Get your digital cameras ready, we want to see your pictures! We are running a contest on Pinterest and Instagram to see your best pictures of our new Gluten Free Muesli. Two sites, two categories = 4 entries! We want to see you enjoying our new Gluten Free Muesli and what you’re doing with it. We have some fabulous prizes for six winners. So grab your camera and grab a bag of our Gluten Free Muesli and get creative.

Our new gluten free muesli is some of the best muesli we’ve ever tasted- gluten free or otherwise. It’s quickly become a favorite of our employees and we’re confident that you’ll enjoy it too. Don’t know where to find our new muesli? Check our store finder for stores in your area that carry our products. If you can’t find it locally, you can buy it on our website and from other online retailers, such as Amazon or Vitacost.

Contest Details:

Categories:

• Snap a photo of yourself (or your kid or your dog) enjoying our Gluten Free Muesli (package must be in the picture). See Bob below for an example.

• Snap a photo of something you made using our Gluten Free Muesli (package must be in the picture). This can be a simple bowl of cereal or the most elaborate batch of muesli coated whatzits ever! See our Muesli Bread below for an example.

How to Enter:

• To enter, access Instagram through their mobile app and follow these steps (get app here):a) Take a photo showcasing a picture in one of the two categories listed above.b) Upload the image(s) to Instagram.c) Hashtag the image(s) with #gfmuesli.d) Make sure that your account is set to ‘public’.

• To enter, access Pinterest through their mobile app or website and follow these steps:

  a) Take a photo showcasing a picture in one of the two categories listed above.

  b) Pin the image(s) at Pinterest on whichever board best suits your photo (it does not matter which board, as long as you use the hashtag).

  c) Hashtag the image(s) with #gfmuesli.

  d) Remember that your boards must be set to ‘public’.

Prizes:

• Bob’s Red Mill will pick the three photos from each category at random from all who enter. There will be a total of six winners.
• Prize pack includes:
  • A case of our Gluten Free Muesli
  • A beautiful Le Creuset Cereal Bowl
  • $50 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card

  

Contest Dates:

• Contest runs from April 1, 2013 at 12:01 am (PST) to April 30, 2013 at 11:59 pm (PST).

Contest Rules & Regulations:

By registering for this contest, entrant agrees to be bound by and comply with the following rules:

1. The Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only, aged 13 years and older (“Eligible Entrant”).

2. The Contest starts at 12:01 am PST on April 1, 2013 and ends April 30 at 11:59pm PST.

3. The judging process will take place immediately following the end of the contest. Six winners will be chosen at random from all who enter.

5. Your Instagram and Pinterest profile settings must be PUBLIC and the eligible photos must be tagged #gfmuesli.

6. Inappropriate, obscene, threatening, dangerous, or abusive content is not permitted, and those entries will be disqualified. No spam or unlawful content is permitted. All content must comply with Instagram terms of use.

7. The contest is free of charge, and the entrant may submit up to four total entries.

8. If you are awarded a prize and are unable to claim your prize, there is no in place compensation. The giveaways are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.

9.  The winners will be notified via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and on our website on or by May 3, 2013. If the winner does not respond to the notification within ten (10) business days, another winner will be chosen. Failure to respond within ten (10) business days shall mean that the winner forfeits the prize.

11. The entrant agrees to all Bob’s Red Mill general website terms and conditions listed here.

12. The entrant agrees to all Instagram terms and conditions listed here and Pinterest terms and conditions listed here.

14. Neither Bob’s Red Mill nor its officers, directors, employees, agents, successors, or assigns shall be liable for any loss, costs, damage, injury, or any other claims incurred as a result of the entry in the contest or the usage of a prize by any winner.

15. Entrant acknowledges and agrees that Bob’s Red Mill shall have no obligation to post, display, or otherwise make publicly available any Materials submitted by entrant.

16. Each entrant acknowledges and agrees that Materials submitted by the entrant may be made available by Bob’s Red Mill for viewing, rating, reviewing, and commenting by the public.  By submitting Materials to Bob’s Red Mill, entrant waives any privacy expectations that entrant may have with respect to the Materials.

17. Winners may not request substitutions of prize winnings. All winners are solely responsible for any and all taxes and/or fees as well as all additional costs that may be incurred.

