It's no secret....to get in shape you need a healthy diet and proper exercise!
Whole grains are a very important part of the "Healthy New YOU"!

Luckily whole grains are easy to incorporate into the diet!

I have been teaching baking classes for many years and using whole grains for many, many more!
The common thread that I hear in my classes is that people just don't know where to begin.

It's not that they don't want to start eating healthier they just aren't sure where to start. This months newsletter will focus on just that.....
WHERE TO START!

Many people "want" to learn how to eat healthier and learn how to unprocess their foods and incorporate whole grains into their diet but the question I get over and over again is "How do I get started"?

In my seminars I teach the participants just how easy it is to incorporate whole grains into their daily menus. We are all busy. If it's not fast and easy people tend not to keep up with it. I teach them that its not only fast and easy to use whole grains but you also have the all of the wonderful nutritional benefits that go along with eating whole foods. Not only that……whole grains taste great!

I highly suggest getting the proper equipment. Just like any profession if you don't have the proper equipment to get the job done it leads to frustration and can be time consuming and costly in the end.

The proper equipment begins with a grain mill. The easiest way to incorporate whole grains into your diet is to mill them up into flour and add them to your breads and baked goods. The grain mills have actually come down in price from 10 years ago. They range in price from about $129 - $259. Please see grain mills in the product review section.

The grain mill is so important because as you know ANY store bought flour (yes, even organic whole wheat flour from the health food store) has had the outer layer of the grain removed. In this removal of the outer layer of the grain also goes 90% of the vitamins/minerals, fiber, phytochemicals (cancer fighting agents) and many trace elements that our bodies need to thrive. The commercial milling companies are not going to go back to selling us the whole grain any time soon as they can make so much more money by selling the "whole grain" in many pieces. For example you can purchase wheat germ, wheat bran, wheat germ oil, flour and many animal feeds are made of the middling, which is also part of the grain that is removed. Why would a company trying to make money sell just one product when they can take one product and sell 5 components of the product.

Even with milling your own flour it's important to use the flour right away or freeze it. If fresh flour is left out at room temperature the nutrients will begin to be oxidized and after about 72 hours there may not be too many nutrients left. Not only is the flour on the store shelf void of fiber and nutrients but any nutrients that may have been left are now oxidized and the flour may becoming rancid. That's why you will sometimes get a bag of flour that performs very well and some that don't.

BOTTOM LINE: The only way to get fresh flour is to mill it yourself.

A grain mill is an investment in your health. If you still feel you cannot afford a grain mill there are options. Please check out our Bargain bin for any gently used models; we also have a great layaway plan, which is a FREE pay as you go plan. No extra charges apply! We have also had customers purchase a grain mill with a friend or relative to share.

Some grain mills to stay away from: Any grain mill that is an attachment to something else, like a mixer. For one these grain mills do not mill the flour fine enough and they heat up the motor of the appliance that they are running off of too much. I have had many people burn out their Kitchen Aid mixers for example by using the grain mill attachment. Another option that doesn't seem to work out is the Vitamix to mill grain into flour. Yes, the manufacture says you can do it but I have had many unhappy customers stating that the flour just isn't the texture that they like. The Vitamix blenders are expensive, you can almost purchase a grain mill AND mixer, which will be able to do MUCH MORE than any Vitamix can do. Invest in a good grain mill. The best grain mills available today are the Wonder Mill and Nutrimill.

The next step would be to find a source for grains. We have compiled a list of co-ops. There may be one in your area. Other ideas would be to ask your local grocer or health food store manager to see if they can order you bags of grain when they place their orders. Typically purchasing small amounts of grain from the bulk bins can get costly. It's much more economical to purchase grain in 25-50# bags.

The next step would be finding a container to store your grain in. Always look for "food grade safe" buckets. Do not just go out a purchase any Rubbermaid container, as they may not be food grade safe. That's important because if they are not food grade safe then toxins from the plastic can leach into your foods. Many co-ops will sell white food grade safe buckets for around $5-$7/each. Or check with your local grocery stores bakery department. They have plenty of these white food grade safe buckets that the frostings, etc come in. Many times these buckets are FREE!

Once you have your buckets I highly recommend getting some gamma seal lids. These are very important especially with the bakery buckets sometimes they have been so pried off that they don't seal well. The gamma seals fit this bucket and will allow you to get a very tight seal. If the seal isn't tight that's an invitation to bugs! Better yet the gamma seal lids will last forever and make the bucket very easy to open! For those of us who have struggled for more than a half hour trying to open a bucket the gamma seals are a welcomed investment!

