In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, we are bringing you three beautiful gluten free cookbooks that we think are worth purchasing to have on hand or gifting to someone new to the gluten free diet. The second, Gluten Free Girl Every Day is something that anyone—gluten free or otherwise—can enjoy.

The highly anticipated third book from Shauna and Daniel Ahern, aka Gluten Free Girl and the Chef lives up to the hype. It’s quite simply, beautiful. It’s well written and the photography is lovely. Shauna writes from the heart and her recipes are an extension of her zest for life.

This cookbook isn’t about expensive ingredients or fancy techniques and it’s is most definitely not about what you can’t have (gluten). This book is about cooking balanced, wholesome meals with ingredients that you CAN have. You won’t miss the gluten, we promise. This is what has made Gluten Free Girl, both the blog and the previous two books, really shine. The recipes are solid and gluten simply isn’t missed. That’s not to say that this book excludes baking. Shauna includes her go-to flour blend and a wide variety of ways to use it: Biscuits with Sausage Gravy, Peach Brown Butter Buckle,  Fresh Gluten-Free Pasta, Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnuts, to name a few.

I value that anyone could pick this book up and make a recipe without feeling stumped or confused. But what I love about Gluten Free Girl Every Day is the “Feel Like Playing?” sections with most of the recipes. These little gems give you tips for tweaking a recipe or substituting ingredients that you might not have on hand or simple twists to take it in a new direction. That, to me, is something special. Make a recipe once as is, then, try it again with the “Feel Like Playing?” tips for a delightful variation.

Suffice to say, we love the book. Enjoy this recipe (we sure did- even Bob who notoriously detests raisins) and enter to win a copy of Gluten Free Girl Every Day. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has generously offered up three copies of this book and we’re going to pair each book with a package of millet flour, sweet rice flour and potato starch so that you can get started with this book right away. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, please see complete terms and conditions in the app below. To enter, simply follow the prompts below (be sure to read what the question is for commenting). The giveaway will run until 12:01 am on 5/28/13.

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Millet Fritters with Feta, Spinach, and Golden Raisins

These little millet fritters are something special. We were inspired by our friend, Heidi Swanson, and the recipe for her quinoa fritters in her wonderful cookbook, Super Natural Every Day. I loved the idea of repurposing some leftover cooked grains into something that shimmered. Millet is wonderful since it has such a neutral taste. It takes on the flavors of sage, golden raisins, fresh spinach, and French feta. Okay, I want some right now!

• 2 cups cooked Millet
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Sage (use 1⁄2 teaspoon dried if you want to)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 2 cups chopped fresh Spinach
• 1⁄2 cup Golden Raisins
• 1⁄3 cup French Feta Cheese
• 1 cup Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Making the fritter dough. Combine the millet, eggs, onion, garlic, sage, and salt in a large bowl. Toss together with a rubber spatula (or, really, your hands). When fully combined, add the spinach, raisins, and feta and toss together. Add half of the breadcrumbs and combine together. Let the mixture sit for a few moments to give the breadcrumbs a chance to absorb some of the moisture.

If you can form the mixture into a small patty, easily, you’re done. If the fritters still feel wet, add more of the breadcrumbs, a bit at a time. You should be able to pinch together a bit of the mixture and have it stick together without oozing.

Frying the fritters. Set a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the oil. When it has heated, add 6 or 7 fritters to the skillet, taking care to not overcrowd. Cover the skillet and cook the fritters until the bottoms have browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Flip the fritters and cook until the second side has turned a golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Put the cooked fritters onto a wire rack and cook the remaining fritters.

Feeds 4 to 6

Excerpted from Gluten Free Girl Every Day, © 2013 by Shauna James Ahern. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

If you like risotto, let us introduce you to farrotto. Made from farro, a pearled form of wheat that has its roots in Italy, this dish cooks faster than a rice-based risotto and has a nice bite to it. Farro is chewier than arborio rice, so this dish has a heartier texture than a typical risotto. Yes, risotto’s signature creaminess comes from slaving over the stove, slowly adding more liquid to release the starches, but you can have something close without all of the slaving by making farrotto. If you forgot to soak the farro, just add a little bit longer to the cooking time.

Farrotto really needs no accompaniment, as it’s a fairly complete meal on its own, but I make this at home with some grilled veggie sausages to balance out the carbohydrates with some protein (I particularly like the Field Roast Apple Sage sausages with this recipe) and a green salad.

