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5 ways to STOP wasting money on food storage

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had the “one-and-done” conversation with people who are rightly concerned about investing in long term food storage but don’t want to be inconvenienced by it.

Being compelled enough to invest money into food storage, buying a bunch of it all at one time, and then (having their conscience soothed), put it away and forget about it. Their thinking is that they have done their due diligence, with minimal inconvenience and now can get on with life giving no more thought to it.

The first time I heard this philosophy was a friend many years ago. They had learned of a new brand of food being sold locally, that had a very long shelf life. It was kinda pricey but the shelf life was attractive. They bought a year’s supply for their family of four, stacked it into a corner of their basement, and brushed off their hands so-to-speak. They were more than content with this marvelous plan; they had their food storage and didn’t have their life complicated with having to eat it. Simple. I admit, the idea was a little unsettling to me; it didn’t seem that life could really be that easy. Fast forward a couple decades. My friend had passed away of cancer. Their children had grown up. Her husband had remarried and moved to a different city. He called me one day. They’d had a house fire! All was lost including their long term food storage, which he had carried with him ten years before. Insurance had provided the money to replace it and he wanted to do exactly the same thing they’d done before.

1. USE IT

The reason he called me? Because he knew that at the time I sold Thrive Life foods, a relatively new brand of freeze dried food. “Just give me a reasonably varied assortment of food like I had before.” he said. He had no intention of ‘wasting’ it by eating it. It was intended as 100% food insurance, to be packed away again. We talked about the fact that most of the food he had depended on to ease his conscience for so long, was well over 20 years old, and not all of it was freeze dried, meaning it didn’t have the 25 year shelf life he thought it did. We talked about what he’d had previously – including milk and eggs (neither of which at the time he bought it, claimed to have the 25 year shelf life he believed everything had). As a friend, my counsel was to USE some of the food he was buying for two very important reasons: 1) to KNOW what one had, and 2) to know HOW to use it. Long term food storage is not the same as buying perishable food from the grocery store. It requires a little different ‘thinking’ to get used to it. He was adamant about “not bothering with all that”. What he had done two decades ago was conscience soothing and he wanted more of that.

We came up with a reasonable selection, and it was sent to him – which he stacked in a corner somewhere to never think about again.

His details involving the house fire may have been unique, but his philosophy was not. I have had that same conversation with many people over the years.

them: “Oh freeze dried food! I have a ton of that in my basement.”
me: “Great. How do you like it?”
them: “Oh, I have no idea; I’ve never used it.”
me: “Why not?”
them: “Because its FOOD STORAGE! And besides, I haven’t got a clue what to do with it.”
me: “How long have you had it?”
them: “We got it the year after we were married.”
me: “How long have you been married?”
them: “37 years.”
me: “Wow. You know its 12 years past its expiry right? You don’t have milk and eggs in there do you?
them: “Yes.”
me: “Well, I know the food you’re talking about, and the shelf life of milk used to be 5 years, and eggs was 3 years. Those are over 30 years past their expiry date. You might wanna dispose of them. . . . . I wouldn’t even open them if I were you, just throw them out. . . . .
So, . . . just curious, when were you planning to figure out how to use this food anyway?”

I have another friend who had pretty much the same idea. She had a lotta long-term-food-storage that she’d never had any intention of using, but a few years ago it became alarmingly evident to her that it was waaaay past its prime. She doesn’t want to waste it, (and waste all the money she spent on it), she wanted to learn how to use it. She had no recollection of how long she’d had the food (decades she admits), and there was no date on the cans. Apparently the labeling laws have changed since then.

My counsel? To USE it of course. I promised to come over and show her how to use them. We opened up her first can – broccoli. It was absolutely indistinguishable. Looking nothing like broccoli should, and smelling terrible. Nothing anyone would want to eat. “What can I do with it?” she asked.
“Throw it in the compost.” was my suggestion.
We opened a can of spinach with similar results.

On the left is dehydrated spinach that was deliberately left on the shelf waiting for some emergency that would justify opening it. No one could remember how old it was, and the owner mistakenly believed it was freeze dried when in actual fact it was dehydrated (with a much shorter shelf life). This is what happens when you don’t USE the food you store. The result was a lot of wasted food, and a total waste of the money spent to acquire it.
The spinach on the right is a 7 year old can recently opened. It is what freeze dried spinach SHOULD look like today, tomorrow, next year and 17 years from now.

To be fair, the food we opened was much older than it was ever intended to be. It is not the manufacturer’s fault that the food was not used when it should have been. It is the result of faulty “save-and-protect” reasoning. But on the other hand, from the beginning she never knew what she had, what it looked like, or how to use it anyway. Ironically that scarcity mentality intended to not ‘waste’ food by using it, resulted in ultimate waste. Wasted food is wasted dollars. It’s simple math.

