Chia seeds stand in for eggs and add a healthy boost to these decadent pancakes. I love that they sound challenging, but are actually quite simple. These would be perfect for breakfast on a lazy Sunday, but we could eat these pancakes anytime of the day! A special thanks to our Label Content Manager, Michelle (who also writes the beautiful blog Je Mange la Ville) for coming up with such a fun recipe.

Caramelized Banana & Chia Pancakes

Serves 2-4; makes 7-8 pancakes

•  1 Tbsp Chia Seeds + 3 Tbsp Water
• 3/4 cup Unbleached White Flour
• 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk or Soured Milk
• 2 Tbsp melted Butter
• 1 Banana, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 16 slices total)
• 1 tsp granulated Sugar
• Maple Syrup, for serving

Add chia seeds to water and let sit until they gel, about 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder and soda and salt. Add the buttermilk and melted butter to the gelled chia, and then combine that into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined (don’t over mix).

Heat a non-stick griddle over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Drop batter onto griddle by 1/4 cupfuls. Place two banana slices into each pancake surface and press down lightly. Sprinkle pancake surfaces with a little sugar.

Flip pancake when bubbles appear on the surface and edges start to look a little dry, about 3-4 minutes. Check side with bananas frequently to make sugar isn’t getting to dark and adjust heat as needed. Cook second side 2-3 more minutes. Keep warm in a 200° F oven if cooking pancakes in batches.

Make these vegan by substituting non-dairy buttermilk (recipe below) for the buttermilk and melted Earth Balance in place of butter.

Non Dairy Buttermilk:

Combine 1 cup of Soy/Rice/Almond milk with 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Let stand 10 minutes and use in place of buttermilk.

Teff is one of the most interesting whole grains that we offer, but it often leaves folks scratching their heads wondering how to use it. Teff is quite possibly the world’s smallest grain. It is a traditional staple of Ethiopia, where teff flour is used to make the flat bread Injera. You wouldn’t guess it, but this tiny grain packs a nutritional punch. Because of its small size, each kernel has a higher proportion of bran and germ than other grains. A single quarter-cup serving delivers a healthy dose of fiber (4 grams), protein (7 grams) and calcium (10% of your RDA).

Teff makes a wonderful breakfast porridge, but we were craving something a bit more savory. Our Label Content Manager, Michelle (who also writes the beautiful blog Je Mange la Ville) came up with this extraordinary twist on polenta. Not only is teff nutritionally far superior to corn, it has a complex flavor that is sure to delight your inner foodie. Bonus: this recipe is entirely gluten free!

Teff “Polenta” with Sautéed Chard

Serves 4-6

• 4 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1/2 tsp dried Basil
• 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Teff
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tbsp unsalted Butter
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

For Sautéed Chard:

• 1 bunch Rainbow Chard
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/8 tsp Pepper
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced

Optional: balsamic vinegar for drizzling and shaved Parmesan cheese

For Teff Polenta:

Add broth, basil, thyme, oregano and garlic powder to a pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Whisk in Teff, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broth is absorbed. Stir in butter and cheese. Teff should be soft and slightly creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Spread teff out in a 8-inch (or similar) square pan coated with non-stick spray. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate at least 2 hours (and up to 24).

When ready to finish polenta: Heat a non-stick skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil, over medium heat. Slice polenta into 4 or 6 squares and sauté in the oil about 3-4 minutes per side, until slightly golden.

For Chard:

Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions, then cut stems and ribs into 1-inch pieces. Cut chard leaves into 1-inch-wide strips.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then add onions and garlic, lower heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and begin to color, about 8 minutes.

Add the stems and ribs to the pot, along with salt and pepper. Cover and stir occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add chard leaves to pot and cover. Cook 4-6 minutes until tender and wilted. With a slotted spoon, divide chard among four plates, atop a square of polenta. If using, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and a little shaved Parmesan to finish.

A few days ago, we asked our Facebook fans what question they would pose to Bob if they could ask him a single question. We promised to answer as many as we could. Many of these questions are more about our products than Bob specifically, so I’m going to answer some and I’ll have Bob weigh in on some.

Today’s question: Why aren’t all Bob’s Red Mill products organic?