Farrotto
Recipe by Sarah House

•     5 – 6 cups Vegetable Stock
•     1 Tbsp Olive Oil
•     1/2 cup diced Onion
•     2 cloves Garlic, minced
•     1/4 cup Dry White Wine (optional)
•     1/2 cup Organic Farro , soaked overnight
•     1 cup sliced Mushrooms
•     1/2 cup Green Peas
•     1 Tbsp Butter
•     2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan

Directions

Step 1

Bring vegetable stock to a low simmer and keep warm.

Step 2

Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 – 2 minutes.

Step 3

Add farro and stir until coated with oil and beginning to release a nutty fragrance, about 2 minutes.

Step 4

Add white wine, if using, and let cook down until almost all liquid has been absorbed.

Step 5

Using a ½-cup ladle, add warm stock to the farro, one ladle at a time, stirring until all liquid has been absorbed before adding the next ladle. Cook farro, adding stock as needed, until farro has opened and softened, about 30 minutes.

Step 6

During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender. Add peas and cook until softened and bright green. Season to taste with salt.

Step 7

Remove from heat and stir in butter and parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Curry, carrots, raisins and coconut milk make this salad flavorful and satisfying, but sorghum grain is really the star of this delicious dish. Unlike some gluten free grains, the hearty, chewy texture of whole grain sorghum is very similar to wheat berries, making it an ideal addition to pilafs and cold salads such as this one.  Sorghum is an excellent source of dietary fiber and a wonderful way to include the health benefits of whole grains in a gluten free diet. Sorghum originated in Africa thousands of years ago, and then spread through the Middle East and Asia via ancient trade routes, traveling to the Arabian Peninsula, India and China along the Silk Road. Today sorghum remains a staple food in India and Africa, yet it is still relatively unknown in many parts of the world.

Pair this salad with warm Naan and grilled tofu for a wonderful, easy meal. This salad makes great leftovers the next day, as well. Cheers!

Curried Carrots & Sorghum

•     1 cup Sorghum Grain
•     3 cups Water
•     1 tsp Sea Salt divided
•     1 cup canned Coconut Milk
•     3 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
•     1 Tbsp Curry Powder
•     1/2 tsp Chili Powder
•     2 tsp Sugar
•     2 cups slivered Carrots
•     1/2 cup Raisins
•     1/4 cup chopped Green Onion

Directions

Step 1

Rinse, drain and pick through sorghum. Combine 3 cups water, 1 cup Sorghum and 1/2-tsp salt in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer until tender, about 50 – 60 minutes. Drain any excess water.

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the coconut milk, rice vinegar, curry powder, chili powder, 1/2-tsp salt and sugar.

Step 3

When sorghum is cooked and drained, add carrots, raisins and onions. Toss with dressing. Served chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Mother’s Day is most definitely a brunch occasion. If you haven’t already planned something, here are 10 recipes to show Mom just how much you care. Sure, you can take her out, but why not nurture her the way she nurtured you with a home cooked meal? Who cares if it’s not perfect. It’s the thought that counts and we bet this will be just as memorable as that hand made card from kindergarten.

For the mom who loves a sweet breakfast:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast from The Realistic Nutritionist via Chef Mom:: Make this a bit healthier by using wholesome, whole grain bread or sub gluten free bread for a gluten free version.
• Strawberry Frangipane Tart with Brown Butter Brown Rice Crust (Gluten Free) from Franny Cakes
• Raspberry Oatmeal Dumplings (Gluten Free)

For the mom who loves a savory breakfast:

• Chili and Cornbread Waffle Stacks from A Pinch of Yum
• Savory Oats with Sauteed Mushrooms, Onion and Thyme from A Bachelor and His Grill
• Sweet Potato, Kale and Black Bean Breakfast Pizza (Gluten Free) from Cara’s Cravings

For the health conscious mom:

• Almond Flour Pancakes (Gluten Free and Paleo Friendly) from The Roasted Root
• Blueberry-Coconut Baked Steel Cut Oats (Vegan and can be Gluten Free) from Family Fresh Cooking
• Peach Breakfast Calzone (Gluten and Dairy Free) from The Non-Dairy Queen

Recipes that are easy enough for the kiddos:

• Blueberry Lemon Pancakes from Weelicious
• Five-Spice Muesli Granola and Peach Greek Yogurt Parfaits from A Sage Amalgam:: Kids will love helping with the assembly of these pretty parfaits.
• Strawberry Scones from Koko Cooks

 

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, we are bringing you three beautiful gluten free cookbooks that we think are worth purchasing to have on hand or gifting to someone new to the gluten free diet. The first, Simply Allergy-Free by Elizabeth Gordon, works for anyone who must avoid gluten, dairy, soy, nuts and eggs.