18. If the specified prize becomes unavailable for any reason, Bob’s Red Mill in its sole and absolute discretion may substitute a prize of like or equal value.

19. A contest is null and void in any jurisdiction where prohibited by law.

20. Bob’s Red Mill reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to terminate any contest at any time without prior notice.

21. Bob’s Red Mill reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to alter any contest rules at any time.

22. Winners are selected at random, the odds of winning depend upon the number of entries received and cannot be determined in advance.

23. No purchase or payment of any consideration is necessary to enter the contest.

24. A list of winner(s) will be made available via the contest website.

25. Bob’s Red Mill reserves the right to condition the award of prizes upon the execution by the winner(s) of a publicity release (without compensation to the entrant) to publicize the contest and otherwise, as determined by Bob’s Red Mill, unless prohibited by law.

26. Employees of Bob’s Red Mill and their immediate family members are not eligible for the contest.  Bob’s Red Mill reserves the right to require the winner to execute an affidavit of eligibility as a sworn document and provide other proof of eligibility as a condition of receipt of the prize or award.

27. Registration and participation in the contest constitutes entrant’s consent to Bob’s Red Mill and its agents to use entrant’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, and / or hometown and state for promotional purposes and any media, worldwide, without payment or consideration.

28. Except where prohibited by law, entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to form of class action, and exclusively in the federal or state circuit court located in Portland, Oregon; (2) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering into this contest, but in no event including attorneys’ fees, and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.  All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these contest rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Bob’s Red Mill in connection with the contest shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Oregon.

Crepes are a delightful delicacy that can be either sweet or savory, as we’ve proven here. Don’t be too intimidated by them, they are far easier than they seem. This recipe was developed by our Label Content Manager, Michelle, who also writes the blog Je Mange la Ville and makes use of both quinoa flour and cooked quinoa grain for a delicious, gluten free crepe. Fill sweet crepes with jam, Nutella, fresh fruit, whipped cream or simply a bit of butter and top with powdered sugar. A savory filling of spinach, mushrooms and feta is suggested below. For even more sweet or savory filling ideas, check out these suggestions from The Kitchn.

Sweet or Savory Quinoa Crepes

Makes 6-7 crepes

• 1/2 cup Quinoa Flour
• 1-1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar (sweet) OR 1/2 tsp salt-free Spice or Herb Blend (savory)
• 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
• 3/4 cup 2% Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1.5 Tbsp Butter, melted
• 1/4 cup cooked Quinoa

Combine the flour, sugar or spice blend, salt, milk, eggs and butter in a blender. Mix until smooth and mixture starts to get bubbly. Let batter sit for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in the refrigerator.

When ready to make crepes, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked quinoa to the batter and stir to incorporate. Spray the pan lightly with non-stick spray. After stirring batter again, use a 1/4 cup measure to add batter to pan, swirling gently to spread the crepe batter out. Cook until crepe is has small bubbles on its surface and looks  slightly dry on the top, about 2-3 minutes. Gently flip (you may need to use your fingers as well as a spatula), and cook on the other side about a minute.

Repeat with remaining batter, mixing before making each crepe. Stack crepes between sheets of parchment or paper towels until ready to use.

Note: It is highly probable that the first crepe will not work (they just hardly ever do). Keep going, the second crepe will be fine.

Savory crepes filled with sautéed spinach, mushrooms and feta cheese, rolled up and baked for about 20 minutes at 350°F. Serve with a lemon-garlic aioli or mustard.

Who doesn’t love a good brunch? Easter and Mother’s Day are classic brunch holidays, but you could really put together a brunch any time and people would enjoy it. Easter seems like a wonderful reason to break out of the mold and try something new. We’ve pulled together some of our favorite brunch recipes to inspire you. These are all delicious, fairly easy to prepare and make use of whole grains. Cheers!

