Self-Reliant Meeting This Week!! (NEW Date & Place!!)

Our next meeting is this week! Everyone is welcome and if you don't know where the location of our host is, please email me at lisainnevada(at)gmail(dot)com, and I will let you know. I am not publishing last names and address for safety reasons.

Theme: "I Dare You to Pack It"

Date: November 5, 2010 (Friday!! - NEW DATE!!)

Time: 6:45 P.M.

Location: Lisa's House (NEW LOCATION!!)

Everything you need to know about 72 Hour Kits and emergency preparedness. Sample kits will be shown and literature on making your own emergency plan will be available.

How do I Use My Wheat Berries?

Cooked Wheat Berries

There are many different ways to use your wheat berries. You can add your Cooked Wheat Berries to:

• Burritos
• Casseroles
• Stuffing
• Cobbler (we had peach cobbler with wheat berries and it was great!)
• Spaghetti
• Taco Meat
• Salsa
• Salad
• Chili
• Rice
• Rice Pilaf
• Chicken Salad
• Chicken Fettuccine
• and many more!

Here's the links to our wheat berry recipes!

• Alton Brown - Video & Recipe
• Herb Crusted Cod with Cracked Wheat Berry Salad - Video and Recipe
• Greek Grains Salad - Video & Recipe
• Wheat Berry Recipe Collection - Sampled at October 7th meeting

Wheat Berry Recipes

Recipes for cooking wheat berries can be found here. All the following recipes use cooked wheat berries.

Wheat Berry Bread

1 cup very warm water

1 TBSP oil

1 TBSP honey

1 TBSP dry yeast

1 1/2 cup unbleached flour

3/4 cups cooked whole wheat berries (at room temperature)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

4 TBSP dry milk powder

1 tsp sea salt

Mix the water, oil, honey, yeast, unbleached flour, and cooked wheat. Beat well. Add whole wheat flour, dry milk, and salt. Mix thoroughly; dough may be soft. Cover, let rise to double. Stir down. Grease and flour and loaf pan. Place dough into a prepared pan, spread, pat with oiled hands to smooth the top. Cover, let rise until doubled. Heat oven to 375; bake until deep golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Hot Chicken & Wheat Casserole
by I Dare You to Eat It

½ cup butter, plus 2TBSP butter, divided
1 cup celery diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
6 cups cooked wheat berries
2 cans chicken chunks, drained (12.5 oz.)
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup mayo
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup breadcrumbs

Sauté diced fresh veggies in 1/2 cup butter until they are partially cooked and color brightens. Add wheat berries, drained chicken, soup, mayo, and water chestnuts. Stir to combine. Pour mix into an oiled 9x13 pan and sprinkle top with breadcrumbs that have been combined with the 2TBSP melted butter. Bake 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Peach Cobbler with Wheat Berries

adapted from Mahatma's Blueberry Cobbler recipe

2-3 cups cooked wheat berries
3 cups chopped canned peaches
2 TBSP lemon juice
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (white can be used too)
1/4 cup margarine, softened
3/4 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place peaches in a large mixing bowl. Toss with lemon juice and 1/4 cup flour. Fold in wheat berries . Place this mixture in a 2-quart square baking dish. Mix brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup flour, margarine (cut into pieces) and cinnamon until it resembles wet sand. Sprinkle on top of peaches. Bake until topping is light brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with whipped topping.

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

1 cup cooked wheat berries
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (14.25 oz) can corn, drained
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small red onion, diced
¼ cup lime juice
1 tsp cumin
1 bunch cilantro, diced

Mix together and serve with tortilla chips.

Broccoli Wheat Salad

by I Dare You to Eat It

2 cups cooked wheat berries
½ cup Miracle Whip
½ cup mayonnaise
1 TBSP sugar
2 large broccoli, 8 cups chopped, florets only
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
½ cup red onion, diced
½ lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
Toss all ingredients, Cover and chill, at least overnight, for the best combination of flavors.