Simply Allergy-Free (available from Amazon) is a book of modest size, but absolutely packed with simple, delicious recipes that anyone can enjoy. This book begins with a section on the ingredients Gordon favors (and how to shop for them) and a lovely substitution guide. Main course recipes include: Bang Bang Chicken, Polenta Pizza, One Pot Quinoa with Spinach, Pomegranate and Yams, Beef Tostadas. Sides range from Chickpea French Fries and Curried Cauliflower to Gazpacho Salad. Simply Allergy-Free has a chapter dedicated to dips and sauces (Green Curry Paste anyone) followed by a long chapter on desserts, which includes Candy Bar Pie, Rocky Road Cookies and Soft Salted Caramel, to name a few. Most recipes are accompanied by gorgeous photography from Melanie Bauman and Lorna Palmer, always a bonus in my book.

I can be a bit skeptical about recipes that leave out gluten, dairy and eggs, but once we tried these Snickerdoodle Muffins, I was sold. These disappeared quickly when we made a batch at the mill. These muffins taste just like a cinnamon sugar donut. The worst thing about these? You have to lick your fingers to get all of the cinnamon sugar off. Make these for your next gathering and serve alongside coffee or with a glass of (non dairy) milk. No one will ever suspect that they are allergen-friendly.

Hands down, the best thing about this book? The recipes are made with simple, common ingredients. You can easily pick out one of the recipes for dinner, head to your pantry and have it on the table in 30 minutes. Not all of the recipes are that quick, but you get my drift. These dishes are delicious because they use real food ingredients, the missing allergens will not be, ahem, missed.

Elizabeth has generously offered us a copy of this book to give away to one lucky reader. In addition to the book, we’ll kick in a package of our Gluten Free Sorghum Flour and White Rice Flour so you can make these muffins right away. To enter, simply follow the prompts in the app below (please note that commenting is mandatory and you can find the question in the prompt). We’ll pick a winner at random from all who enter by 11:59 pm on May 15th, 2013.

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Snickerdoodle Muffins

from Simply Allergy-Free, by Elizabeth Gordon

Makes 12 muffins

• Canola Oil
• 1-1/3 cups White Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup Potato Starch
• 1/4 cup Sorghum Flour
• 1 cup Sugar, divided
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted (or liquid)
• 1 cup Non-Dairy Milk of choice
• 1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce, at room temperature
• 1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease (do not line) twelve muffin cups with canola oil.
2. In a liquid measuring cup, add cider vinegar to non-dairy milk and let sit 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another large bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, milk/cider vinegar combination, vanilla extract, and applesauce. Mix the liquid ingredients until they are smooth.
5.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients all at once. Stir the batter until all of the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins and bake in the preheated oven for 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the tins from the oven and let the muffins rest in the tins for 5-7 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle but still warm.
7. While the muffins are cooling, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon in a wide but shallow bowl.
8. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, roll each muffin in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until they are completely covered on all sides. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool slightly and then serve warm, immediately, or let them cool completely.
9. Leftovers may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a day.

NOTE: [Elizabeth] likes using unrefined coconut oil in this recipe because the coconut flavor lends a buttery flavor to the muffins, but if you do not like the coconut flavor, use refined coconut oil instead.

 

 

We had quite a competition for our Muesli Mayhem Recipe Contest. It was neck-and-neck for the winning spots. Without further ado, the winners of the competition are…

FIRST PLACE

SECOND PLACE

 THIRD PLACE

And our giveaway winner is Teri Capalby. Congratulations Teri! Look for an email from us soon.

Congratulations to all of our winners. Everyone did a beautiful job and we appreciate your help in picking the winning dishes.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with homemade tortillas. These are ridiculously easy and absolutely worth it! The recipe is pretty simple- just corn flour, salt and water. For a step-by-step visual recipe, visit America’s Test Kitchen or watch the video below (thank you, YouTube.) Use these for tacos or simply serve the fresh tortillas with salsa and guacamole. ­Salud!

