Holy Whole Wheat

It wasn’t long ago that I anxiously sat with my husband in the hospital waiting for our son’s test results. Fortunately, the pain in his leg was nothing and after a few hours we were allowed to leave. On the way out of the hospital, the staff served the patient's dinner. They offered us a tray. I shook my head no and smiled thank you. I couldn’t help but look at the contents of the tray: A processed cheese sandwich on white bread and a food-colored, sugar filled pudding. I thought to myself, “Is the point of feeding this to patients to help them, or make them sick?”

My husband tells me that it’s the culture and that’s just the way things are. Others tell me that I’m ridiculous as I turn down their offer for delicious white bread and refuse to allow them to give it to my son. “He’s going to have to eat it one day,” they tell me. Well maybe they are right, but that one day doesn’t have to be today - when he’s a year old, and I’m not going to be the one to give it to him.

I feel like I’m living in a society of florescent colored candy, sugar coated cereals, artificially flavored juices, and “bright white” bread. Children are unnaturally wired, adults are exhausted, and diabetes, cancer, and heart disease are on the rise. And despite the growing amount of research and information available, the public continues in its blissful ignorance.

I feel like I’m living in a society of florescent colored candy, sugar coated cereals, artificially flavored juices, and “bright white” bread I’ve heard many excuses of mothers who want the best for their families. Many friends complain to me that if they serve whole-unprocessed grain products their children and spouses won’t eat it. I ask them, “Whose fault is that?” If a mother doesn’t do something herself, why should her family follow suit? My son and husband eat brown rice, whole-wheat bulgur, rye pasta, quinoa, spelt bread, and whole wheat cookies because that’s the only thing I make or buy for them and the only thing I eat myself.

Another common complaint is cost and as a family on a tight budget, I empathize completely. It’s true that one pays less for products stripped of all their vitamins, minerals, and fiber. But my husband and I have done an accounting. We still save more money with our organic-unprocessed diet then families who buy candy, snack food and sugared drinks. I also save an incredible amount of money by baking my own bread, cakes, and cookies. And by paying for the “healthy stuff” now, means, G-d willing, we’ll save money in the future on illnesses that could have been easily prevented.

And now, the last complaint, “I have no time.” Well, as one who juggles a household, career, and volunteer work, it seems there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that one wants to and that’s why it’s so important to be organized and prioritize. However this too is not a good enough excuse.

There are so many challenges in life and struggles to overcome. Things are out of our control; however we do have choices and can make an effort. Everyone wants the best for themselves and for their family, physically, spiritually, and mentally. One of the first steps that a person can take to make that happen is by paying attention to what goes in their bodies.

So, while you may not be able to change all your eating habits overnight, here are a few delicious and nutritious recipe ideas to start incorporating into your diet:

• 3 ½ cups of warm water
• 2-3 T of derma brown sugar or honey
• 2 T of dry yeast
• 1 T of salt
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup of canola oil
• 1+ kg of whole-wheat flour (you can replace some of the whole-wheat with rye or spelt)

Combine first three ingredients, let yeast dissolve and bubble.

Add salt, egg, oil, and half of the flour. Stir and let sit about ½ hour.

Add the rest of the flour until a nice, elastic dough forms.

Oil bowl and let the dough rise, covered with a towel until doubled in size (depending on climate 1-2 hours).

Braid, shape, decorate if desired with sesame seeds and put into oven at 350 for about 35 minutes, until you can hear a hollow sound when the bread is tapped on the bottom.

Options:

I always put in about a ¼ cup of wheat germ to all my baked goods to give extra fiber and vitamins. You can also add sautéed onions and garlic, or tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary, or sliced olives for a delicious addition right and kneed it into the dough before baking.

Step One: The sponge.

Dissolve 1T dry yeast and 1tsp brown derma sugar in 3 cups of warm water. Add 3 cups of whole wheat flour. Cover with cheese cloth and keep at warm temperature for 3 days. This is your sponge. Put it into a glass jar and you can keep it in your frigerator. Every time you want to use it, let it sit out to bring it back to room temperature.

Step Two: The starter.

Take a cup of your sponge and add 2 ¼ cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of water. Cover and let sit for a day or night.

Step Three: The dough.

Take out a cup of starter and put it back with the sponge (to replenish your sponge), add all ingredients as you would for the challah or any other bread, except for yeast. Add a heaping tablespoon of baking soda. Kneed, rise until double in bulk, and bake until hollow sounding.

• 1 cup of whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• ½ cup chopped roasted walnuts
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 3 shredded carrots
• ½ cup of “silan” (pure date-honey), or apple juice concentrate or maple syrup
• 1/3+ cup canola oil

Mix all the ingredients together and spoon drop the batter onto oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes.

• 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
• 1 ¼ cups of whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup poppy seeds
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup of “silan” (pure date-honey), or apple juice concentrate, or maple syrup
• ½ cup canola oil
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

Blend the oats in a blender or food processor; add the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate and spoon drop the dough onto greased cookie sheets, press each cookie down. Bake at 375 for about 12 min.

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup of canola oil
• ¾ cup of “silan” (pure date-honey), or apple juice concentrate, or rice syrup
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of blueberries

Add flour through cinnamon and stir. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour into greased loaf pan or cupcake pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min for cake, 20+ minutes for muffins.