I love to bake, and recently, a friend turned me on to a source for sprouted grains. Sprouted grains are flour grains sprouted and then dried at a very low temperature to maintain the enzymes, vitamins and other benefits of the sprouting process. I love sprouts, and know that anything sprouted tends to be easier to digest.
According to Shelley Summers, author of Creating Heaven on Your Plate, sprouting radically changes grains by:
- Changing the composition of starch mol ecules, converting them into vegetable sugars, so the body recognizes and digests sprouted grains as a vegetable.
- Creating enzymes to aid digestion since sprouting breaks down complex sugars. This can eliminate the production of painful gas caused by the complex sugars.
- Increases available vitamin and mineral levels.
- Neutralizes potent carcinogens, enzyme inhibitors and an acid that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.
According to Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, “The process of germination not only produces Vitamin C, but also changes the composition of grains and seeds in numerous beneficial ways. Sprouting increases Vitamin B content, especially B2, B5 and B6. Carotene increases dramatically – sometimes eightfold. Even more important, sprouting neutralizes phytic acid, a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc; sprouting also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in all seeds. These inhibitors can neutralize our own precious enzymes in the digestive tract. Complex sugars responsible for intestinal gas are broken down during sprouting, and a portion of the starch in grain is transformed into sugar.
Sprouting inactivates aflatoxins, potent carcinogens found in grains. Finally, numerous enzymes that help digestion are produced during the germination process.”
The sprouting process converts the natural starches in the grains into digestible, simple vegetable sugars so your body recognizes and digests sprouted breads, flours, and pastas as a vegetable. This all sounded good to me, so I placed my order (grains are sprouted and ground to order). A week later, I received the most beautiful bags of wheat, spelt and rye flour I’ve ever seen. It had an incredibly fresh and clean smell, and the texture was soft and creamy. I couldn’t wait to start baking. So far I’ve made flatbread, orange cupcakes, and a sourdough starter using rye flour (this is a fourteen-day process). The flatbread and cupcakes were incredibly delicious and light. Use sprouted flour in the same proportions as unsprouted flour.
Mini Orange Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 30 mini cupcakes
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups sprouted flour
1 3/4 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup goat’s milk
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar
Whisk the dry ingredients together and add to butter-sugar mixture
Mix the orange juice, milk and grated orange peel together
Add to the dry ingredients and mix until blended.
Spoon into mini-muffin tins. Bake about 15 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup cream cheese, whipped
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey (use sweetener to taste)
1 tablespoon goat’s milk (optional)
2 tablespoons grated orange peel (optional)
Beat the ingredients until smooth. Note: Add the sugar and milk a little at a time; the frosting can turn to soup easily.
(The instructions for these recipes use dairy products. For vegan alternatives, choose almond, rice or hemp milk or vegan cream cheese for frosting.)
Flatbread
Servings: 6
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup plus
2 tablespoons warm water
Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add olive oil. Next, add warm water a little at a time until your dough is soft and not sticky.
Turn dough out on floured counter, and knead for a few minutes.
Divide dough in half, then divide halves into thirds for a total of six equal pieces.
Place a cast iron plate over medium heat. Take one piece of dough and in the palm of your hands roll it into a ball, flatten it slightly, and dredge it in flour. Using a rolling pin, roll it out fairly thin.
Lay flatbread on hot plate. It doesn’t take long before the top will bubble, flip and cook the other side. It should have lots of nice brown speckles on both sides. While one is cooking, roll out your next flatbread.
Patti Garland is an Ayurvedic chef and organic gardener who lives, cooks, teaches and creates gardens in the desert. Find more of her recipes and order recipe cards at:blisskitchen.com. She can be reached at: (760) 238 – 6451.
Patti ordered sprouted grains from The Sprouted Bread and Flour Company: sproutedgrainbread.com.
by Patti Garland