At Bob’s Red Mill, we strive to bring you as many organic choices as possible. There are a few reasons why we do not carry organic choices. In no particular order:

1. An item is not available organically. For example, our gluten free oats. They are simply not grown organically right now. Because they are not your average oat crop, there is no organic substitute for them available. Ultimately, when this changes, I sincerely believe we will offer them organically.
2. To offer an item organically would cause the consumer price of said product to be far too expensive. While we understand that some people would pay any price for an organic option, but we believe in affordable quality grains.
3. We can’t find the quantity we need to take a product to market as organic. It could be the supply just isn’t available on the market that we need. If we can’t keep it in stock, we can’t bring it to you.

With these things in mind, we are always looking for organic varieties of our grains, beans and seeds. When we find the right fit, we often add it in order to bring you even more organic options.

What grain, bean or seed do you wish we would offer organically?

These days, it seems everyone is interested in eating locally grown products and buying locally produced goods. You know our products are made here in Oregon, but many of you want to know where the grains are grown. At Bob’s Red Mill, we strive to buy ingredients as close to home as possible. Because of the breadth of items that we offer, sometimes we must look outside of the Northwest and, indeed, outside of the United States for our grains. Some grains simply are not grown in the United States in any appreciable quantity and some grains are best grown in their natural climates (like the mountains of Peru or the cold expanses of Saskatchewan).

Here is a rundown of where many of our grains are sourced from to help give you an idea of what we do to bring the best grains to you.

• Amaranth: India, Peru
• Buckwheat: United States
• Chia: Mexico
• Corn: California
• Flaxseeds:Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota
• Hard Red Wheat: Washington and Montana
• Hard White Wheat: Montana
• Kamut: Montana
• Millet: United States
• Oats: Saskatchewan, Manitoba and United States
• Pumpkin Seeds: Oregon
• Quinoa: Boliva, Peru
• Rice: California
• Rye: Saskatchewan
• Soft White Wheat: Oregon
• Spelt: Washington
• Teff: Nevada
• Triticale: Montana
• Wild Rice: California

So there you have it. If you ever have a question about where a product comes from, just ask and we’ll find you the answer.

I love this recipe because it’s simple, healthy and has all of the flavor of a spring roll without the hassle! Plus, it uses millet, one of my all-time favorite grains. I made this with crispy pan fried tofu (check out Herbivoracious for a great method) and it was plenty for a meal for two with leftovers. I didn’t try this, but crispy wonton strips would be a fun addition to this salad (awesome how-to video here).

Millet Spring Roll Salad

Prep Time:        15 minutes + 60 minute rest
Cook Time:       20 minutes
Yield:  10 servings as a side dish

Dressing

• 1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Lime Juice
• 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 2 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
• 2 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced

Salad

• 1 cup Hulled Millet
• 4 cups Water
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 medium Carrot, shredded
• 1-1/2 cups Green or Napa Cabbage, shredded
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
• 15 oz Baby Corn, ½ inch pieces
• 3 Green Onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup Basil, chopped
• 1/3 cup Mint, chopped
• 1 – 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

Step 1

Bring water and salt to a boil.  Rinse millet and add to boiling water.  Reduce temperature to medium-low and simmer until grains are soft, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients and mix well.  Set aside.

Step 3

Drain the cooked millet well and combine with the carrot, cabbage, red bell pepper and corn.  Add dressing and toss well.

Step 4

Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

Step 5

Add the green onions and herbs and mix well.  Garnish with sesame seeds.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A kolache, if you’re not familiar, is a traditional semi-sweet pastry from Central Europe. Kolaches have quite the following in the United States, particularly Texas, and can be found on breakfast menus all over (we even have a few food carts dedicated to kolaches here in Portland). The light, fluffy dough usually contains a filling of fruit, poppy seeds, cheese or sausage.

