My last post about grinding my own grains was getting a bit long and I still had so much to share. I decided I would create additional posts on that subject. I have much more to explain about the different types of wheat, as well as a variety of other grains you can use. I also will be I testing out recipes and let you know what my family thinks.
I am excited to share with you our successful banana bread recipe we tried yesterday!
I looked all over the internet and could not find a banana bread recipe that used 100% fresh ground whole wheat flour. What I could find, used half whole wheat, half all-purpose flour.
I decided to take a good looking recipe and just substitute the white flour for the fresh ground whole wheat flour. I need to explain a couple things about the different types of wheat.
Soft Wheat
Soft wheat is used for quick breads. It does not have as much protein or gluten to be used in yeast breads. It creates a much better, easily palatable flour for things such as muffins, pancakes, quick breads, and even cookies!
Hard Wheat
Hard wheat has a higher gluten and protein level, which allows it to rise and create a nice elastic dough. Hard wheat can also be broken into red and white.
- Red – Hard red wheat is darker in color and has a little more gluten. It is a bit more elastic and rises well. It also has a stronger wheat flavor.
- White – White wheat is well, exactly that – white. It’s lighter in texture and color and has a more mild flavor to it. You can add additional gluten to the bread recipe when using white wheat and you will have bread that is much more accepted by picky eaters! It will rise into a beautiful loaf as well.
So here is a link to the recipe I used. I made it just as it is written (for once!), except that I substituted the soft white wheat flour in for the all-purpose flour.
I’ll call it – Better than Best Banana Bread 🙂 Here’s the link.
I will admit, it does have a lot of sugar. That is something we will have to work on too, but for now I am just ecstatic that all 5 kids gave it a thumbs up! Even my super texture-picky daughter!! You need to pick your battles. I’ve tried converting over to honey, but the muffins did not go over well. I will keep experimenting with other more natural sweeteners. For now, my kids are getting 80% more nutrition from this bread than the bread made out of all-purpose flour! If you missed my post on the nutritional details of fresh ground wheat, click here.
Closing thoughts
Here is a quote I heard today that I’d like to share as a closing note.
The evangelical community loves God, yet so many of us treat his temple like a rented room in a run-down motel.
Dennis Mansfield, Beautiful Nate
This was a heart wrenching story of a young man told by his father. This young man had a drug addiction that ruined most of his life. The father was an amazing godly father. I read it and was so appalled at how this boy could make the decision to stay so closely involved with the drug addicted lifestyle after being raised in the way he had.
He later pointed out, how so many of us Christians have addictions as well. They are just more accepted, and cause a lot less damage in the family and in the lives of others. Addiction to foods that aren’t healthy is still that – an addiction. We can be so quick to judge. I am convicted and am more aware that I too am in need of His saving grace each day.
I just say that for one, to be mindful that food should not be made an idol. For two, if there are things I need to change in my diet to treat the body He’s given me as a temple not a second rate motel room, then Lord, please help me make those changes.