I well remember that same brand of freeze dried food when it was a new thing, trying to wrap my mind around the concept of it and trying to justify the cost. I bought some, used it, didn’t see the value at the time, nor the point. As the science of freeze drying got better over the ensuing years, the food got better, and the nutrition got better.

2. FIND THE BEST

In 2009, when I first started buying Thrive Life (the brand I finally settled on after trying several on the market), their guarantee was that the produce went from field to freezer in less than 24 hours. I was impressed with that. By the time I put that into print, the company corrected me – their guarantee was now less than 12 hours. “Can’t get better than that” I thought. Produce picked ripe, washed, peeled, chopped and into the freezer in less than 12 hours? Incredible. “Can’t get better than that” I told people.
Wait! In another year, they raised the bar again. Produce picked at perfection when all nature’s goodness was at its height, and then washed, peeled, sliced and into the freezer in less than 6 hours! (usually 2 to 4 hours). Amazing. NOW with a pretty good degree of confidence I can be sure “it really canNOT get better than that!”

In summer months my household eats directly from my backyard garden. I am hard pressed to get produce from my garden to the table in four hours! Truly it cannot get better than two to four hours.

What does that mean to you and me? Why is that such a big deal?

Because all fruits and vegetables begin to deteriorate within the first hour after harvest. That’s why. They begin the process of deteriorating in colour, texture and nutritional value immediately. To pick a fruit before its fully developed is to start out with a handicap. Thrive Life has a commitment to excellence that forbids picking produce before its ripe. Then its a race against the clock. That produce is washed, peeled (if needed), sliced or chopped and flash frozen to -40C within four hours! In that frozen state the food is transferred to a facility where all the remaining moisture is removed in the second step of the two step process of “freeze-drying”.

When spinach or broccoli or mangoes or strawberries or whatever, goes into that BPA free can at the end, it is more nutritious than those same ‘fresh’ fruits we buy in the produce department of our local grocery stores – that in nearly all cases were picked before they were ripe, and have been shipped a thousand+ miles to ripen on the supermarket shelves sometime in the following week or two. Without any moisture, that food is sealed in an oxygen free can, giving it an exceptionally long shelf life. Zero moisture + zero oxygen = zero decomposition. So when I open a can of peaches that was packed 7 years ago, it is as nutritionally sound as it was the day it was sealed. If I open that can another 7 years from now, it is still the same. THAT is what we’re talking about. And that’s why timing is such a big deal.

“freeze drying food is not rocket science”

3. Benefits of using freeze dried food NOW

FAMILIARITY
Becoming familiar with freeze dried food while our lives are comfortable and predicable is so important. Sometimes people fool themselves into believing they’ll use it when they have to, but a crises is not the time to start experimenting with foundational necessities like meals. There are bound to be some differences between what you’re using now and freeze dried food. Familiarity brings confidence, and confidence removes fear.
When we are prepared, there is no fear.

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KNOWLEDGE
With familiarity comes knowledge and skill, opening a whole new world of possibilities. Learning how to use freeze dried food will make meal preparation a lot quicker and easier. Those fruits and vegetables are already washed and chopped, ready to eat straight out of the can, or to throw into your soup, casserole, omelette or stir fries. The cheese is already shredded, the meats are already cooked – ready to refresh and add to your meal.
You’d be surprised at how streamlined your meals become. You can have dinner on the table in minutes.

ZERO WASTE
Not only will you reduce the waste of produce in the fridge going bad before you can get to it, and the waste of trimming a good portion of your broccoli, cauliflower and peppers etc, but you will eliminate the waste of those cans of food timing out. Think of the waste that my friend experienced having to throw out most of her ‘shelf stable’ canned food. My other friend who replaced it all after the fire – he would have had to replace it all anyway, fire or no fire – because most of it was long expired before the fire.

When you regularly USE your food storage, it replaces perishable groceries that would other wise go into the trash. The North American average for household kitchen waste is up to 40%. That’s an incredible figure to wrap your mind around. If you’re the average North American consumer, up to 40% of the food you buy is going into the garbage! What if you could reduce that waste? How much money would YOU save in a month, in a year? Take a minute (knowing your monthly food budget), and use some simple math to roughly calculate what that might look like to you. Imagine what you could do with an extra $3000 or $4000 a year! You could probably have your food storage built up in a very short time for one thing.

CONVENIENCE
One of the things we will depend on in any emergency is having food that will be convenient to prepare with fewer resources than we’re currently accustomed to. Knowing what that food is and what kind of variety is available ahead of time is helpful. Also knowing what your family prefers and doesn’t prefer ahead of time is pretty helpful too. You don’t want to learn that when its too late.

4. SCARCITY vs ABUNDANCE

A can of dehydrated cabbage, about twenty years past its expiration. This is the kind of thing that never should have happened.

A scarcity mindset is a way of thinking that focuses on the idea that there is a limited supply; one becomes obsessed with protecting it. Its a trap many of us fall into when it comes to food storage: “This is food storage. It must be protected.” But we’ve already seen where that thinking leads, and its a slippery slope. When the supply is not being replenished, protection mode kicks in. So what is the antidote?

