Sprouted Grain Bread

Long ago I changed all of my carbs over to the whole wheat version of them (pasta, bread, crackers). Sprouted grain bread is my latest find and I must spread the word.

The Food for Life brand bases it's products on scripture verses that describe the satisfying and healthy bread, for example, 'Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.'"-GENESIS 1:29

My fav: Food for Life "Genesis 1:29 Sprouted Grain & Seed Bread" You'll find these in the frozen food section of your favorite health food store or big supermarket.

INGREDIENTS: Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water , Organic Malted Barley, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Unhulled Sesame Seeds, Organic Unprocessed Wheat Bran, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Organic Sprouted Whole Kernel Corn, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Sprouted Whole Chia Seeds, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Rye, Organic Sprouted Whole Brown Rice, Variety 5-Grain & Seed Blend: (Organic Sprouted Whole Flax Seed, Organic Sprouted Whole Sorghum, Organic Whole Quinoa, Organic Sprouted Whole Teff, Organic Sprouted Whole Amaranth), Organic Wheat Gluten, Fresh Yeast, Sea Salt.

Nutrition: per slice
80 calories
0 grams Saturated fat, trans fat
Fiber - 3g (11% of daily value)
Protein 4 g (8% of daily value)
Thiamine 10%
Folic Acid 4%
Riboflavin 2%
Phosphorus 10%
Magnesium 10%
Iron 6%
Vitamin B6 4%
Zinc 4%

Useful Tools/Appliances

This is a list of kitchen appliances/tools that will make your life much easier. I have yet to purchase some of the more expensive items that often grace lists such as these like a stand mixer or a food processor (you can get by without it). This is definitely not a complete list, and let me know if you find a glaring omission.

Appliances:

• Crock-pot/Slow cooker - Oh crock pot, how I love thee. Admittedly as a housewife you probably won't cherish what so many others like about their crock-pots (you can throw everything in it when you leave for work and come home to a yummy dinner). It's pretty hard to screw up a good crock-pot recipe and because everything is cooking so long, it's easy to get away with using lower quality beef/etc. After 6-8 hours it's just falling off the bone and amazingly wonderful. Check out the growing list of crock-pot recipes I've posted! This is a useful slow cooker buyer guide.
  
• Hand mixer - If you like to bake, this one is critical. There are so many recipes that just won't come together if you're depending on a whisk (cheesecake for example). You can easily find a good one under $25 at Target.
• George Foreman or other counter grill - I've had pretty good luck with my George Foreman and it definitely is a nice thing to have around when you're trying to cut down the fat associated with pan-frying. Perfect for sandwiches, burgers, chicken and more. Best of all it's really easy to clean and to use.
  
• Instant-read thermometer - These are surprisingly useful and are often the key to a moist pork chop or a properly cooked cake. Again, not critical.
  
• Microwave - for me this is an essential, but there are many folks that can get by without one

Tools/Utensils (beyond the logical knife/spoons/spatula):

• Colander
• Plastic cutting board - You shouldn't put raw meat on a wooden board
• Measuring cups, both liquid and dry
• Measuring spoons
• Nonstick skillet - It might give you cancer, but it will improve the life you have left. You need at least a 12" nonstick pan
• Salad spinner
• Vegetable chopper/mandolin slicer - This changed my life. Seriously.
• Vegetable peeler
• Whisks - One small and one large

Items that a lot of people love, but I don't have:

• Bread machine - Doesn't sound as fun as the old fashion way
• Electric kettle - I'm a big fan of my stove top whistle teakettle - but whatever floats your boat
• Rice cooker - Honestly I don't get it, but I guess if you love rice this is a good thing to have

Kitchen/Pantry Staples

The following are the ingredients I try to keep in my kitchen 100% of the time. Minus the fresh veggies/fruit, they all keep a long time and will save your butt when you’re trying to plan a last minute meal. Print out this checklist and bring it along on your next visit to the supermarket. Please let me know if you think list is missing anything!

GENERAL:

• All-purpose unbleached flour
• Baking soda and powder
• Bread crumbs (Italian-Seasoned are good to have as well)
• Butter
• Canola oil
• Chicken breasts
• Chocolate: unsweetened squares, semisweet chips, unsweetened cocoa powder
• Cornmeal
• Cornstarch
• Eggs
• Garlic – fresh
• Ground beef
• Honey
• Limes/Lemons (or at least juice)
• Mayonnaise
• Milk – liquid and evaporated
• Mushroom soup, condensed
• Mustard, Dijon-style
• Nuts (especially Walnuts)
• Oats
• Olive oil
• Onions: red and yellow
• Pasta
• Peas, frozen
• Potatoes
• Red wine vinegar
• Reduced-sodium chicken, beef and vegetable broths
• Rice
• Salsa
• Soy sauce
• Spinach, frozen
• Sugar: brown, granulated, confectioner's
• Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• Tomato sauce - jarred
• Tomatoes: canned whole/chopped, tomato paste
• Tuna, canned
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• White wine vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce (oddly this is in a ton of recipes)
• Yeast, dry active

DRY SEASONINGS:

• Allspice
• Basil
• Bay leaves
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Chili pepper
• Cinnamon, ground
• Crushed red pepper
• Cumin, ground
• Curry powder
• Dill
• Garlic powder
• Nutmeg
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Salt
• Tarragon
• Thyme

Bake-Sale Brownies

Cook time - 10 min prep, 45 min total

**Like so many of my favorite easy recipes, this comes from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Seriously - it's the best cookbook ever!**


Ingredients
8 tablespoons ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Line an 8-inch pan with aluminum foil and then coat lightly with veg. oil spray. Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave, stirring often, 1-3 minutes. Let it cool slightly.

2. Whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in the floor until no streaks remain.

3. Scrape the butter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached (22-27 minutes).

4. Let cool on wire rack to room temperature. Enjoy!