Note about grains: For breads you want a high protein wheat. Typically you will use a hard white or red wheat (either spring or winter wheat). I prefer the white wheat, as the taste is very mild. This is a great wheat to start with as it may be more pleasing for those hardened white bread eaters. Red wheat is good and has a heartier flavor. In my seminar I recommend that you start with just wheat and get your bread making technique down for a few months. Then branch out into different grains and beans. When placing your first grain order you may want to purchase both hard and soft wheat. Hard wheat is for breads and Soft wheat has a low gluten content which makes it great for cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, waffles, etc.

Other bread making supplies include:

Oil - We always use olive oil. Look for the organic cold pressed olive oil, as this is the least processed.

Yeast - We only use SAF yeast. Over the years this yeast has proven itself to be the best. Years ago when we had our family bakery our baked goods just never came out quite as well when we would use a different yeast. SAF yeast is very "forgiving". It performs well in many different environments and doesn't seem to be as temperamental as other yeasts.

Honey - Local honey is always the best. Look for raw and unfiltered honey.

Dough Enhancer - This all-natural product increases the shelf life of the whole grain breads. It also produces a moister loaf of bread. One can goes a long way. Typically one can will be enough for approx. 100 loaves of bread.

Vital Wheat Gluten - Increases the strength of the gluten in the bread thus producing a stronger higher rising loaf of bread. A must when using grains with little gluten. At 2 TBSP per 5-6 loaves of bread a can will last a long time.

Mixing the dough: You can always knead the dough by hand, use a bread machine or small mixer but we recommend a powerful mixer for the best results. Remember whole grain bread has more of the "good stuff" in it therefore it takes more kneading strength to develop the gluten.

Kitchen Aid mixer will do the job but not well. The Kitchen Aid mixers of today are not the powerful mixers of many years ago. For one the mixer cannot make more than two loaves of bread at a time. I get calls weekly from people who are looking to purchase a new mixer as their Kitchen Aid mixer kept breaking.

The Bread Machines may also not be the best choice. Most bread machines work in the same way. A pulley mechanism will move the kneading blade. Over time the pulley system that turns the kneading blades(s) may stretch out and then there isn't enough power in the kneading blades to properly develop the gluten of whole grain dough. Sometimes the kneading cycle isn't long enough to develop the gluten in whole grain breads.

When it comes to mixers the proper equipment is a must. We recommend the Bosch Mixer or the Electrolux DLX mixer. Either of these mixers can handle large or small amounts of dough, they can handle whole grains without problems, and they are designed to last a very long time. They also come in a variety of price ranges and packages. Please see our product reviews on the different mixers and our mixer packages under our products category. A caution when looking for a mixer. Everyone always loves a great deal….me included. But beware whom you purchase your mixer from. Some dealers are not authorized and you will have problems getting any warranty work done if you purchased an item from an unauthorized dealer. We have also seen over and over again someone who purchased a mixer from a dealer that didn't even know what a DLX was but they sold them. These customers are left on their own and it can be very frustrating if you have a question or need some help and have no one to turn to.

We will match our competitors' prices whenever we can. However, even more important than price is the fact that we know what we sell. We are here to help you every step of the way. Anyone can sell you a product but this is our passion and my goal is to teach you how to use the product. Please visit our Bread Making Tutorial for step-by-step instructions for making a super loaf of bread! If you are in the Colorado area please plan on attending one of our Whole Grain Bread Making Seminars. They are fun and informative!

A great way to introduce your family to Whole Grains is to make things that they like! I have included a recipe for one of my families favorites

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup oil (or applesauce)
2 egg whites (or you can use the whole egg)
1 tsp vanilla
3 -4 bananas broken into pieces
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oatmeal flakes
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

Directons: Mix all ingredients and pour into muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Makes approx. 12 muffins
ENJOY! :)

We have many wonderful things on sale this month to make your baking fun and easy!

All of our Bread/Pastry Boards are on sale! These are great for rolling out dough. Saves your countertops and makes clean up a breeze!

Check out our rolling pins. They are made from Canadian hardwoods.

All Reusable Parchment Papers are on sale! These are great to line your baking sheets. Great for pizzas, cookies, breads, candy making, and any messy baking needs you may have. Just wash the parchment, let dry and reuse! They can stand a 500+ degree oven and can be used over and over again! This is one of our biggest sellers!
Purchase one for yourself and one for a friend. Take advantage of our multiple packs for even greater savings!