Rotation. Rotation is a “1st in-1st out” mindset. It is continuously using and replacing. It is treating your food storage like groceries and your groceries like food storage. It is the philosophy you’ve heard me repeat many times if you’ve read anything I’ve ever written on the subject: Store what you EAT, and Eat what you STORE.

If you are constantly adding to your food supply every time you buy groceries, and constantly eating from it, then replacing it, you are ROTATING. This keeps everything fresh and updated, saving you money and providing peace of mind. Your food storage becomes an organic thing with a pulse, not an inorganic box of dead food that nobody wants that cost you too much money. Consider a different perspective.

5. CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT IT

When you change the way you look at it, everything about it changes. The missing link between the SCARCITY mindset and the ABUNDANCE mindset is ROTATION. Rotation of “using and replacing” helps us regain control, and allows us to see abundance instead of scarcity. Change the way you’re looking at things.

I truly believe that when we are prepared, there is no fear. It is a personal mission of mine to help people gain the freedom and peace of mind that BEING PREPARED offers. And that includes FOOD STORAGE. Part of that is to help people stop wasting the food they purchased and are currently purchasing, and to help people acquire their food storage in the best possible way, getting the best prices and benefits in the process.

This is a course of action I have followed my entire adult life; it is very important to me. In the process, I discovered Thrive Life freeze dried food in 2008, and by the beginning of 2009, I brought it into our family bookstore – Generations Bookstore in Edmonton, Alberta. One of our major sidelines was food storage and emergency preparedness so it was a perfect fit. Since that time, we sold the store, but I kept Thrive Life with me as a personal consultant. I believe it is the best brand on the market today for high quality freeze dried food, and I am committed to helping people benefit in the same way I do from it.

In our house I’ve put it to the test. We’ve used it almost daily since those early years, and I know of which I speak.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on food storage and all things related. I welcome any questions you might have about Thrive Life specifically. Who knows? You might even want to become a consultant yourself.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

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to wheat or not to wheat

The story of cereal grains is the story of humanity’s transition from nomadic life to one of settlement and agriculture. With the exception of people in the far north, every culture from time immemorial has their own cereal grain, depending on climate and soil conditions: wild grasses, nuts, and seeds gathered, then pounded into flour or roasted and eaten whole. The beginning of agriculture marked the end of dependence on foraging, and the need for constant travel searching for food. Family groups could afford to build more permanent homes and bigger numbers meant more hands in the fields, hence the need for more buildings in which to gather – permanent communities – civilization.

Why wheat?

  1. WHEAT IS GOOD FOR YOU.
    There, I said it. Notwithstanding all the wheat haters out there and the anti-gluten people, for most of us, wheat is an excellent choice.1 Whole grain wheat is an excellent source of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins (particularly the B vitamins), minerals, and even protein. Almost 80% of its protein comes from ‘gluten’, (a large family of proteins) which is also responsible for the unique elasticity and stickiness of wheat dough, making it so desirable for bread making. 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of wheat contains 15 grams of protein! To put that into perspective, that’s about a quarter of the recommended daily amount of protein for the average 160 pound adult. Gluten can cause side effects in a small percent of people with conditions like celiac disease, IBS (inflammatory bowel syndrome), and gluten allergy, but most people eat it without any issues.

People who eliminate wheat from their diet by extension also avoid the excess calories in too much bread, pizza, junk food and desserts. Obviously one is going to feel healthier as well as experiencing weight loss, and this could cause one to mistakenly assume that wheat and other gluten containing foods are the culprit. To the contrary, wheat in its natural form fuels the body with essential nutrients and is associated with reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. The secret is to avoid the excess oil and sugar that so often accompanies wheat flour in baking. Too much of anything is a bad idea.

2. Wheat is readily available in every part of the world.
Wheat is a hardy and forgiving plant, growing in nearly every horticultural zone where there is sufficient moisture and fertile soil. It was cultivated anciently in Western Asia, (being found in archaeological excavations in present day Iraq), accepted now as one of the earliest known sites of agriculture. It was cultivated in Egypt as early as 4000 BC, and from there eventually spread throughout the Roman Empire and Asia. The Romans brought it to Europe where it grew exceptionally well, and 500 years ago the Spanish brought it to the New World. By the 1800’s wheat had literally travelled the world and was being cultivated on every inhabited continent.
In 2023, the top ten wheat producing countries in order are: China, India, Russia, United States, France, Canada, Germany, Pakistan, Australia, and Ukraine. Generally Ukraine had been in the top five producers – their current production has suffered since the Russian invasion in February 2022. 2