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake (GF) from the Queen of Quinoa, Alyssa Rimmer

Caramelized Banana & Chia Pancakes

Raspberry Oatmeal Dumplings

Sweet Potato, Kale and Black Bean Breakfast Pizza (GF) from Cara Lyons of Cara’s Cravings

Chocolate Cherry Scones from Diane of Created by Diane

Whole Grain Cornbread Quiche from Julia of The Roasted Root

Vanilla Berry Whole Wheat Couscous Breakfast Pilaf from Faith of An Edible Mosaic

Sesame Ginger Spelt Waffles from Lorna Sass

Happy National Waffle Day! If you missed celebrating this morning, why not whip up a batch of these easy multi grain waffles for dinner? Serve them with fresh fruit and yogurt for a delicious, simple meal or get creative with some of these fun sweet or savory topping ideas:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Whipped Cream and Strawberries (or Peaches)
• Bacon and Eggs
• Eggs, Avocado, Salsa and Sour Cream
• Almond Butter and Bananas
• Pears and Brie

Multi Grain Waffles

Contributed by: Gary Duell

•     1 cup 1/2 Yogurt, nonfat
•     1/2 tsp Baking Soda
•     1/2 tsp Sea Salt
•     1/4 cup Flaxseed Meal
•     1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
•     1/2 cup Corn Flour
•     1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
•     1 tsp Vanilla Extract
•     1 large Egg
•     1 tsp Baking Powder

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Using a whisk, slowly blend the dry ingredients into the liquid until mixed well and completely.

Preheat your waffle iron to medium high setting. Pour mixture into waffle iron, making sure to spread close to the sides. Cook the waffle until it almost stops steaming, or until waffle iron signals the waffle is done. Makes 4 waffles.

Even though it’s technically Spring, the weather sure hasn’t been cooperating in most of the country and a hearty, flavorful Winter soup sounds like just the thing to warm you up on a chilly evening. Pair this with crusty bread for a meal that’s sure to leave you warm and cozy. This recipe was developed by our Label Content Manager, Michelle (who also writes the beautiful blog Je Mange la Ville).

Spelt Winter Minestrone

(makes about 6 servings)

• ¾ cup Spelt Berries, soaked overnight
• 1 strip Bacon, diced (can be omitted for a vegetarian version, replace with 1 tbsp Olive Oil)
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 White Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Carrots, washed and chopped
• 1-1/2 cups peeled and cubed (about ½-inch) Butternut or Acorn Squash
• 1 tsp dried Oregano
• ½ tsp dried Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups homemade or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 bunch Tuscan Kale, stalks removed, leaves chopped
• Garnishes: chopped fresh basil, olive oil, shaved Parmesan cheese

Add bacon to a large soup pot and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside. Keep pot with bacon fat on the heat and add the garlic, onion, carrots, squash, oregano, thyme and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat.

Add the tomatoes (squish them up with your hands first) and tomato liquid from the can, kidney beans, drained soaked spelt and vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

After that, add the kale and reserved bacon. Cook for 10 more minutes, uncovered. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little more broth or water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with basil leaves, drizzled olive oil and shaved Parmesan cheese.

Note: for a summer version, replace butternut squash with zucchini and the kale with trimmed green beans and/or baby spinach and add in the last 15 minutes of cooking time.

This is our third post in our series on the different flours we produce. Week one was wheat flours, week two was low carb flours. 

Baking without gluten can be a little bit tricky, but with the right combinations of flour and starch, baked goods can be just as delicious as their gluten-filled counterparts. Our guide is not going to tell you which flours to combine when, but it will help you understand what each flour is made out of and what it brings to the table. Even though they aren’t true flours, we’ll also cover a few starches. We will be covering bean flours next week, even though they are gluten free flours.

Some notes:

• Gluten free flours are best combined with starches for baking.
• Different baked goods require different combinations of these flours. Here are a few well-known combinations that will work in a pinch: Gluten Free Girl’s Blend, Karina’s Basic Flour Blend, Art of Gluten Free Baking Blend, and, of course,  our Gluten Free All Purpose Mix.
• When we state “you can replace up to X% of the flour in your recipe” it refers to replacing white flour, however, those rules are a good place to start when creating your own flour blend.
• Adding Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum is important when combining flours, although some people have found other alternatives to the gums.

Almond Meal: Almonds are notoriously healthy nuts providing a good amount of manganese and vitamin E , as well as a healthy serving of monounsaturated fats in each 1/4 cup serving. Not only do almonds have a healthy boost of protein, they are also very low in carbohydrates and naturally gluten free. Replacing 25% of the flour in your baking with almond meal will add wonderful texture and flavor while reducing the total carbohydrates.  Although it has a lightly sweet flavor, almond meal can also be used in savory applications. Use almond meal in place of bread crumbs in meatballs, or as a coating for chicken and fish. Browse recipes for almond meal here.