Corn Tortillas

•     2 cups Golden Masa Harina Corn Flour or Gluten Free Golden Masa Harina
•     1/2 tsp Sea Salt
•     1-1/2 to 2 cups Hot Water

Directions

Step 1

Mix salt into the masa harina corn flour. Slowly pour the water into the dough to get a good consistency. The dough should be firm and springy when touched, not dry or sticky. Let rest for about an hour, covered.

Step 2

Preheat a griddle or flat surface. Divide the dough into 2 inch balls. Press dough between two pieces of waxed paper, or flatten according to a tortilla press directions. Place flatten dough on a hot griddle or flat surface and cook until the top of the tortilla starts to look cooked, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and heat for a few seconds.

Makes 12 – 6 inch tortillas.

As a registered dietitian and nutrition journalist, I’ve spent close to 25 years pouring over food and nutrition research.  And it’s led me to one conclusion as to how we can all live healthier, more vibrant lives. The answer: Eat more whole plants. In fact, there are now hundreds of studies backing up the notion that the healthiest diet on the planet is a plant-based one.

Contrary to popular belief, a plant-based diet really is more about what you can eat, rather than what you can’t eat. When most people hear the words “plant-based diet,” raw fruits and vegetables are usually the first thoughts that come to mind.  But a plant-based diet consists of a variety of whole plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and legumes.

Legumes are the perfect example of a plant-powered “protein package.” This means that legumes are packed with beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and essentially void of the “bad stuff”, like saturated fat and sodium. In fact, legumes are as near to a perfect food as you can find. A half-cup portion, on average, contains at least 20% of our daily needs for fiber, folate, and manganese, 10% of our daily needs for protein, potassium, iron, magnesium, and copper; and 6-8% of our daily needs for selenium and zinc.  Research now indicates that eating legumes regularly can offer a variety of health benefits, including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower body weight, and lower rates of heart disease, hypertension, some types of cancer, and diabetes.

Aside from their nutritional perks, legumes are even friends to Mother Earth. Farmers discovered long ago that rotating their crops with legumes would replenish their soil. This is because legumes possess a unique ability to “fix nitrogen,” or transfer nitrogen from the air into the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

As if these benefits alone aren’t enough motivation to increase your intake of legumes, it helps to know that legumes are easy to cook, shelf stable, and economical. And a whole world of legumes awaits your discovery: lima beans, garbanzo beans, split peas, lentils, pinto beans, and kidney beans, just to name a few. They can easily be incorporated into soups, salads, wraps, or served as simple side dishes. You can also take a spin on legumes by trying them in alternative forms such as flours. These high-protein, nutritious flours are perfect alternatives for those with wheat and gluten allergies. Not only that, they can also pump up the nutrition in many of your recipes for baked goods. Simply replace a small amount of wheat flour in your recipes with legume flour and you’ve boosted your intake of plant-powered benefits.

Whether you’re a plant-powered vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore, I recommend you eat at least one ½ cup serving of legumes every day in order to promote your optimal health.

Red Lentil Stew with Root Vegetables

By Sharon Palmer, RD, The Plant-Powered Dietitian

This thick, colorful stew, which calls upon root vegetables, is easy on your wallet and delicious on your taste buds. Try serving it as a light lunch with a salad and rustic, whole grain bread; or for dinner with whole grains such as barley, farro or quinoa on the side.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 medium Parsnips, sliced
2 medium Carrots, sliced
3 stalks Celery, sliced
1 medium Onion, sliced
1 medium Potato, peeled, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
½ tsp Low-Sodium Herbal Blend (i.e. Mrs. Dash)
½ tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Thyme
2 cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
4 cups Water
1 ½ cups red lentils, dried

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add vegetables, garlic, and seasonings, sautéing for about 10 minutes.
2. Add broth, water and lentils. Cover pot and cook for about 20 minutes, until vegetables and lentils are tender.

Nutritional Information per Serving:

Calories: 278
Carbohydrates: 50g
Protein: 14g
Fat: 4g
Sodium: 60mg
Fiber: 10g

Sharon Palmer is a registered dietitian, writer and author of The Plant-Powered Diet. Over 750 of her articles have been published in national publications, including Prevention, Better Homes and Gardens and Today’s Dietitian. She is also the editor of the award-winning publication Environmental Nutrition and writes for her blog, The Plant-Powered Dietitian. Sharon makes her home with her husband and two sons in the chaparral hills overlooking Los Angeles.

