Emily's Sweet Wheat Bread

In a large sauce pan heat 2 cups water, 1 cup milk, 1 cup half and half, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup honey and 1 stick butter, just until it has melted (not to hot). Place in electric mixer and add 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons sea salt until yeast has dissolved. Add 4-5 cups bread flour and 8 cups spelt or whole wheat flour just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Let raise until double. Roll out into desired shape (2-4 loaves). Allow to raise again and bake @ 400* for 45 minutes.

Ashley's Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

5 cups warm water
2 1/2 TBLS yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
5/8 cup molasses (1/2 cup + 2TBLS)
10 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp salt
slightly rounded 1/2c gluten flour (dough enhancer)

Place all ingredients into mixer (this is Bosch friendly) and mix until flour is all mixed in.
Knead for 10 minutes (Bosch use speed 3 for this part). Add more flour until dough cleans side of mixer and is still a bit sticky.
If not using a Bosch, oil the table or countertop and do your 10 minutes of kneading (get a good work out and really pound it).
Place into pans and rise about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes.

This recipe has been known to burn up the motor of a Kitchenaid but beware.
I usually make a half batch and end up with plenty of bread.

My Favorite Banana Muffins

Description:
Abbie brought this recipe when she and Shauna came from Katie's house.   They are delicious!   The recipe says that you can flash freeze them and they will keep in the freezer for several weeks.

Ingredients:
4 TBL softened butter
1/4 c applesauce
2 large (very ripe) bananas
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c plain yogurt (can use all plain yogurt instead   of the sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c soft white wheat flour (I only ended up using 1 3/4 cups of wheat flour)
1/4 c freshly ground flaxseed (optional)
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
(optional) 1 c chopped walnuts
(optional) 1/2 c chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease muffin tins (jumbo, regular or mini)
3. Puree bananas, sour cream, yogurt, eggs, applesauce and vanilla in a blender.
4. Sift flour, ground flaxseed, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into bowl of electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
5. Add butter and mix on medium/low speed until blended, about 30 seconds.
6. Add banana mixture in three batches, scraping bowl and mixing on medium between each addition.
7. Fold in nuts and/or chocolate chips if desired.
8. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the leavening agents time to work with the wheat flour.
9. Pour into muffin tins.
10. Bake until lightly browned and bounces back to touch, about 15 minutes for regular size muffings.
11. Remove from oven, cool for about 5 minutes before turning out, and cool completely on wire rack.

(NOTE:   I just put the butter, applesauce, bananas, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and mixed with electric mixer.   I then added the flour, soda, baking powder and salt and finished mixing it.   I was able to get 1 1/2 doz.)

Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

8 Cups whole wheat flour                                                       

4 tsp salt

1/3 Cup baking powder

½ Cup sugar

1 ½ Cups powdered milk

1 Cup olive oil

Mix dry ingredients together in kitchen aid or with hand mixer, as mixing slowly add 1 cup olive oil.  Keep mixing until lump free.  Keep in refrigerator.  For pancakes add 1 cup mix to 1 egg + ½ - ¾ cup water. Can also be used for waffles.

Chewy Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour ¾ cup dried fruit (craisins, raisins, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, apples, etc.)
½ cup flax seeds, flax meal or wheat germ
½ cup crispy rice or your choice of nuts
1 tsp salt (I cut it down to ½ tsp)
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9×13 pan with Pam, or double the recipe and put on a jelly roll pan. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, dried fruit, flax seeds, salt, cinnamon, and crispy rice/nuts. In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, thoroughly blend oil, honey, and vanilla; pour into oat mixture, and mix with spoon until the mixture is evenly coated. Press evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake 25-30 minutes in the oven (it will still be very soft coming out of the oven). Cool completely in pan before turning out onto a cutting board and cutting into bars.  (If you turn it out while it’s warm, the mixture will fall apart, and you’ll get granola, or very misshapen bars.)