Amaranth Flour: Amaranth flour has a pleasant, nutty flavor and can be used for up to 25% of the flour in your baked goods. Amaranth flour is a source of complete protein—it contains all the essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in most grains. High in fiber and a good source of magnesium and iron, Amaranth flour is a spectacular addition to your diet. Browse recipes for amaranth flour here.

Arrowroot Starch: Arrowroot Starch is also known as arrowroot flour or arrowroot powder. This starch comes from the root of the plant Maranta arundinacea. Used in combination with other gluten free flours, arrowroot provides some thickening and stability to gluten free baked goods. It can be used in place of corn starch one for one. It is best to add arrowroot starch at the end of the cooking process because extended exposure to high heat will cause it to lose its thickening abilities. Browse recipes for arrowroot starch here.

Black Bean Flour: Bean flours will be covered next week.

Buckwheat Flour (not produced in our gluten free facility): Buckwheat flour is milled from the pyramid-shaped groats of the buckwheat plant. The dark color of buckwheat flour comes from having additional hulls of buckwheat milled alongside the creamy groats. It is high in magnesium and fiber and has a  unique flavor that lends itself to pancakes and breads. Buckwheat flour can replace up to 20% of the flour in your recipe. Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten free, but we do not produce it in our gluten free facility. Our buckwheat flour is raw.

Coconut Flour: Organic coconut flour is a delicious, healthy alternative to wheat and other grain flours. Ground from dried, defatted coconut meat, coconut flour is high in fiber and low in digestible carbohydrates. A single 2 Tbsp serving of coconut flour delivers 5 grams of fiber. The light coconut flavor allows coconut flour to blend seamlessly into sweet or savory baked goods. It makes a wonderful coating for chicken, fish or other proteins in place of regular flour or cornmeal. Because of its high fiber content, baking with coconut flour is a unique experience. Coconut flour requires an equal ratio of liquid to flour for best results. Coconut flour can replace up to 20% of the flour in a recipe, but you will need to add an equal amount of liquid to compensate.  We recommend following a recipe designed for coconut flour when getting started. Luckily, we have many recipes to experiment with in our recipe section. Coconut flour is unsweetened and does not contain sulfites.

Corn Flour: Milled from high quality, California corn, our whole grain corn flour has a mild, sweet flavor perfect for all kinds of gluten free baking. We produce a regular and a gluten free version—be sure to check the label for our gluten free symbol. Use corn flour for tortillas, breads, muffins, cakes and cookies. The fine grind, allows corn flour to blend seamlessly into baked goods. Corn flour can replace up to 20% of the flour in your recipe. Browse our corn flour recipes here.

Fava Bean Flour: Bean flours will be covered next week.

Garbanzo Bean Flour: Bean flours will be covered next week.

Garbanzo and Fava Bean Flour Blend: Bean flours will be covered next week.

Masa Harina: Masa Harina is a very special type of flour and we now offer it as gluten free (be sure to look for our gluten free symbol). Milled from corn that has had the germ removed and been soaked in lime (calcium oxide, not lime juice). This flour is ideal for making tortillas, but can be used the same way as our regular corn flour.

Green Pea Flour: Bean flours will be covered next week.

Hazelnut Meal: Bob’s Red Mill Hazelnut Meal is ground from whole Oregon hazelnuts, or filberts. Hazelnuts are often overlooked for their nutritional value, but these healthy nuts provide a good amount of vitamin E and a healthy serving of monounsaturated fats in each 1/4 cup serving. You can replace up to 30% of the flour in your baking with hazelnut meal to add wonderful texture and flavor.  Hazelnut meal will bring a rich, buttery flavor to your baking while adding an enticing aroma that can only come from high quality hazelnuts. Hazelnut meal can be used in savory applications, as well. Use hazelnut meal in place of bread crumbs in meatballs, or as a coating for chicken and fish.  Our hazelnut meal is not blanched.

Millet Flour:Millet flour has a light, mild flavor, making it perfect for sweet or savory baking. Replace up to 25% of the flour in your recipe with millet flour for added nutrition. Millet is an excellent source of fiber, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium. In our opinion, millet flour is often overlooked in gluten free baking—it adds whole grain nutrition and has a mild flavor, not something you find often with gluten free flours. Browse our millet flour recipes here. 