This is our take on the kolache. Here, whole wheat flour and chia seeds are used to give this treat a little more nutritional oomph. If sweet isn’t your thing, or chia seeds are hard to come by, kolaches can be filled with just about anything. A quick search pulls up everything from ham and egg to pizza fillings. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Kolaches with Chia Seed Filling

Kolache Dough

•     1-1/2 cups Milk (361.45g)
•     1/2 cup Sugar (113.4g)
•     1 cup Butter, melted (226.8g)
•     3 Eggs (136.08g)
•     2-1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (7.09g)
•     2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (240g)
•     3 – 4 cups Unbleached White Flour (402 – 544g)
•     1 tsp Sea Salt (4g)

Chia Seed Filling

•     1 cup Milk (241g)
•     1/2 cup Sugar (113.4g)
•     zest of one Orange
•     1 cup Chia Seed (208g)
•     1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Kolache Dough

Step 1

Heat milk and sugar to 110°F. Sprinkle yeast over warm milk and let sit until it looks creamy.

Step 2

Combine flours in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and yeast/milk mixture and mix for 3 – 4 minutes.

Step 3

Add salt and continue to mix for an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, turn dough once to coat both sides, cover and chill overnight.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4″ thickness. Cut 3″ round circles and transfer them to parchment lined sheet trays.

Step 5

Top the center of each round with 1 Tbsp of chia seed filling. Let rise until puffy, 15 – 20 minutes.

Step 6

Lightly egg wash and bake at 375°F until golden, about 12 – 15 minutes.

Chia Seed Filling

Step 1

Heat milk, sugar and orange zest to barely simmering.

Step 2

Add chia seeds and cook over low heat until all liquid has absorbed, 5 – 7 minutes. Add vanilla extract.

We’ve teamed up with Julia from The Roasted Root on The Pancake Project. Julia, as you may recall, developed a wonderful Whole Grain “Cornbread” Quiche for us last May. We’ve become big fans of The Roasted Root around here and were very excited to hear about her new project to create a pancake recipe each Friday “to get you geared up for a relaxing pancake weekend.” She asked us to provide flour for her experimentation and we jumped at the opportunity. We can’t wait to see what she’ll create! In addition to the recipe, she’ll also be giving away her featured flour each week to a lucky winner. Her first week featured Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Pancakes and this week she has created Bacon and Egg Buckwheat Stacks (oh my!). So check it out each Friday to see what’s on the menu for the weekend and enter to win some Bob’s Red Mill flour.

We get contacted daily by business who are doing something remarkable with our products. Battle Ground Barkery is one of these truly special companies working to uplift their community while providing work experience for young people. At Battle Ground Barkery, high quality dog treats are hand crafted by students with disabilities from Bob’s Red Mill ingredients. Students from Battle Ground High School bake the hand-cut dog biscuits then send them to a complementary program called “Futures.” Futures workers package and market the dog biscuits, selling them in shops around Battle Ground, Washington. Futures provides training and work experience for young adults with disabilities who have moved on from the high school program.

A group from Battle Ground Barkery (love that this is a bark-ery) came to tour our mill last week and left some of their wheat-free, all natural dog treats for the dogs in the Bob’s Red Mill family. Well, let me tell you, these were a HUGE hit at my house. After giving my dog one of these treats, he was not convinced that one was enough and continued to sit and wiggle trying to get another. He sat, he sat VERY still, then he wiggled, he laid down, he did his one trick, he even whined a little. For all of that I had to give him another and I didn’t feel bad about it- there are exactly 10 ingredients in these cookies and I know what each of them is. They’re a great size and the bone shape makes them easy to break in two for smaller dogs.

Sadly, these are not yet available online for purchase. Visit their website (www.bgbarkery.com) or contact them at barkery@battlegroundps.org for more info about this wonderful program.

At Bob’s Red Mill, we mill a lot of unusual things into flour. One of these rather unusual flours is our Green Pea Flour. I bet you didn’t even know we carried that, did you? It always intrigues foodies, but no one knows quite what to do with it. Our Packaging Content Manager Michelle is a culinary adventurer. She’s always cooking up creative foods to share with her friends and family. Ever since Michelle, author of Je Mange la Ville, started here a couple of years back, she’s been curious about our green pea flour. She took some home and tackled it. The result? These crispy, delightful little crackers. When they were in development, she brought some into the office- let me just say, they disappeared quickly! We think you’ll enjoy them, too. If green pea flour is hard to come by, and in all likelihood it is, you can find it on our site or Amazon.com.