Chickpea n Gluten Nuggets

Description:A food storage substitue for chicken nuggets
Ingredients:1 c cooked chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c vital wheat gluten (dry powdery stuff)
1/2 c bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs)
1/4 c vegetable broth (or water)
2 tbsp soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
1/2 tsp lemon zest (I didn’t have this and just squirted in a bit of lemon juice.)
1/2 tsp thyme (used a little less)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sage (used a little less)
¼ - ½ tsp garlic powder
additional oil for frying or bakingDirections:Step one Mash the chickpeas with the oil until there’s no identifiable chickpea matter left.
Step two Combine the rest of the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir through.   Add this to the mashed chickpeas.   Then add the wet ingredients and stir well to combine.   Knead the mixture in the bowl until the gluten strands begin to form and hold everything together (about three minutes, don’t do it too long or the nuggets will be chewy).
Step three Divide the dough into little chunks and form them into little balls (16), then flatten into nugget shapes.   Rub a bit of olive oil on both sides (I used about 1 Tbsp TOTAL) of the nuggets and place them on a baking sheet.
Step four Bake for 20 minutes on 200 C (ABOUT 400 F).   Flip nuggets and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes OR Heat up a thin layer of olive oil (about 2 Tbsp) in a 10″ cast iron skillet over medium-low to low heat. Add the nuggets, and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until golden brown

There is a version of this recipe but using 2 c raw gluten (wheat meat derived from whole wheat flour) at http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/02/wheat-meat-chickpea-cutlets-and-how-to.html

Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Ganache

Here's the latest whole wheat treat we tried out at our house. I made this cake for Ashling's birthday after having it recommended by a friend and it was DELICIOUS. I made two 9 in round cakes from doubling the recipe and I had to cook them at least 10 min longer than the original recipe says. I read the comments from the website the recipe is from and a lot of other people had to cook their cake longer too (http://www.wholegraingourmet.com/recipes/cake/41-cake/25-decadent-chocolate-cake.html) I used all SOFT white wheat because it cooks up nice and fluffy in things like cakes. I got mine from Emergency Essentials but I'm sure you can find it at a place like Whole Foods, we just don't have anything like that here.

Ingredients:

•2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
•1 1/4cups sifted organic whole wheat pastry flour (I used soft white wheat flour)
•1 tsp baking soda
•1/4 tsp kosher salt
•1/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
•1 1/4 cup natural brown sugar, lightly packed
•2 eggs
•1 1/2 tsp vanilla
•1/2 cup sour cream
•1/2 cup boiling water
Preparation:

1.Preheat the oven to 375. Grease and flour a 9” cake pan.
2.Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
3.Melt the chocolate and then allow it to cool slightly. Be careful to not allow it to harden.
4.Beat the butter and sugar for two minutes. Add the eggs and beat for an additional two minutes. Beat in the vanilla and cooled chocolate.
5.Gradually stir in the sifted flour mixture in approximate thirds, alternating each time with 1/4 cup of the sour cream.
6.Stir in the boiling water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
7.Bake for 23 minutes. Do not over bake this cake! Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. (I had to cook mine like 10 min longer like a lot of other people according to the comments on the recipe)

I also topped mine with chocolate ganache using a recipe from a good friend from St. Maarten.

Chocolate Ganache

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 package)
1 c + 2 Tbsp heavy cream
3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Put chocolate chips in a large glass or metal bowl. Heat cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter melts and cream begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate; let sit for 5 minutes. Stir together until glossy.

Ice Cream Topping: Use ganache while still warm and liquid
To Cover A Cake: Best results if cake is baked and frozen overnight to ensure a shiny glaze. Pour barely warm liquid ganache over cake top and spread to cover sides. Refrigerate or freeze until just before serving for a firm ganache; let sit at room temp before serving for a softer ganache.
Truffle Filling: Decrease amount of cream and refrigerate after combining with chocolate. Roll small balls of cold ganache in cocoa, powdered sugar, nuts, etc. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lenora's Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is our go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. It does have the fancy, "healthy" sugar in it but you can get it at Costco for a good deal or just pick up a 2 lb box at any grocery store. It makes the cookies oh so tastey!

1 c butter
2 c turbinado sugar (sometimes called sugar in the raw or evaporated cane juice sugar)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups oats
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix all dry ingredients, then add to butter mixture. Stir in oats and chocolate chips last. Bake 350 for 12 - 15 minutes. Pull them out just before they look done and that way they stay soft and DELICIOUS.

I like to make a batch and roll the dough into balls and freeze them separated with wax paper so I can cook a batch at a time and always have a treat ready for FHE.