Wheat Berry Taco Meat

by I Dare You to Eat It

2 cups cooked whole wheat berries
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder
* 1 packet of taco seasoning may be used as a substitution for individual spices
Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in the cooked wheat berries and spices. Serve with tortillas and toppings such as lettuce, cheese, sour cream, olives and onions.

Peach Wheat Berry Salad

Modified from Clean Eating

1 ½ cups wheat berries

sea salt

4-5 scallions, chopped

1 cup chopped peaches

½ cup dried currants

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Rinse wheat berries, soak in bowl with enough water to cover for at least 1 hour, then drain. In large pot, bring 3 1/4 cups water to boil. Add wheat berries and pinch of salt, reduce heat, cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combined cooked wheat berries with scallions, peaches, dried currants, walnuts. Toss with lime juice, toasted sesame oil and pinch of salt. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Fried Wheat Nuts

links here and here

Cracked Wheat Recipes

Easy Cracked Wheat Cereal

1 cups whole wheat berries

3 cups water

1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt (or regular salt if needed)

Rinse the wheat and drain. Put wheat berries, water, salt into the blender; cover (optional: let sit to soak for 1 hour). DO NOT change water, as nutrients will be lost. Blend on/off at low speed, until wheat is cracked in small pieces. Pour all into a double broiler. Cook for at least 30 minutes. Stir two times during cooking; replace lid after each time stirring.

Cracked Wheat Pancakes

2 eggs or 1 egg + 2 egg whites

2 TBSP honey

3/4 cups plain yogurt

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup unbleached flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 to 1 cup cooked cracked wheat (you can use the recipe above for the cooked cracked wheat)

Mix eggs, honey, yogurt, water, vanilla; beat. Add the unbleached flour, baking powder, salt; stir. Slowly add the cooked cracked wheat, stirring well. Can add more water if needed. Cook pancakes on medium high heat.

The Cost of Wheat Berries

Uncooked Wheat Kernels or Wheat Berries

Ground beef and chicken costs upwards of $1.79 per pound ($1.79 is a sale price!). By substituting half of your ground beef or chicken for wheat berries... how much are you saving? If you don't want the math breakdown, just skip my rambling math equation.

45 lb bucket of wheat - $13.50 (Costco price 10/1/10)

1 lb of wheat - .30

4 cups of wheat (1 lb 12 oz) - .53 cents

4 cups of wheat makes 12 cups of cooked wheat berries

.53 divided by 12 cups - .05 each cup! (or .04416 to be exact)

Cost for one cup of cooked wheat berries - .05

That is a HUGE savings when substituting half of your ground beef or chicken for wheat berries! Don't forget about the health benefits as well!

A Kernel of Wheat

Sometimes called the wheat berry, the kernel is the seed from which the wheat plant grows. Each tiny seed contains three distinct parts that are separated during the milling process to produce flour.

Endosperm – about 83 percent of the kernel weight and the source of white flour. The endosperm contains the greatest share of protein, carbohydrates and iron, as well as the four major B-vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine. It is also a source of soluble fiber.

43% of the pantothenic acid
32% of the riboflavin
12% of the niacin
6% of the pyridoxine
3% of the thiamine
and 70-75% of the Protein

Bran – about 14.5 percent of the kernel weight. Bran is included in whole wheat flour and can also be bought separately. The bran contains a small about of protein, large quantities of the three major B-vitamins, trace minerals and dietary fiber – primarily insoluble (or roughage).

86% of the niacin
73% of the pyridoxine
50% of the pantothenic acid
42% of the riboflavin
33% of the thiamine
and 19% of the protein

Germ – about 2.5 percent of the kernel weight. The germ is the embryo or sprouting section of the seed, often separated from flour in the milling because the fat content (10 percent) limits flour’s shelf-life. The germ contains minimal quantities of high quality protein and a greater share of B-complex vitamins and trace minerals. Wheat germ can be purchased separately and is part of whole wheat flour.