Pea, Parmesan & Rosemary Crackers

•     1/2 cup Green Pea Flour
•     1-1/2 cups Unbleached White Flour
•     1 tsp Garlic Powder
•     1 tsp Kosher Salt, plus a bit more for sprinkling
•     1/2 tsp Black Pepper
•     1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
•     2 tsp chopped, fresh Rosemary leaves
•     1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
•     2 Tbsp frozen Spinach, defrosted, drained
•     1/2 cup Water

Directions

Step 1

Mix the pea flour, white flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cheese and rosemary leaves together in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and combine with a whisk or fork.

Step 2

Put the spinach and water in a blender. Process until smooth.

Step 3

Add almost all of the spinach-water mixture and using a wooden spoon and then your hand, mix until a dough ball comes together. You may need a little more liquid, if so, add reserved spinach-water mixture and combine into a smooth dough. Divide into 2 balls of dough.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out each ball of dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Use a pizza or pastry cutter (with decorative edges) to cut dough into rectangles (or whatever shape you’d like). Use a fork to prick 2-3 sets of hole in each cracker. This will prevent the dough from poofing up in the oven. You do not have to spread out crackers – they can stay as-is on the parchment.

Step 5

Sprinkle crackers with a little extra salt and bake for about 20-25 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through cooking time. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t get too dark. They should still be green, but with golden spots. The parmesan will also get a little toasted.

Step 6

Let cool before eating. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.

Makes about 40 crackers.

We’re going to get a little personal up in here. Not too personal, mind you, but perhaps sitting at the same table rather than just eating in the same restaurant. I had a baby (our first) last October and, as any parent can attest to, life got complicated quickly. Gone were my hours to fiddle with this recipe and that. Heck, it was a miracle if I got into the kitchen at all! Luckily, I had planned ahead (thanks to the wonderful mom-friends I have) and had several meals in the freezer. I also stocked my cupboard with a few packages of our Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix for dinners that my husband could prepare in a pinch. I knew money would be tight and ordering out was likely to be out of the question for a while. Additionally, I knew that I didn’t want to spend any unnecessary time kneading or rising pizza dough from scratch.

Let me tell you, we fell in love that first groggy October night when I’d finally convinced myself to put down the baby and enter the kitchen. I have liked our pizza crust mix since we released it in 2008, but this is new, this is love. I don’t eat a gluten free diet, but I happen to find this mix to be a wonderful combination of ingredients for a pizza crust. It’s not for everyone, I’ll give you that, but it sure beats many recipes that I’ve attempted. It has whole grains and so what if those grains happen to exclude wheat?

Here is what I do to make this mix really shine. I’ve even tested these minor adaptations on my husband who managed them and made a delicious pizza from *mostly* scratch.

• Instead of eggs, I use the suggested egg replacer of flaxseed meal and water. I first tried this when we were out of eggs and the store was out of the question. Not only did it work well, we liked it more. Plus, it gets a little extra flax in our lives and, for that, I am grateful.
• I make sure my hands are wet, like really wet, when spreading out the dough. I know it seems kind of gross, but truly, it makes a huge difference. As soon as my hands start to get sticky, I run them under the water again. Making sure to spread the dough out as thin as possible. Don’t worry, with the pre-baking step, the little bit of extra liquid becomes negligible.
• In that vein, I spread the dough out as thin as possible. Thinner = crispier.
• Then, and here is what I think is our coup de grace, I sprinkle a *light* layer of mozzarella cheese over it before pre-baking. I think this makes it a little crispier. You could try this method with a non-dairy cheese such as Daiya.
• I don’t do this every time, but you can add a bit of garlic powder, oregano and red pepper flakes to the dry mix to give it a little extra pizzazz.

From there, I cook according to the package directions. We like pizza pretty simple at our house, so it’s usually just a combination of cheeses. Sometimes we add tomatoes, sometimes we make it a barbecue pizza with pineapple, bell peppers and chicken (“chicken” at our house). It doesn’t really matter what we top it with. It comes out great and it is E-A-S-Y and that’s a four-letter word that I can get behind now that I have a B-A-B-Y.

Do you have a secret to making this mix work for you? Share in the comments. Who knows? I may just kick down some random coupons to those who comment (that’s another word that has a whole new meaning!).