We have some really great holiday gift giving ideas ALL at reduced prices!
Check out the Cloer Indoor Grill, Cloer Bread and Roll Baker, 7-piece Cherry Wooden Bowl Salad set, Holiday Candy/Cookie molds, Book: Holiday Menus by Sue Gregg and MUCH MORE! The Grain Mills are going fast! ALL grain mills are on sale and are priced the lowest we've seen all year! If you've been waiting to get one...NOW'S THE TIME!

WHAT'S NEW! The Bosch Mixer is on SALE!

The Electrolux Verona Mixer has replaced the Magic Mill Kitchen Assistent mixer. Same great quality! Awesome NEW Colors!!

We also have some fabulous prices on L'Equip Dehydrators.

COUPONS! No coupons to clip....just a coupon code to enter when you check out! These coupons are good for all purchases over $50!

For $5 in savings use the SAV5 code to save $5 off any purchase $50 or over

For $10 in savings use the SAV10 code to save $10 off any purchase $100 or over

For $20 in savings use the SAV20 for $20 OFF any $200 or more purchase.

January SPECIAL!!
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS OVER $100! Offer good on IN STOCK products only. We can not extend the free shipping to back ordered products. For best selection SHOP EARLY! Use coupon code FREE

RECIPES....we have added some really great recipes to our recipe section. Please visit www.mountaintopsmilling.com and click on recipes.

Here in Colorado the snow has begun to fall and it's a perfect time to cook up a big pot of stew, soup, or chili! What better to go with a pot of stew than some hot out of the oven whole grain rolls!

Dinner Rolls......For an easy same day dinner roll tip make the rolls a few days ahead of time and freeze. When ready to bake remove the rolls from the freezer, place on baking sheet ,and place in oven. Turn oven on and preheat while rolls are in the oven. Bake for recommended amount of time. The rolls will thaw while the oven is preheating. For best results try this BEFORE you need them to make any adjustments necessary. Oven temps and times may vary. This will NOT work for frozen loaves of bread. They are too large.

Dinner Rolls can be a easy and healthy addition to your table.

Rolls are easy to make! If you have children have them help you.

Our favorite roll recipe is our Whole Wheat Buttermilk Roll recipe (see recipe below).
You can use wheat, spelt or kamut for this recipe and get great results.

You can also use your favorite bread or roll recipe.

If you are pressed for time the store bought frozen bread dough works just fine.

We have featured a "how to" on four different dinner roll shapes.

Pan Rolls
Fan Rolls
Cloverleaf Rolls
Crescent Rolls

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Pan Rolls

These are some of the easiest rolls to make. You can either place the rolls on a baking sheet using reusable parchment or place close together in a baking pan.

Once your dough is made turn dough onto a lightly floured pastry board. Shape dough into a long roll and cut into equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by drawing edges under and pinching them together. Place in a Pam sprayed pan with sides touching or about 1.5" apart on a baking sheet lined with reusable parchment paper or slipat liner.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until about doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Oven time and temp will vary depending on your oven.

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Fan Rolls

Turn your batch of dough onto a lightly floured pastry board. Depending on how much dough you have you may need to divide your dough into half or thirds.

1. Roll dough into a 1/2 inch thick by 9 inch square. Brush with melted butter, cut into six strips.

2. Stack strips on top of one another. Cut into 1" widths and place into greased muffin pan, cut side up.

3. Cover, let rise in warm place until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

4. Optional: Brush with melted butter

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Cloverleaf Rolls

1. Tear off pieces from your bread dough and make "golf ball" size balls. Place 3 balls in each prepared muffin tin space. For a "richer" roll dip each ball into melted butter. For a garlic bread roll dip each roll into garlic butter and sprinkle with dried herbs.

2. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Optional: Use egg wash (egg white with 1 TBSP water) brush onto roll tops BEFORE baking and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top.

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Crescent Rolls

1. Roll out your dough into a 14" circle and brush with melted butter.

2. Cut into 20 wedge-shaped pieces.

3. Roll up each piece, beginning with wide end; place with tip down on reusable parchment lined baking sheet. Curve and elongate each roll slightly.

4. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter.

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Whole Wheat Buttermilk Roll Recipe: http://www.mountaintopsmilling.com/recipes.php?id=5

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