Soaking 411

Soaking is so very easy that it hardly deserves a post all too itself. However, the benefits far outweigh the minimal time it takes to presoak. All it really takes is a couple minutes the day beforehand, which in the end helps you be a little prepared for the next day.

There are different methods out there but so far, this has worked for me. I have had a great coach, Miss Kara Bagley. For those of you who are soakers, please feel free to share your method so we can all learn off each other. Here is how it goes down in my kitchen:

12- 24 hours before the time of cooking, and preferably 24 hours, start your soaking. It is easiest to remember to just start it after your breakfast so it is ready for the next breakfast, if you are going for a breakfast food. Most gluten free grains do fine with 7-10 hours of soaking.

* Put in your flour called for in the recipe. Use a glass bowl. Hopefully you are using a good, freshly ground whole grain. No need to have a sprouted flour when you are going to soak.

* Add in the liquid called for. If it is milk, use buttermilk or kefir. If it is water, you need to add an acidic medium. Add 1 T. of acid base per cup of liquid. This can be kefir, lemon juice, yogurt, vinegar or buttermilk. If the mixture is too dry, you can add the oil and sweetener like honey, maple syrup or molasses. It doesn't have to be thin, just moistened.

* Cover with a lid or plastic wrap so it won't get dried out. Just don't let the plastic wrap touch the dough. No plastics in our food, please. Keep in a warm place , away from a draft. In the oven is great ( no heat) or on the counter out of the way of a vent.

* When you are ready to prepare, add the rest of the ingredients. I find sometimes I need to add a little extra liquid as the soaking expands the grain a bit.

I have found that not all of my recipes work this way as some don't have much liquid but rely on fruit or eggs as a base. I will use sprouted flour in that case. If you are doing oatmeal, I think it tastes best to soak with the lemon acid then rinse before you cook it. It will take a much shortened cooking time for oats after you soak. The first time I soaked my oats, my daughter asked me if the oats were different. She loves oatmeal but always had a bit of a stomach ache after she ate them. I told her they were the same steel cut oats but I soaked them. She didn't have a stomach ache. See, soaking works! I am sold.

If you don't know what kefir is, stay tuned. We will have a little chat about raw milk, kefir and yogurt next. So much to learn. I am still new to much of this too so I would love any comments. It's a learn as we go process. Thanks for joining. I am impressed with all you great moms out there trying to make your lives better. Such a noble mission.

And, if anyone out there has the creativity to design me a new blog header, I will give you something for free. I am so done with my template. I need something new. Just shoot me an email and I will give you my new slogan. Thanks!