My morning usually starts with breaking out a grinder. The Kitchen Mill (left) is used for wheat, the coffee grinder is used for flax seeds (what else?) and the Oat Flaker is used for groats. Fresh oatmeal!!! It's almost too good to be true. It tastes fantastic and nutrition wise how can you top freshly ground anything.
I know health claims change day to day (eggs are good, now they're bad, now they're good again) but I believe grains retain most of their nutrients when ground and then diminish with time.
That said I also buy white flour for baking cookies and such but try to at least go half and half with some freshly ground white wheat.
My mom ground wheat and made bread growing up and encouraged me to do the same. I don't grind wheat daily. I grind about 5 lbs worth and keep it in my fridge for a few weeks until I need more. I do grind flax as I need it though because I've learned it's very heat sensitive. I keep the whole seeds in my freezer.
I wish the oat flaker lived at my house but alas it is my Mom's. You just feed the oats in the top and less than a minute later you have these incredible Oats! Look at them! Honestly, they would win a beauty contest over any other.
Prices vary greatly on wheat berries. I go to a cannery and buy them in person and they can be as cheap as $17 for a 50 lb. bag. Ground Flour is anywhere between $2.50 and $5 per 5 lb bag.
The price of wheat varies just like the stock market and can be quite expensive as well. I buy when it is cheap as whole wheat berries if stored correctly will last 25 years.
Price is not my main motivator as I just really enjoy the taste & health benefits of the whole grain.
Just thought I'd do this little PSA so if you desired you could put one of these babies on your Christmas list. A coffee grinder can be bought for around $15. The best place to find the other 2 are online. They will set you back about $150-$250 each.
I am going to go add this oat flaker onto my list.
Right along with a new bonnet and a butter churner.
Wow. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone grinding their own oats before. Very cool. I'm thinking I need to try this.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes a bonnet and butter churner are headed your way "little lady." (Southern Accent) Marie, you're awesome!! I loved the before and after grind. Man I wish this stuff was cheaper, I'm still working on getting a Vita Mix. Mandi Preece told me she has one sitting in her garage! Can you believe this? I told her next time I come over I might take it-who leaves a Vita Mix with nothing to do? For Pete's Sake....xoxoxoxo Shauna
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed that you do all of that, Marie. I'm sure that you're right, it tastes so much better and the savings can't be denied! Great way to illustrate it also. I have not been storing my flax in the freezer. Wonder if it's too late to put it in now? I think you'd look cute in a bonnet and the butter churner would elliviate the need for an upper body workout at the gym! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI pay about $33 for a 50 lb. bag of hard white. I wish I had a cheaper source. An oat flaker would be very nice to have!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! We have a grain mill too that we use all the time, they are awesome! Earlier this year I discovered that my son is allergic to wheat, corn, soy AND peanuts, among other things, so the mill has been even more useful as we experiment with other grains like barley, rye, millet, quinoa and buckwheat. We've always used it to turn oat groats into oatmeal, they just look more like "scotch oats" rather than rolled oats. Ridiculously delicious, though -- fresh milled makes such a difference!
ReplyDeleteDang girl. That's impressive. I wish you were my neighbor...I'd never have to worry about coming up with a healthy breakfast again... Don't worry, I'd bring some fresh eggs or something....Berries from the garden perhaps.
ReplyDeleteJessica the oat flaker is pretty new to me too and I think it is awesome.
ReplyDeleteShauna I would take that Vita Mix and tell her she's welcome to use it anytime. Jeez Mandi show some respect!
Fran you should be storing your whole flax in the freezer. Grind as needed.
Diane that price sounds right, it fluctuates as you know.
dsillkotch- I will click on over to find out your real name. I am going to try and grind groats in my mill, I hadn't thought of that. And it's great that you can experiment with all of those different grains. I think a wheat grinder is such a great investment and so useful.
Andrea don't be too impressed, my husband had yogurt for dinner last night (shameful). Fresh eggs and berries, Yes Please!!!
I always grind my own flax, but I've never experimented with other seeds/grains. Now I want to!
ReplyDeleteI love your PSA! Grinding your own grain is great for health as well as flavor. My friend's mom grinds her own wheat and the bread she makes from it is amazing! I think I'm gonna end up getting a kitchen mill because I like to use whole wheat flour but end up throwing half a bag out each time because it goes rancid. : ( I only learned recently to put it in the fridge but do you think there's ever enough room in my fridge?
ReplyDeleteThe oat flaker looks awesome too but I don't think my hubby would be pleased if I got two big ticket kitchen items at the same time. Will hold out til the New Year.
You would look so cute with a bonnet on! ; )
Karen
www.nakedmommydiaries.com
I'm pretty sure you could rock a bonnet! ...while churning butter :-)
ReplyDeleteWOW. you make me feel like a lesser human being. Grinding your own flours- inspiring.
ReplyDeleteOkay, your posts continue to amaze me everyday. YOu grind your own flax, wheat,etc.? Can I please come over and get soem lessons? Love it!
ReplyDeleteWow, awesome.
ReplyDeleteI love oatmeal.
Ok, just being honest here because I don't understand... wheat berries are what you grind to make flour? I didn't know that! I REALLY want to grind my own wheat, we just use the grinder at the store, but I didn't know I was grinding wheat berries!
ReplyDeleteI have two coffee grinders, one for coffee and one for spices - love the oat flaker though!
ReplyDeleteStill in the waiting room waiting for my Mom to get out - there is finally room in here (its close to 4:30 p.m.) so a computer opened up. Makes the time go faster!
I would LOVE an oat flaker. I never thought to buy one before, but we eat a ton of oatmeal. We had a coffee grinder that we mostly used it for flax, but it broke. I'll add that to my Christmas list. :)
ReplyDelete