64% of the thiamine
26% of the riboflavin
21% of the pyridoxine
7% of the pantothenic acid
2% of the niacin
and 8% of the protein.

Alton Brown - Good Eats "Gotten Grains" Episode

Wheat Berry Tapanade
by Alton Brown

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pitted and finely chopped Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fully cooked wheat berries

In a bowl combine all ingredients. Serve with crusty bread, on a salad or on its own.

Mushroom Wheat Berry Pilaf

by Alton Brown

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cooked wheat berries
1 1/2 cups leftover, cooked rice
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely chopped
Pepper and additional salt

Heat olive oil in large saute pan over low heat. Add onions and salt and sweat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add butter to pan and melt. Add mushrooms, and soy sauce, increase heat to medium and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes, until mushrooms release their liquid. Add wine and chicken broth and simmer 5 minutes, until wine begins to evaporate. Add wheat berries, rice, thyme, rosemary, and lemon rind to heat through. Adjust seasoning, to taste.

Sargent Choice Cooking: Herb-Crusted Cod with Cracked Wheat Berry Salad

Sauteed Cod with Wheat Berry Salad

by Walter Dunphy

Cod
4 four-ounce boneless, skinless cod filets
1 teaspoon flat leaf parsley, minced
1 teaspoon tarragon, minced
1 teaspoon cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

Cracked Wheat Berry Salad
3/4 cup dried wheat berries (will yield about 2 cups cooked)
1 cup shelled edamame, blanched
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup minced chives
1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Zest and juice of two oranges

Directions
To prepare the salad:
Place a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the wheat berries, and cover them with water by about two inches. Simmer for about one hour, adding more water if necessary. The grains are done when they are just al dente; they should be split and look a bit like barley. Remove them from heat, strain, and rinse with cool water.

While the wheat berries are cooking, place the corn on a nonstick baking sheet and toss with half the olive oil. Put the corn in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Check every five minutes, shaking and stirring the corn to cook evenly. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanche the asparagus, removing it just as it becomes bright green (about two to five minutes). Drain and place immediately in an ice-water bath to shock. Blanche the edamame in the same fashion.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the rest of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for about one minute, then add the red bell pepper and cook for another minute. Add the edamame and cook for one minute. Add the roasted corn and asparagus and do the same. Add the cooked wheat berries and mix well to heat through. Add the remaining ingredients (reserving half the orange juice) and toss to combine flavors and warm through.

To prepare the cod:
Mix the fine herbs together. Season the cod filets with a few grinds of fresh black pepper and sea salt, then evenly distribute the herbs over the fish and pat to adhere. Lightly dust the filets with the whole wheat flour and pat again.

Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the fish, herbed side down. Allow to cook for about three minutes, until it reaches a golden brown, shaking the pan a bit to prevent sticking. Carefully flip each filet and cook for another two to three minutes. Add a bit of the remaining orange juice to deglaze. Serve immediately.

Plating
On four dinner plates, evenly spoon out the warm salad and top with a cod filet. Finish with a drizzle of orange juice and some fresh micro-herbs for garnish.

Greek Grain Salad

Greek Grain Salad

from Food Network

Salad
1 pound barley
Salt
1/2 pound rye berries
1/2 pound wheat berries
1 cup pitted, halved kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup 1/4-inch diced cucumber
1 cup 1/4-inch diced tomato
1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup chopped dill

Dressing
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced dill
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Make the salad: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the barley and cook for 15 minutes. Using a sieve, remove barley from the water and transfer to a bowl. Bring the water back to a boil and salt, to taste. Add the barley and rye and wheat berries and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and cool. When cool, combine with the remaining ingredients.

Meanwhile, make the Dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, dill, and garlic. While whisking, drizzle in the oil to make a smooth dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.

FHE Idea - It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark

image by Debbie Brown

Teach your family the importance of food storage & self-reliance!

It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark

by Safely Gathered In