Oat Flour: Oat flour is another overlooked, but incredibly nutritious gluten free flour. We produce a regular and a gluten free version—be sure to check the label for our gluten free symbol. Made from pure gluten free oats, our gluten free oat flour has the subtle sweet flavor of whole grain oats. Oat flour can replace up to 20% of the flour in your recipe. Oat flour is perfect for pie crusts, pancakes, muffins and more. Browse our oat flour recipes here.

Potato Flour: Now here is a tricky flour. Potato flour is NOT the same as potato starch. Potato flour can be used to give baked goods a moist crumb, but it is not really the most ideal baking flour. It is made from dehydrated Russet potatoes. Potato flour has a stronger potato flavor than potato starch, but will still work well to thicken sauces and soups. This flour is best left for potato soups, potato bread and other savory items. Browse our potato flour recipes here.

Potato Starch: Potato starch is an incredibly versatile starch used in many gluten free recipes. With no potato flavor, potato starch can be used to thicken in place of corn starch (use 1-1/4 Tbsp potato starch for 1 Tbsp corn starch) or added to baked goods to help retain moisture and give a better crumb. Potato starch will thicken at higher temperatures than corn starch, which makes it great for pie fillings and sauces. Browse our potato starch recipes here.

Quinoa Flour: We’re going to just say it up front- quinoa flour has a little bit of a, well, quinoa taste to it. Earthy is a good way to describe it. That does not make it a bad flour to bake with, just one that you want to use in savory applications or with other strong flavors, like chocolate or lemon. Quinoa is very high in protein and is a great way to increase the protein of your baked good. Quinoa flour will also improve the moisture of your baked good and help produce a good crumb. You can replace up to 25% of your flour with quinoa, although some people find it to be a great stand alone gluten free flour for particular recipes (like this one for quinoa tortillas). Browse our quinoa flour recipes here.

Brown Rice Flour: An absolute staple in gluten free baking, brown rice flour is incredibly versatile. You can thicken sauces with it and use it for coating fish and other proteins, as well as produce breads, cakes and noodles. Our brown rice flour is stone ground from whole grain California brown rice. Some people find brown rice flour to be slightly gritty, but many find it preferable to bean flours. Browse our brown rice flour recipes here.

White Rice Flour: The refined version of brown rice flour, white rice flour can be used interchangeably with brown rice flour. White rice flour can be used to bake cakes, cookies, breads and more, as well as thicken sauces and coat fish and other proteins. Our white rice flour is stone ground from California white rice. As with brown rice flour, some people find white rice flour to be slightly gritty, but many find it preferable to bean flours. Browse our white rice flour recipe here.

Sweet White Rice Flour: Increasing in popularity, sweet rice flour is excellent for thickening sauces and coating proteins, like white rice flour. But don’t let that fool you- this flour is much higher in starch than regular white rice flour. This flour is used more like a starch in baking, adding moisture to baked goods. It is not sweet, despite its name, but it is often used for desserts and is the main ingredient for making the Japanese dessert, mochi. We find that people are using this more and more in gluten free baking to help bind the baked goods. Browse our sweet white rice flour recipes here.

Sorghum Flour: Sorghum flour is one of our favorite gluten free flours. It is probably the closest to approximating a wheat-like flavor and texture of the gluten free flours. It has a light flavor and can be used for every kind of gluten free baking. Use in combination with other gluten free flours for delicious, whole grain baked goods. Browse our sorghum flour recipes here.

Soy Flour: (not produced in our gluten free facility): Our soy flour is milled from whole, raw soy beans. This flour is a great source of complete protein, as well as a good source of fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. You can replace up to 30% of the flour in your recipe with soy flour. Soy flour is naturally gluten free, however we do not produce it in our gluten free facility. Baked goods made with soy flour tend to brown more quickly, so it is best to use a recipe designed for soy flour or to keep a close eye on your baking when using it.

Tapioca Flour: Milled from cassava root, our tapioca flour can be used interchangeably with tapioca starch. Tapioca flour is an excellent thickener in sauces and can replace corn starch (use 2 Tbsp tapioca flour for each 1 Tbsp corn starch). Tapioca flour helps bind gluten free recipes and improves the texture of baked goods. Tapioca helps add crispness to crusts and chew to baked goods. Use in combination with other gluten free flours for best results. Browse our tapioca flour recipes here.