Kushari is an Egyptian dish that often includes rice, lentils and macaroni topped with tomato sauce and sauteed onions. It’s sort of a “kitchen sink” kind of dish and can include almost anything you have on hand. This is our take on this classic African dish using plump Kamut® Khorasan Wheat Berries instead of white rice. A meal unto itself, kushari needs no accompaniment. If Kamut® berries are hard to come by, regular wheat berries or brown rice can be substituted in a pinch.

Kamut® Kushari

•     1 cup Organic Kamut® Berries
•     1 cup Lentils
•     1 cup Whole Grain Elbow Macaroni
•     Water as needed
•     4 medium Onions, halved & thinly sliced
•     1/4 cup Olive Oil
•     4 Garlic cloves, chopped
•     1 tsp ground Cumin
•     1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
•     29 oz canned Tomato Puree
•     Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1

Soak Kamut® berries in water overnight. Drain and rise berries.

Step 2

Place Kamut® berries and 3 cups water in a pot on bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until soft, about 1 hour. Drain off excess water.

Step 3

Rinse lentils and place in a pot with 3 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 – 3 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes. Drain off excess water.

Step 4

Cook macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 – 7 minutes. Drain.

Step 5

While grains are cooking, prepare onions and tomato sauce.

Heat oil in a pan to medium-high and cook sliced onions until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

Step 6

In the same pan, add garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 7

To serve, combine cooked Kamut® , lentils and macaroni. Top with tomato sauce and crispy onions.

Makes 8 servings.

We’ve prefermented.  We’ve baked.  We understand the basic concepts of yeast fermentation!  Now, it’s time for the grand poobah – natural cultures.

Natural cultures have unlimited life (you can keep them alive for practically forever with proper feedings).  You need only flour and water.  The only yeast used is that which is found in the surrounding environment.  It takes about a week to grow a starter and after that, it’s good to go!

There are several names for starters: sourdough, sour, levain, mother, chef, seed, etc., but they are all essentially the same thing.  Hydration amounts may differ but growing, sustaining and using starters follow the same steps.  Below is a recipe for building Bob’s Red Mill Basic Loose Wheat Sour.

Building Your Sour

_____ Day 1  

Unbleached White Flour         3 oz

Whole Wheat Flour                 1 oz

Water (85°F)                           4 oz

Mix until combined in a large bowl; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.  *Use a clean non-reactive metal or glass bowl.  Only use plastic if it is clean and free of other odors.

_____ Day 2

Mix well and scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours. *This should look bubbly and smell “ripe”.  Discard if there is ever mold in the sour.

_____ Day 3

Unbleached White Flour         3 oz

Whole Wheat Flour                 1 oz

Water (85°F)                           4 oz

Sour                                         4 oz

Discard remaining 4 oz of sour (or give out to friends so they can grow their own).  Add flours and water and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours. *There will be quite a bit of waste when building a sour.  Unfortunately, this is necessary so the sour does not get too large to easily maintain or use.

_____ Day 4

Unbleached White Flour         2.25oz

Whole Wheat Flour                 .75 oz

Water (85°F)                           3 oz

Sour                                         6 oz

Discard remaining 6 oz of sour.  Add flours and water and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

_____ Day 5

Unbleached White Flour         4.5 oz

Whole Wheat Flour                 1.5 oz

Water (55°F)                           6 oz

Sour                                         3 oz

Discard remaining 9 oz of sour.  Mix water and 3 oz sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours. *Cooler water is used from now on to slow down fermentation and build flavor and acidity.

_____ Day 6

Unbleached White Flour         4.5 oz

Whole Wheat Flour                 1.5 oz

Water (55°F)                           6 oz

Sour                                         3 oz

Discard remaining 12 oz of sour.  Mix water and 3 oz sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

_____ Day 7

Unbleached White Flour         4.5 oz

Whole Wheat Flour                 1.5 oz

Water (55°F)                           6 oz

Sour                                         3 oz

Discard remaining 12 oz of sour.  Mix water and 3 oz sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

It is now time to decide if you want to use your sour within 24 hours or if it will be time to begin maintenance and storage.  If you are going to store your sour for use at a later date, decide if you want to store it at room temperature with daily feedings or in the refrigerator with monthly feedings.

