The best part of January is the prospect of Springtime just around the corner. I'm looking forward to Spring more than ever this year as Alabama is in the midst of its first "real" winter in years with record low temperatures. When it's 12 degrees outside (I know many of you are dealing with much colder and brutal conditions, but you have to remember, I'm in southern Alabama) it's easy to daydream about barefoot walks in clover, bird watching as nests are built and eggs laid, warm sun on my face, and the trees filling with foliage once again. Okay, back to the present.

I'm excited about my new membership in The Bread Bakers' Guild of America (www.bbga.org). I've decided that 2014 will be the year to hone my bread baking skills and I get to start as Peter Reinhart's (The Bread Baker's Apprentice) assistant during a workshop put on by The Guild in Atlanta on March 1. Featuring baking with sprouted and ancient grains, I'm sure to pick up great tips and recipes from the experts to pass along to you. I'll also be working with recipes from my vast collection to adapt as many as I can for great baking with sprouted flours. Can't wait to share them.

10% off Sprouted Oat Flour
COUPON CODE: SOF2014
Good through January 31st

Don't eat eggs but your recipe calls for them? Here are several substitutes to help you out:

I'm a real foods proponent, but egg replacers and plain tofu are good replacements for eggs in baked goods, custards and quiches.

In desserts and sweet baked goods substitute 1/2 banana or 1/4 cup applesauce for each egg called for. Since they add distinct flavor, make sure they're compatible with other ingredients in your recipe.

Other egg replacement options: 1 egg = 

• 2 tablespoons potato starch
• 1/4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup pumpkin or squash puree
• 1/4 cup pureed prunes
• 2 tablespoons water + 1 tablespoon oil + 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed simmered in 3 tablespoons water

Great raw breakfast to grab and go in the morning.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked sprouted rolled oats
• 1 cup yogurt (your choice of flavor or plain)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh fruit or berries
• 6 pint canning jars

1. Stir together all ingredients.
2. Spoon evenly into 6 pint canning jars. Cover with lids and screw on bands.
3. Shake until well-combined (about 30 seconds). Chill 8-12 hours.
4. Top each serving with additional fruit and drizzle with honey.

Click here to download a PDF version of this recipe.

Creamy and soothing, yet light and refreshing.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked sprouted brown rice
• 4 cups whole organic milk
• 3/4 cup organic sugar or maple sugar
• 1 cup heavy organic cream
• 2 large eggs, preferably pastured or organic
• 1 cup chopped fresh or drained canned organic pineapple
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon orange or vanilla extract

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring often, 20-25 minutes or until milk is reduced by half and rice is very tender.
2. Whisk together cream and eggs. Whisk 2 tablespoons hot rice mixture into cream mixture. Reduce heat to low; stir cream mixture into remaining rice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in pineapple and next 3 ingredients. Serve hot or cold with desired toppings.
3. Topping Suggestions: navel orange segments, pineapple, toasted coconut, whipped cream, honey and cinnamon.
    

Click here to download a PDF version of this recipe.

Makes 5 cups. Use 1 1/4 cups of this soup in place of each can called for in your recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup organic butter, divided
• 3 (8 oz.) packages fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1/3 cup sprouted white wheat flour
• 2 cups organic heavy cream
• 1 (8 oz.) package organic cream cheese, softened
• 2 ounces chicken stock, reduced by half

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute 10-12 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Melt remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in Dutch oven. Whisk in flour until smooth. whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in cream and next 2 ingredients.
3. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms. Use immediately or cool completely.

Can be frozen in zip lock bags for future use. Use 1 1/4 cup portions when freezing to replace a can of mushroom soup called for in recipes.

Click here to download a PDF version of this recipe.

This recipe is great using gluten or gluten-free flours. When I started my business I sold hundreds of these loaves weekly at area farmers' markets.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups organic sprouted flour*
• 2 cups organic whole buttermilk or kefir (possibly more)
• 3 organic eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup real honey
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda
• 1/4 cup organic butter, melted
• Herbs, spices, or fruit of choice

1. Mix flour and buttermilk into a batter in a large bowl. Thoroughly blend in remaining ingredients. If you end up with a dough instead of batter, add additional buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until you have a nice, thick batter (not nearly as thin as pancake batter).
2. Pour into a well-buttered and floured 9x5  and smaller loaf pan (I always doubled the recipe which makes 3 9x5 loaves of bread, so you will have extra batter for a smaller loaf pan or a few muffins if making a single recipe).
3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from loaf pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Great for slicing and toasting.

MY FAVORITE ADDED EXTRAS:

• Apricot Almond - add 1 tablespoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon apricot oil (optional), 1/2 cup chopped organic, unsulfured apricots. Sprinkle top of loaf with sliced almonds before baking.
• Cinnamon Raisin - add 2 heaping tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon oil (optional), and 1 cup organic raisins.
• Lemon Poppy Seed - add 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon oil (optional), 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• Rosemary Walnut - add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground organic rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoons whole rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon ground sage. Sprinkle top of loaf with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts before baking.
• Herb Loaf - add 1 1/2 teaspoons organic dill, 1 teaspoon organic tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon each organic oregano, basil, and thyme.

*Sprouted Flour Suggestions:
Use any of these as 100% of flour in recipe, or 50/50 - red or white wheat, spelt, barley, kamut, emmer, brown rice, sorghum, millet, oat. Other flours as not more than 20% total flour: amaranth, buckwheat, rye. Other flours as not more than 10% total flour: quinoa, lentil, garbanzo bean. If you choose to bake with sprouted Einkorn flour increase to 3 3/4 cup flour and follow rest of recipe.

Click here to download a PDF version of this recipe.