Teff Flour: Like quinoa flour, teff flour has a distinctive teff flavor. Earthy and nutty, teff flour makes an excellent addition to baked goods and is the main ingredient in the Ethiopian flat bread Injera. Teff flour can replace up to 20% of the flour in your recipe. It is an incredibly nutritious flour, so adding a small amount to your baked goods will boost nutrition while providing a unique, slightly sweet flavor. Browse our teff flour recipes here.

White Bean Flour: Bean flours will be covered next week.

{Giveaway}

We’d like to give one lucky reader a set of our gluten free flours- brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, sorghum flour, oat flour, corn flour, tapioca flour and potato starch. To enter, simply follow the directions in the app below. We’ll pick a winner at random from all who enter by 12:01 am on 03/27/13.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I admit it, I’ve bought instant oatmeal packets. Shhh, don’t tell Bob, he’d be so disappointed in me. They’re hard to resist. I love oatmeal and I’m always pressed for time in the morning. The packets are so EASY and already portioned for me. They’re also expensive and filled with weird flavors and sugar (even the ‘healthy’ versions).  On top of that, Bob’s Red Mill doesn’t make any.

Not only was I spending more than I wanted, I was buying oats that weren’t our superior oats and I was getting extra sugar and gross chemicals in the mix. I started thinking about it and a brilliant (well, pretty obvious and basic) idea occurred to me. Why don’ t I make my own instant oat “packets?” I didn’t want to waste plastic baggies making “packets” and I didn’t really want to use instant oats. I whipped out a plastic container and filled it with what I wanted in a packet—quick oats, flaxseed meal, chopped walnuts and wheat germ—voila! an “instant” oat breakfast was mine! I threw a quarter cup measuring cup in the container and I was set! I keep the container in my desk, along with a bowl. Each morning, I scoop out 1/2 cup of oats and add 1 cup of hot water from the hot water spigot on our water cooler, let stand for a few minutes and I’m off and charging with a health, easy breakfast.

To make your own, you’ll need:

• 64 oz (8 cup) or bigger Container with a resealable lid
• 5 cups Quick Cooking Rolled Oats (Gluten Free will work too) or Instant Oats
• 1/4 or 1/2 cup Scoop

Mix and match, but be sure not to add more than your container can hold.

• 1/2 cup Flaxseed Meal
• 1/2 cup Wheat Germ
• 1 cup chopped Nuts
• 1/2 cup Hemp Seeds
• 1/2 cup Chia Seeds
• 1/2 cup Wheat Bran
• 1/2 cup Rice Bran
• 1/2 cup Oat Bran
• 1 cup Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 1 cup Almond Meal
• 1 cup dried Fruit
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut
• 1 Tbsp Cinnamon or other spices

Mix to combine and you’re all set. This lasts me about 2 weeks. Because you will probably use it within a month, you do not need to worry about refrigerating the flaxseed meal and other normally perishable ingredients.

March is National Flour Month and flour is something we get pretty excited about at Bob’s Red Mill. After all, we make a lot of different products, but flour is special. Not only do we use our millstones to grind it, but we take a whole grain and mill it into a whole grain flour. Nothing added, nothing removed. One pound of grain in, one pound of flour out. It’s pretty simple, but pretty amazing, too. In honor of National Flour Month, we’re doing a little series on the different types of flour that we offer. Each week, we’ll giveaway a set of flours to a lucky winner. This week, we’re starting with the different varieties of wheat flour that we produce. If wheat flour isn’t your thing, don’t worry, we’ll cover our other flours all in good time.

Wheat flour is probably the single most ubiquitous flour in the world. It is in nearly every packaged food and baked good you look at, even those things that you never think about being baked at all. It’s in those pretty breads at the bakery, the flour tortillas at your local Mexican restaurant, the boxes of pasta you just bought, it’s the backbone of couscous, the thickener in sauces, the breading on your fish, really and truly, as anyone with gluten intolerance can tell you, wheat flour is everywhere. In a perfect world, everything made with wheat would be made with whole wheat flour, but we all know that the world isn’t perfect and that beautiful, fluffy pastries are best achieved with white flour. So we make the best choices we can and practice a bit of moderation.