Dan and I discovered wheat six months into our marriage. We were young and still ‘playing house’, but neither of us had ever used ‘wheat’ as a whole grain before (or probably even seen it if I was to be totally honest). Friends in our congregation were making a group purchase of wheat from the Peace River area, and they invited us to join. We decided we might as well jump into this ‘adult thing’ with both feet so we bought some. 10 bushels of hard red spring as I recall. Dan felt that if we were going to have wheat, we needed to figure out what to do with it, and I agreed. We assumed we could just ask those same friends, but was surprised to learn that most others didn’t feel the same compelling need ‘use’ it. It was after all, for ‘food storage’ – which evidently meant for some future undetermined time when we’d all be glad we had it. That didn’t make sense to us, so we started doing our research – pre internet and social media – the old fashioned way, books! And you might not be surprised to know that there weren’t that many books available on the subject either. A pamphlet in a health food store was the best we found for a long time, so it became a life long quest, with lots experiments. There didn’t seem to be any shortcuts.

“Almost all the wheat produced today for human consumption is used for the making of bread, but the very earliest farmers didn’t use it that way.”3 Evidence from early sites indicate that it was probably soaked and then cooked into a porridge of sorts.

While whole wheat is high in fiber — not surprisingly, refined wheat contains considerably less as the bran is removed during the milling process. That is true with every other good thing that wheat brings to the table.

Whole grain wheat kernels are called ‘berries’, and they are SEEDS, containing everything a new sprouting plant needs to be healthy, made up of three parts:
– the protective outer layer: BRAN
– the heart or ’embryo’ of the grain: GERM
– the starchy middle layer intended to feed the sprouting new plant: ENDOSPERM

image borrowed from Chef IQ
https://chefiq.com/blogs/blog/the-whole-story-on-whole-grains

isn’t flour just flour?

When the wheat berry is ground into flour, the bran gives it it’s familiar slightly brownish tint, and oil from the wheat germ is released. Its best to grind fresh, only what you can use in a few days because the wheat germ has a healthy fat that will go rancid if left too long. Pay attention to the ‘best before date’ on store bought whole wheat flour for best results. Better yet, grind your own.

This is precisely why it became desirable commercially to strip milled flour of its bran and especially its germ – which though rich in vitamins and minerals, has that volatile wheat germ oil. The yield is a more shelf stable product, but at a high nutritional cost. This is called UNBLEACHED white flour. BLEACHED flour is whiter than unbleached through a process that uses ‘bleaching’ agents like benzoyl peroxide or chlorine dioxide to break down the starches and proteins in flour, making it softer and more absorbent, but nutritionally void. Consequently bleached flour is regularly ‘ENRICHED’ with the replacement of more shelf stable vitamins – but don’t fall for that. Again, it’s a poor substitute for what it was in its freshly ground day.

So what is your best option for nutrition when it comes to wheat flour? In the order of nutritional and flavour superiority:

I have had this Grain Master for well over 20 years. It is my 3rd electric wheat grinder.
It is the grandfather of the current Wondermill, which I highly recommend. As you can see, you can adjust the texture of your flour. I usually have it set on the finest, although in this picture it is set on the coarsest. THIS is some goofball grandson’s (or son’s) idea of a practical joke.

1. Freshly ground wheat. Not to be confused with whole wheat flour from the grocery store (that is not ‘freshly’ ground). This requires a wheat grinder or grain mill of course.
2. Unbleached flour. The only reason I skip the whole wheat flour at the store is because one doesn’t know how fresh it is (how long its been since that wheat germ oil has been released).
The unbleached flour has the germ and bran removed true – but at least it hasn’t been bleached.
3. Whole wheat flour from the store. Look for a best before date and make sure you take it seriously. It is important you use it quickly before that oil goes rancid – you’ll know something’s off when the flour starts to smell bad. Once you’re familiar with a ‘rancid’ smell, you’ll recognize it for the rest of your life.

That’s it. Only three options. Don’t buy bleached flour – it’s not an option.
And yes, there is cake flour with added salt and leavening added. I don’t have anything to say about that. I’ve never been tempted to buy it because its just another step along the processing journey and I usually avoid that trip if I can.

Personally, I prefer to grind my own flour, but when I want to lighten it up a little, I’ll add some unbleached. I have never purchased Bleached or Enriched white flour.

using the whole wheat berry

Flour is not the only way to enjoy the benefits of ‘wheat’. The healthiest way to enjoy whole grains of any kind is to eat them whole, and if you’re new to this exciting world of whole grains, wheat is a good gateway. Prepare to be delighted.

Cooking the whole wheat berry is easy enough, it just takes time.
Don’t rush it. Take a chill pill and let it be what its gonna be.
1 part wheat + 3 parts water + a little salt. Bring to a boil and boil for a couple minutes, then cover, turn off the heat and leave it over night. The next morning, bring it back to a boil and gently simmer for 30 ish minutes, stirring once in a while to prevent scorching and testing for tenderness once the water has been absorbed.

