Monday: Breakfast

Yesterday, Erica watched Trading Spaces; Boys vs. Girls.  Now my kids are determined to “makeover” eachother’s rooms.  I’m stuck in that place of trying not to discourage their creativity and dreams, yet not assisting with money or resources to make it happen.  Poor kids, literally.

Anyway, A few weeks ago my bishop made the comment that if they had to live on their food storage, they wouldn’t know what to do with the pounds and pounds of wheat they have.  While I know many people share their concern, we’ve actually used almost 40 lbs of wheat in one year.   The way we use it, and the most common ways of using wheat are:

• Ground up into whole wheat flour.  And of course used in baking breads, cookies, muffins, etc.
• Boiled or soaked for Wheat berry salad
• Boiled or soaked for a hot breakfast.
• Boiled or soaked for a meat extender
• Added to soups or stews (much like you would do with rice)
• Used as a warm side to dinner (like rice)
• Sprouting them! for sprouted wheat.

But today, I was trying a cold cereal.  The only difference I told the kids was that it was going to be chewy instead of crunchy like their other cereals.  I boiled the wheat yesterday and kept it all in the fridge. I pulled out 1/2 cup of wheat berries.  I added milk and sugar.  But I also had a bowl that I added yogurt to.  We love cereal with yogurt on it.

Can't I just have Cheerios?

I have to be honest. My wheat berry cereal didn’t go over very well.  They liked the wheat with yogurt on top better than the milk and sugar. And they were good sports to even try it.   But I am determined to keep trying.  I of course liked it!    And I’m posting it because I KNOW there are some of your kids that will like it.  And if your kids are really young, they will for sure develop a liking to it.

WHEAT TIPS:

• To prepare wheat for eating in salads and cereals, rinse wheat and boil.  Simmer for 1 hour. Refrigerate the leftovers for 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.  Don’t get concerned with the amounts of water vs. wheat. Overdo it on the water, and simmer.  When the wheat is chewy or tender, drain the water. Done!
• Not sure where to purchase whole wheat?  We get ours from three places.  The health food store will often sell hard wheat in their bulk bins.  We also go to Lehi Roller Mills (a flour mill).  There are LDS Cannery’s sprinkled all over the country where you can purchase wheat.  Go here for locations.

Here are some other whole wheat recipes I have found around the web and love:

• Saleetah: A cinnamon sweet treat that is delicious and healthy.
• Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad.
• KERF Triple Berry Salad:  I can’t WAIT to make this one!!

I know this is a long blog post. Do you hate long posts?