Maintaining Your Sour   *Feedings eliminate over-fermentation (which occurs when yeast consumes all available food leaving it unable to leaven).

At room temperature

_____ Day 8 and on…

Unbleached White Flour         1.5 parts

Whole Wheat Flour                 0.5 parts

Water (55°F)                           2 parts

Sour                                         1 part

Discard remaining sour as often as needed – always keep at least 8 oz of sour.  Mix water and sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit a room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

In the refrigerator

_____ Day 8 and then once a week every three weeks…

Unbleached White Flour         1.5 parts

Whole Wheat Flour                 0.5 parts

Water (55°F)                           2 parts

Sour                                         1 part

Discard remaining sour as often as needed – always keep at least 8 oz of sour.  Mix water and sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover loosely with a lid and store in the refrigerator.  Feed the same ratio every three weeks.

Now you’ve built your healthy starter and you know how to keep it alive with regular feedings.  But what’s the point of all this work if you never get to enjoy the fruits of your labors?  Let your starter reach its full potential.  Let’s bake some bread!

  You

Yeah!  Oh, wait, hold up.  This starter has been stored in my fridge for the last two weeks.

 Me

Ooooh, um….

You

Are you trying to tell me I can’t just whip up a loaf of bread?

Me

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying.

You

…

Me

You need to wake it up a bit.  Give it some energy so it can make a great loaf of bread.  You just need to plan ahead a little.

That’s right folks, using a natural culture starter requires some planning.  At least 24 hours if it’s stored at room temperature but, if you store your starter in the fridge, you need to give it four days to gain enough strength to leaven a loaf of bread.  Starters are easy to grow and maintain but if you are not so adept at planning, this aspect may be a drawback.

Using Your Sour  *Plan ahead!

If you are storing your sour at room temperature, make sure to feed it 18 – 24 hours before you plan to bake.  If you are storing your sour in the refrigerator, remove at least half the amount you will be using from the refrigerator four days before baking.  Let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours then begin feeding it for three days before baking.

From here on out, we’ll be referring to ratios and parts.  1 part sour will be the amount of sour you will be starting with (if you follow the instructions below, it will be half the amount you will need for the final bread recipe).  Let’s say your recipe call for 8 oz of starter.  Begin with 4 oz; that will equal 1 part.  Therefore, 2 parts water will be 8 oz, 0.5 parts whole wheat flour will be 2 oz and 1.5 parts unbleached white flour will be 6 oz.  Got it?

At room temperature

_____ 1 Day Before Baking

Unbleached White Flour         1.5 parts

Whole Wheat Flour                 0.5 parts

Water (55°F)                           2 parts

Sour                                         1 part

Remove at least half the amount of sour you will need.  In a large bowl, mix water and sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

In the refrigerator

_____ 4 Days Before Baking

Remove at least half the amount of sour you will need.  Place it in a large clean ceramic, glass or metal bowl.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

_____ 3 Days Before Baking

Unbleached White Flour         1.5 parts

Whole Wheat Flour                 0.5 parts

Water (55°F)                           2 parts

Sour                                         1 part

Mix water and sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

_____ 2 Days Before Baking

Unbleached White Flour         1.5 parts

Whole Wheat Flour                 0.5 parts

Water (55°F)                           2 parts

Sour                                         1 part

Mix water and sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

_____ 1 Day Before Baking

Unbleached White Flour         1.5 parts

Whole Wheat Flour                 0.5 parts

Water (55°F)                           2 parts

Sour                                         1 part

Mix water and sour until dissolved.  Add the flours and mix well; scrape down sides.  Cover with cheesecloth or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.

That’s what I call a sour!

Baking Day!

Measure the amount of sour you need and follow your recipe as directed.

See?  Refreshing your starter is relatively painless!  And now you have a luscious, fragrant, deeply-flavored loaf of bread.  Totally worth it.

Can I make a gluten free starter?  Yes, just use gluten free flours and remember to include binder gums in the final bread dough.

Can I change of the flavor of my starter?  Yes, beer, buttermilk, yogurt, and fruit juice all provide new and unique flavors.

Will my bread really be that much better using a starter?  Yes.  Go ahead, make a loaf with starter and one without.  You’ll see.  I dare you.

Oh, and if you’re going out of town for awhile, you can always take your starter to the Sourdough Hotel.

Happy Baking!