Wheat Porridge
Do yourself a favour and open your mind. Make a small batch the first few times – to get used to it. Its a whole new experience but its so GOOD FOR YOU, its worth the adventure. Best to start it the night before, give it time to soak.
1 cup wheat
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Bring to a boil, let it boil for a couple minutes, stir and turn heat off. Cover and let sit on the stove till morning. Bring it back to a boil and let it gently simmer for about half an hour or just a little bit longer. Stir every once in a while to ensure the water isn’t disappearing too fast – it should be on quite low. After 30 or so minutes, start testing for tenderness. When its pleasantly plumb and tender to chew, its done. Don’t be in a rush.
Spoon about 1/4 cup into a bowl, drizzle a little honey over top and cover with your favourite milk. Enjoy.

Reserve some cooked wheat to keep in the fridge to add to other things during the week; you’ll love their sweet, nutty flavour and chewy texture.

Other ways to use cooked wheat berries

  1. Salads:

    Fall Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries
    Kale 3 or 4 cups (measured after its stripped off the stalks)
    Butternut squash (or sweet potato)
    1 Apple
    1/4 – 1/2 cup cooked wheat
    1/2 cup chopped parsley
    2 green onions chopped
    1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries or raisins
    toasted walnuts
    1/2 cup crumbled feta if you have it on hand
    Much of this can be made ahead and then set aside to be assembled just before serving.

*Peel butternut squash and cut into 1 inch pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in baking dish till fork tender. Set aside.
In the meantime, wash kale well and strip greens off stalk.
Lightly chop, sprinkle lightly with salt and drizzle a tablespoon (at most) olive oil. Massage with your hands for 2 minutes, rubbing the oil into the leaves, transforming them into ‘tender’ leaves. Set aside.
Toast 1/2 cup walnuts. Set aside.

To assemble salad in salad bowl:
Start with chopped and massaged kale
Sprinkle roasted butternut squash over top
Sprinkle 1/2 cup dried berries over top
Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley over top
Sprinkle 1/2 cup cooked wheat berries over top
Drizzle apple cider vinaigrette over top, and serve.

*optional: arrange freshly sliced pears on the top for the perfect fall touch
*optional: add fresh pomegranate seeds over top
*optional: use hazelnuts or pecans instead of walnuts, or a combination of your choice
*optional: candy the nuts ahead of time for a pleasant crunchy surprise
*optional: use mixed greens instead of kale – switch it up depending on the season – tender greens like baby kale, spinach, baby lettuces and arugula.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard 
1/2 teaspoon your favourite salt
about same amount of freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil 

OR
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
2 cloves garlic minces
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon your favourite salt
about same amount freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

In small bowl whisk together everything but the olive oil till fully combined.
Slowly add olive oil while continuing to whisk till fully emulsified. This will make enough for today’s salad, and a little extra to store in the fridge for tomorrow’s salad.

Basil Tomato and Corn Salad with Wheat
1 cup cooked wheat
1 cup chopped green onion
2 cups corn toasted in 1 Tablespoon olive oil
(OR freeze dried toasted in olive oil and then refreshed with a little water)
2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered, or regular tomatoes diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup fresh basil chopped finely
Combine all ingredients together except cheese and basil. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss, then sprinkle cheese and basil on top before serving.

Lemon Dressing:
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
whisk together

TABOULI (Tabouleh) pronounced ta-boo-lee
Normally Tabouli is made with bulgur wheat (see below), but you can make it with whole wheat if you like too. Just make adjustments.

2. Soups and stews:

stir cooked wheat into the brothy soup during the last 20-30 minutes, or simmer dry wheat at the beginning of a long cooking soup.
Garnish your butternut squash soup with a sprinkling of cooked wheat on top.

3. Casseroles or in a rice pilaf, or on top of Buddha Bowls or Poke Bowls:

On a base of cooked brown rice or quinoa – with any number of fresh toppings of vegetables, fruits and protein artfully arranged on top and drizzled with a light dressing.

4. Breads:
Add a cup to your next batch of whole grain (or part whole grain) bread.
Add a cup to your next batch of carrot muffins, carrot cake, apple cake, banana loaf . . . etc

5. Whole WHEAT Pancakes using the blender:
you’ll be surprised and how light and tender this pancakes are.
3 cups milk
3 eggs
2 cups wheat (just wheat, dry and uncooked)
1/4 cup sugar (white or brown your choice)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 scant Tablespoon baking powder
Pour milk and eggs into blender. Blend on high, then remove small cap on top to slowly add wheat while still blending. Add sugar, oil and baking powder, continuing to blend till smooth. Test your batter with a spoon. There should be no grit left in it – totally smooth.
Spoon batter onto greased skillet and cook as you would any other pancake.
Serve with syrup or fresh apple sauce.