Whole Wheat Flour: Standard whole wheat flour is milled from high protein, hard red spring wheat. This flour has a minimum protein level of 13.5% and is excellent for bread baking and anywhere yeast is used as the leavening agent (think pizza, pretzels, etc). Because it is whole grain, baked goods using solely whole wheat flour will be a bit more dense. Use a combination of 50% whole wheat and 50% white flour to create a balanced texture and crumb in your baked good. Adding vital wheat gluten to your baked good will improve the elasticity and rise of your dough (use 1 Tbsp per cup of flour).

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is milled from soft white wheat and has a maximum protein content of 13%. This is an excellent choice for baked goods that use baking soda or baking powder as a leavening agent. The lower gluten content does not trap air bubbles as effectively as conventional whole wheat flour, which will not give yeast-risen baked goods the proper rise they need. Use this flour for pastries, cookies, cakes and quick breads.

Hard White Whole Wheat Flour: This special flour is one of our favorite products at Bob’s Red Mill. Milled from high protein, hard white wheat, this flour is the best of both worlds. Light in color, yet full of whole grain goodness, hard white whole wheat flour has a sweeter flavor than conventional whole wheat flour, appealing to those that find whole wheat baked goods to be slightly bitter. It is ideal for bread baking, but can be used for other baked goods. Like regular whole wheat flour, it will make baked goods more dense, so it can be used in combination with white flour to achieve a lighter texture.

Unbleached White Flour: This is not to be confused with All Purpose Flour. Standard unbleached white flour is milled from the same hard red spring wheat as whole wheat flour, but has the germ and bran stripped away to produce a white flour. It has a minimum protein level of 13% and is often referred to as bread flour. This flour is ideal for breads and yeast-risen baked goods, but can be used in place of all purpose flour for most recipes. Read more about white flour here where we go into bleaching, bromating, enriching and more.

Unbleached White Pastry Flour: The refined counterpart of whole wheat pastry flour, this flour is milled from soft white wheat with the bran and germ removed. This flour has a maximum protein content of 9%, making it both the lowest protein wheat flour we carry and the most ideal for fine cake and pastry baking.

Semolina Flour: Semolina flour is the quintessential flour for pasta making and is milled from durum wheat. It has a sandy texture and contains about 12% protein, making it great for bread baking and pizza crust.

Graham Flour: Graham flour is quite simply a coarsely ground whole wheat flour. Milled from hard red spring wheat, graham flour can be used in place of whole wheat flour, however it should only be used for about 20% of the flour in your recipe or you will end up with a very dense baked good. Graham flour can be substituted for Whole Meal Flour with little difference in the texture of the baked good. Graham flour is not made from ground up graham crackers as some people believe, but it can be used to make graham crackers.

Giveaway

We’d like to give one lucky reader a set of our whole wheat flours- organic whole wheat flour, organic hard white whole wheat flour and organic whole wheat pastry flour. To enter, simply follow the directions in the app below. We’ll pick a winner at random from all who enter by 12:01 am on 03/13/13.

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What a perfect way to cure the winter blues. Sure, mangoes aren’t in season, but you know what else isn’t in season in Oregon? Sunshine! This colorful salad is just the ticket to brighten up your day and beat back the doldrums.

Amaranth Mango Salad

•     1/2 cup plain Yogurt
•     1-1/2 tsp Curry Powder
•     1 tsp grated Ginger (about 1-inch)
•     1/2 tsp Sea Salt
•     1 cup Organic Amaranth Grain
•     1-1/2 cups Water
•     1-1/2 cups chopped Mango (about one 1 lb mango)
•     1/2 cup diced Red Bell Pepper
•     1 Tbsp diced Jalapeno
•     1 Tbsp minced fresh Mint
•     2 Tbsp chopped Cilantro

Directions

Step 1

Combine the yogurt, curry, ginger and salt and chill until ready to use.

Step 2

Bring water to a boil. Add amaranth, reduce heat to low and simmer until water has been absorbed, about 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off excess water.

Step 3

Toss cooked amaranth with mango, bell pepper, jalapeno, herbs and yogurt sauce. Serve immediately or chilled.

Makes 4 servings.

