italian sausage or anchovies. Enjoy!

Resources:

Halsey, K. (2003). The Essential Mixer Cookbook: 150 Effortless Recipes For Your Stand Mixer and All of its Attachments. London: Quintet Publishing Ltd.

Hill, J. (1996). Food & Wine Magazine’s Quick From Scratch: Pasta. New York: American Express Publishing Corporation.