5. Baked Wheat Pudding
2 cups cooked wheat (or cooked cracked wheat)
I prefer whole wheat but it really doesn’t matter once they’re cooked
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup raisins
nutmeg and cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Beat eggs, add salt, sugar and vanilla. Stir well. Add milk and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add wheat and raisins and stir well. Pour into a well buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes, then stir the pudding to keep the wheat from settling. Bake another 15 minutes and stir again. Bake another 30 minutes (to total approximately an hour) or until toothpick comes out clean.
Serve plain or with cream, yogurt or ice cream.

Cracked Wheat

Cracked Wheat Porridge or Multigrain Porridge
1/2 cup cracked wheat
2 cups water
dash of salt
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly for 30+ minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When tender to the bite, remove from heat and serve with milk and honey.

Beat eggs till frothy; add salt, honey, vanilla and milk. Beat well.
Add wheat and raisins and stir well to combine.
Pour into a well buttered casserole dish and sprinkle the top with nutmeg.
Cover with a lid or tin foil.
Bake at 325 F for about an hour. After 15 minutes, stir the mixture again as the wheat will mostly have sunk to the bottom. Return to heat and continue to bake until the pudding is no longer runny. Remove the lid for the last 15 minutes to allow to brown on the top.
Insert a toothpick to test for done-ness as you would for a cake.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. We used to serve it warm with cream or ice cream.

Bulgur Wheat

Bulgur is the fast food in the health food world: whole wheat that is par boiled and then dried and cracked. Because it is pre cooked and then dried, it rehydrates quickly making it very convenient with a mild, nutty flavour and chewy texture. It is a staple in middle eastern cooking and the key ingredient in Taboulleh (Tabouli) Salad.

Not to be confused with cracked wheat, while bulgar is cracked, it is partially cooked first. Bulgar comes in fine, medium and coarse texture . This shortens the cooking time – in fact it doesn’t need cooking, just soak it in hot water to soften it. Coarse bulgar could take up to half an hour, while medium and fine could take 15+ minutes.

Tabouli Salad
1 cup Hot water
3/4 cup medium bulgur wheat
pour hot water over top bulgur wheat and set it aside rehydrate (about 1/2 hour).

When bulgur is tender and cooled, begin adding all the above and toss to combine:
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
1 medium tomato, diced
6 green onions, diced
1 medium pepper your choice of colour
1 cup (or more) washed and chopped fresh parsley
small handful of finely diced fresh mint
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
juice of 1 lemon, or 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil

Toss well and serve. Enjoy.

sprouting wheat

Super easy and very nutritious, sprouting is a great habit to get into, and great to do with kids. Use sprouted wheat (as with other grains and seeds) are great for salads, sandwiches and more.

Sprouted wheat is UNlike many seeds you may have sprouted in the past. Don’t expect it to look like bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts – its in a league all of its own. Sprouted wheat is also sometimes referred to as ‘germinated wheat’.

Why sprout wheat? Because sprouting turns a grain into a ‘plant’ – for lack of a better term, a ‘vegetable’. Seeds contain enzymes; when they are sprouted they release their enzymes and the once dormant seed springs into life as a new ‘plant’. Enzyme inhibitors are a plant’s natural defense against degradation. When sprouting, grains are given the signal to neutralize these substances that can be hard on the human body. Vitamins increase, including Vitamin C. As the sprout begins taking energy from the endosperm, the changes that take place alter the carbohydrates, and it breaks down the gluten making it easier to digest for people who otherwise might have difficulty with wheat in general.

The tools are simple. There are a large variety of suitable sprouting containers, but to begin with, start with a simple wide mouth pint jar. When I sprout alfalfa or beans I use a quart jar, but you aren’t going to want that kind of quantity to begin with.
You’ll need some kind of a lid to strain water from. A net or cheese cloth with an elastic band, or a screen inside a jar ring, or a plastic strainer made for this purpose.

Day 1:
Put 1/2 cup whole wheat into a wide mouth pint jar and cover with plenty of water. Let it soak over night.

Day 2:
Strain after 8+ hours and give a gentle rinse. Strain again and set it aside. Repeat again at the end of the day. The point is to never let the seeds dry out while you’re sprouting or they’ll die.
By the end of day 2, you may already be seeing the beginning of little white sprouts on one end. Yay.

Repeat the rinsing and straining cycle twice every day. I set mine on the counter where it gets indirect sunlight.

Day 3:
repeat rinsing and straining cycle.
Day 4:
By the end of this day your sprouts should be ready to use, for all the same purposes as you’d use softened cooked wheat but with the added benefit that THESE kernels are not cooked and are loaded with additional vitamins including vitamin C. They are very sweet.

This will be good in the fridge for 4 or 5 days, but don’t store it, USE it.