As promised, here is our recipe for Whole Wheat English Muffins. I had to try these out for myself before I shared them so I knew exactly what you were getting yourself into if you attempt these. First off, this recipe takes a serious time commitment. Second, this recipe is painfully easy to put together. With a little bit of planning, you can have fresh, chewy English muffins for breakfast one day (if you get up really, really early) and everyone will be so impressed with your baking skills.

Here’s what you need to know- the time commitment is primarily a matter of rising time. These babies start with a poolish that ferments overnight, then allowed to come to room temp for at least 3 hours. Then the dough is mixed and needs to rise for 45 minutes. The dough is folded and rises again for 15 minutes, then shaped into muffins and left to rise for a final 15 minutes… so maybe you have these more like noon (like we did at our house) or for dinner. While they are something akin to heaven straight from the oven, these are phenomenal the next day and the day after that. We didn’t have any make it past that to attest to their quality. I think my husband ate 3 of these straight from the oven. Fresh, they don’t even need butter to be amazing (but it certainly doesn’t hurt).

I’d consider myself a novice bread baker. Sure, I’ve made basic breads and pizza dough, but I was incredibly intimidated by this recipe. My advice to you: don’t be. It was easy to follow and, even when I flubbed a step, the results were divine.

A dab of butter, a slathering of jam, a smooth layer of peanut butter, a fried egg with a bit of cheese… whatever you opt to top these with will be worth it, I promise.

[A note about equipment and measurements. If you have them, English muffin rings are handy. If you don't, a big biscuit cutter or even just a dough knife will work. The rings helped to make that perfect "English muffin" shape, but they really wouldn't make or break the recipe. We've included household measurements here as a courtesy, but, as I'm learning a baking scale is a kitchen essential for serious bakers. Not only does it improve the outcome of your recipe when you weigh your ingredients, it makes you feel like a real baker! Scales are pretty affordable. We sell a good one, but you can also find quite a selection on Amazon, as well.]

Whole Wheat English Muffins

Recipe by Sarah House

Yield twelve 3 ½ oz muffins

Poolish

• 6 ¾ oz Water (110°F)
• ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
• 6 ¾ oz (1 ½ cups + 3 Tbsp) Unbleached White Flour

Bread Dough

• 14 oz Warm Water (110°)
• 1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
• 13 ½ oz Poolish (entire recipe from above)
• 1 oz Unsalted Butter
• 15 ¼ oz (3 cups + 3 Tbsp) Unbleached White Flour
• 5 oz (1 cup) Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• Semolina Flour as needed

Poolish

1. In a large, non-reactive metal or glass bowl (only use plastic if it is clean and free of odors), proof yeast in water until “milky”, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour and stir until a smooth, elastic batter has formed.

3. Scrape down the sides and cover with plastic wrap; let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

4. (Optional) For the most sourdough-like flavor, transfer to the refrigerator and chill 8 – 24 hours. Skip step 5 if you do not refrigerate your poolish.

5. Remove poolish from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 3 – 4 hours.  It should have tripled in volume.  Use within 4 hours, before it begins to deflate.

Bread Dough

1. Sprinkle the yeast into the water and let sit until the yeast looks “milky”, about 5 minutes then add the poolish.

2. Meanwhile, combine the flours in a bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles sand.

3. Add the sugar, salt and flour mixture to the yeast and mix until a dough forms (about 4 minutes on low with a dough hook), scraping down the sides of the bowl often.  Continue mixing until a wet and tacky dough has formed (about 2 additional minutes at medium speed).

4. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat all sides and cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel.  Let rise until an indentation remains when lightly pressed with a fingertip, about 45 – 60 minutes.

5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and fold it into thirds like a letter.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until an indentation remains when lightly pressed with a fingertip, about 15 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 475°F (use of a baking stone is useful but not necessary).  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Uncover the dough and lightly dust both sides with semolina flour.  Gently roll or pat out the dough to about ½-inch thickness (take care not to deflate the dough too much).  Using English muffin rings or a pastry/pizza wheel, punch or cut to the desired shape (about 3-inches wide).

8. Place the muffins on one prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rest for 15 minutes.

9. Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Taking care not to crowd the pan, cook the muffins in batches until both sides are browned.  Place cooked muffins on clean prepared baking sheet.

10. Bake muffins until the internal temperature reads 205°F, about 6 – 8 minutes.

11. Remove from the hot baking sheet and let cool on a rack before slicing.