Wheat Sprout Apple Muesli – 2 servings
1 cup wheat sprouts
2 tablespoons liquid honey or maple syrup
1 cup vanilla greek yogurt (or plain yogurt with another tablespoon of maple syrup)
1 fresh apple diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Mix all together and enjoy

Yes, you can dehydrate your sprouts and then grind them to make sprouted wheat bread. Make sure they’re VERY dry.
It’s tempting to get all excited and try everything all at once. For now, my recommendation is to take a chill pill and start gradually trying things out before you go all crazy (like I did). If you’re going to make this a way of life, its gotta be sustainable. Slow and steady wins the race.

adding back the bran

Bran Muffins
in separate bowl, cover 2 cups bran in with 3 cups buttermilk or whey.
Stir to moisten all and set aside.
In large bowl sift together:
3 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt

in smaller bowl, cream together:
1 cup butter with 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup molasses.
Add 3 eggs and mix well between eggs.
Pour sugar/egg mixture into dry ingredients and add moistened bran.
Stir only to moisten.
Pour into prepared muffin tins.
– Bake 400 F for about 20 minutes. When done, remove from heat and let sit in tin to cool slightly before removing.

I hope you’ll give some of these recipes a try, and I hope you’ll start being creative in finding new ways to incorporate wheat into your every day life.

Let me know how it goes.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

  1. Those with gluten sensitivities may have to eliminate wheat from their diets, and those with celiac disease must avoid all gluten in any form. ↩︎
  2. World-Grain.com https://www.world-grain.com/media/photos/154-world-s-top-wheat-producing-countries ↩︎
  3. The Book of Whole Grains by Marlene Anne Bumgarner (pg 13) ↩︎
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standing on the shoulders of those we came from . . .

I do not know what I ever did in the pre-earth life to deserve to be born in Canada. I suspect I didn’t ‘deserve’ it; nevertheless Heavenly Father saw fit to place me here and now. I am so grateful for that mercy and blessing.

There are so many things in our life to be grateful for …. sometimes we don’t even think about the blessing of ‘where we are’. Canada.

Thank you to all those immigrant grandparents and great grandparents who made it possible for this to be the land of my inheritance

I did not know this, but the last German POWs were not released from the Soviet Union until 1956!

While the western Allies released their final World War II prisoners in 1948, many German POWs in the U.S.S.R. were kept under lock and key for several more years. Most were used as slave labor in copper or coal mines, and anywhere between 400,000 and one million eventually died while in Russian custody. Some 20,000 former soldiers were still in Soviet hands at the time of Stalin’s death in 1953, and the last 10,000 didn’t get their freedom until 1955 and 1956—a full decade after the war had ended.

Among the delayed released POW’s (not likely in this picture) was one Gotthold Sulzle, Dan’s grandfather Jakob’s brother.

Gotthold appears to have been born in Cogealac, Romania. He went to Germany for work just prior to WWII and as a German was drafted into the German Army. He served on the Russian front and became a Russian POW. Gotthold was decorated with 2 iron crosses (a German military award awarded for bravery on the battlefront).

After WWII ended, Gotthold attempted to immigrate to Canada where other family members had immigrated, however he was unable to take his family with him at the time. Having already been separated from his family for too long, he decided instead to immigrate to Australia.

That is how a branch of Dan’s German family ended up in Australia.

– picture and information shared from Linda Sülzle-Michl.

*note:
I am not making any statements about this nationality or that nationality.
There were (and there are) terrible things that happened (and happen) to individuals and to families as a result of hate and wicked people – wherever they are. I do however have a tenderness for those who suffer, and an appreciation and admiration for those who overcome and show me a better way. I am attracted to real life examples of the strength and resilience of the indomitable human spirit. They strengthen me and encourage me.

I also feel so much love and appreciation for those first generation immigrants who in many cases sacrificed much so their children could have the better life that eluded them. Dan’s grandparents came from German occupied Poland shortly after the first world war. They had been people of means; educated, land owning farmers. For the rest of their lives while living in Canada, they were labourers and I personally never heard Dan’s grandmother speak very much English. But their children grew up on the prairies and all went on to have meaningful work as they raised their own families in a world of opportunity and comfort – free from fear for their safety. Their children’s children received good educations and also raised their children in a peaceful world of opportunity and comfort. All because Edmund and Olga sold all they had for ship passage, hoping for a better life on the other side of the ocean.

But that’s a story for another time.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

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Apples the way they should be

When I was a little girl my mother bought apples by the case this time of year. Usually Macintosh if I remember correctly. They were FRESH, crisp and wonderful, and we stored them in our cold room in the basement.

We loved eating them and could have one whenever we wanted during those weeks. I equate fresh crispy apples with fall school days.

My mom would put some in a bowl on the table and I took it upon myself to shine them so they looked nice enough for a table centrepiece. I took great pride in this task, and it was a continual job as the apples got used up quickly. They needed shining because they came to us looking like the apples in this picture. Once I shined them up with a clean damp cloth, they looked like the apples in the picture below – which incidentally, I just shone to go on the table before writing this.

Can you see the three lady bugs that came inside with them? They thought they found a safe hiding place for winter, but ….. sorry ladies, out you go, find another one. Did you know lady bugs can live three years?
I love lady bugs.

By the time I was married, apples came from the store already shiny and I puzzled over my childhood memory of shining them. I missed the ritual, and wondered why my mom would have had me shine apples when apparently they were already shiny. (?)

Years later I learned that the apples we buy in the grocery store are ‘waxed’1 to have that shine. I didn’t know with what, but there was no option. They’re all like that after the initial harvest.

I began washing my purchased apples to ‘remove’ the shine 🙄. Ironic eh?

But today. Today we brought in our very own beautiful honey crisp apples. They’re in the fridge now, but some inner voice compelled me to shine up a few for the table.

That’s when it happened. My flash back. THIS! Déjà vu. This I have done before. …. Just exactly like this! With a clean cloth. And just like those in my childhood memory, these apples shone up quickly. Almost like magic. And beautifully.

THIS IS WHAT APPLES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE!

Beautiful. Organic. Right outta your own backyard, or outta your community garden, or your nice neighbour’s yard. With a natural matt finish that shines up with the touch of a slightly damp cloth, till you can see the light reflecting in them. Apples in the fall are one of life’s great pleasures.

I hope you get some FRESH apples this fall, and I hope you have to shine them up. I’d love to hear your apple stories.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

Footnotes:

  1. In an effort to make ‘fresh’ apples available to consumers all year round, it is necessary to treat them. “Waxing these foods seals them, protects them from pests and diseases, and prevents them from drying out, thus maintaining freshness.” (*my note: Interesting use of the word “freshness”) https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/information-product/fact-sheet-use-morpholine-apple-coatings.html
    I rest my case with regards to my opinion of eating IN the Season. Is it really necessary for us to eat ‘fresh’ apples 12 months of the year? ↩︎
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Two Delicious Zucchini Cakes that belong in your recipes

I don’t know who had the bright idea of making zucchini into a cake, but they must have had a few get away from them. I think we can all relate, and I’m sure everyone has their favourite recipe. This one may have become my favourite this year, this month, this week! It is rich and delectably CHOCOLATE; light (from the eggs and leavening) and moist (from the zucchini). The perfect combination of everything.

You don’t have to be a visionary to know that THIS

can be THIS:

but it does require a little bit of previous experience because they don’t look like they should belong together. *Don’t waste small zucchini by making them into dessert, eat those fresh out of hand, in a salad or grilled with a little bit of parmesan on them. Baking is reserved for the ones that get too big.

Double Rich Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Begin by peeling your (too big) zucchini, then cut into manageable pieces and shred. Measure out 4 cups shredded zucchini and set aside. If you only have 3 cups go for it anyway, but don’t use more than 4 cups – there’s such thing as too much of a good thing.
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Lightly butter a 9×13 pan or two loaf pans. I also add a sheet of parchment paper to the bottom.

Sift together in a large mixing bowl the following:
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa (I know it seems like a lot, trust me – its okay)
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Ensure all are thoroughly blended.

In another bowl, beat together:
5 eggs
Add 1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Mix well.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. And mix by hand to make sure all flour is moistened. Add shredded zucchini and stir to combine.

Add 1 + 1/2 cup REAL chocolate chips and stir in.
I also add sunflower seeds (I can’t help it).

Pour into your prepared pans. I use a 9×13 glass baking dish.
* optional: Sprinkle another 1/2 cup REAL chocolate chips over top.

Place on the middle rack of your oven.
Set the timer for 20 minutes, then turn your cake or loaf pans around and bake for another 20 minutes. Check again and gently touch the middle of your cake. If it feels firm and bounces back a little, then test with a toothpick for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean then remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a rack. Don’t rush it. Let it bake for a little longer if needed. Check every five minutes. The loaf pans will take longer because they’re deeper. Don’t under cook, but don’t over cook either. Once its firm to the touch, be sure to test with a toothpick.

Good Ol’ Fashioned Zucchini Cake with Raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Sift together and set aside:
2 cups flour
1T cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

beat 3 large eggs
add 1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
mix well.

Add 2 cups shredded zucchini and mix to thoroughly combine
Add sifted dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Fold in 1/2 cup raisins

Pour batter into buttered 9×13 baking pan and place in middle of hot oven. Bake 40-45 minutes or until centre bounces back when lightly pressed. Insert toothpick as a final check. When it comes out clean, cake is done.
Remove from heat and allow to cool in pan.

If you decide to frost it, make a wonderful cream cheese icing with
8 ounces cream cheese – beat till smooth with hand mixer
slowly add 2 cups icing sugar beating all along to avoid lumps.
Add a tablespoon of yogurt, sour cream or milk if needed to keep the icing from being too dry.
Spread over cake after its fully cooled.
Serve in cake pan.

Enjoy!

Which one is better? I am partial to the plain zucchini cake with raisins; it tastes like Sunday dinner dessert should. But the chocolate is extra special, so you have to have both in your life for different times.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle