Berry, Berry, Quite Contrary

In which our Lady reports on how Her Garden does Grow. 

Proverbially speaking, wheat berries are quite the nut to crack.  After four, or is it five(?) days soaking, my jar was finally ready to use last night.  Here is my process: I soaked the berries in water for four days, rinsed 2-3 times daily, until there were quarter inch sprouts.  I have done two things with them. I have added thoroughly soaked wheat berries into my second mix of bread dough.  I also just made up a wheat berry cooked cereal for Eva and me today.  It was, of course, mixed with the obligatory yummy stuff all toddlers require: apple slices, brown sugar, some butter, and milk.  It was quite tasty for an (almost) impromptu meal.  To report on the first batch of freshly baked bread, tried from Cari’s recipe (see last post and post comments):  It was awesome.  I really enjoyed it—so much that I almost ate the whole thing on my own. 

My little seedlings are coming along quite well.  The Siberian tomatoes that I’ve been waiting to plant for the last three months are… difficult to seed.  I can now see why my much wiser older brother Todd insisted that I plant the Oregon Spring variety.  Those suckers sprouted right up without a hitch—now we’ll just have to see if they produce.  The lettuce and herbs are also ridiculously easy so far.  Also, my mother-in-law has given me two new houseplants.  (Never say the elder generations haven’t done anything for you).  And I have 4 little starts for houseplants coming right along.  I’m beginning to really like growing things, if only because using seeds and plant starts is an incredibly thrifty way spend a little creative energy with the end result of making my house, and  by extension my life, into a friendlier and healthier environment. 

On the subject of my home: I have friends who are always searching for ways to make their lives more fulfilling or exciting.  They search for more prestigious and well-paying jobs, shop for better clothes, etc…  They spend a lot of time filling their lives with many things, from entertainment to excess clutter.  I sometimes feel that they question my lifestyle choices as a stay-at-home mother who drifts through life baking bread and starting seedlings.  But I will say this: I am content with my little garden.  Cancer really shows you what is important.  My religion, the focus on my marriage, child, and home—along with a little creative outlet—make me happy.  It doesn’t take much besides, health, stability, and love.  May my future be filled with the simplicity of greenery and the deliciousness of artisan bread.

New Directions

In which our Lady espouses the Natural. 

To me, the most beloved of seasons are spring and autumn.  As the times of planting and harvesting, they have such potential.  Because of this potentiality, I believe that spring is the best time to make resolutions.  Not that I didn’t try back in January—but those resolutions have usually been forgotten by the time April and May roll around.  Besides, the real beginning of the year for me is spring.  Today proved to be one of those dreamy goal-making days, a time to gather ideas, buy strange items to put them into practice, and generally make my life just a little more complicated by branching out into a thousand new directions (I have a problem with this... it’s kind of an addiction with new ideas via book-perusal and list-making). 

You’ve already heard about my adventures in greenery.  Below you’ll find some photos of houseplants and seedlings.  Then there are a few examples of some excellent library books.  The Natural Alternatives text is one of those I-can’t quite-believe-I’m-reading-this books that you find strangely interesting, and wish you could feasibly do with a minimal investment of time.  Maybe someday…  Ahem.  The second book, Garden Anywhere is awesome.  It teaches the urban gardener all the basics about gardening, whether in containers or in the actual ground.  (If you live in the Anchorage area, please refrain from putting this on hold at the library.  I need it for a few more renewals, okay?  So, back away, Skippy.)  The third book, Nourishing Traditions, is borrowed from my friend.  It’s a gold mine of traditional cooking knowledge.  I love that it gives me information to help me understand a food’s characteristics so I can use it correctly. 

This brings us to the last photo, where you see that I’ve put beans and wheat berries in jars filled with water.  It turns out that all that fresh ground wheat flour I’ve been using actually has a natural substance called phytic acid still intact in the seed/berry that blocks enzymes from acting to my benefit in the body, gets rid of carcinogens, and inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc.  Phytic acid also makes it difficult to digest beans and whole grains (yes, I am talking about flatulence).  To counteract this phytic acid thing, I will soak my stuff in water for a couple of days before using it in hot cereals, soups, etc...  Soaking my beans and wheat berries in water will cause them to sprout.  Germination brings out the best in seedlings—they produce more vitamins (C and B’s, carotene), and get rid of that phytic acid, a protector of plants in nature, but a digestive nightmare in my kitchen.  Warning: do not eat alfalfa sprouts, because they are bad for you.

The other thing I will do to neutralize phytic acid in my already ground wheat is to use my friend Cari’s traditional bread recipe found at warmhomemadebread.blogspot.com).  It’s the established way to make bread by soaking.  It uses less yeast and involves no kneading of dough.  (Industrialized breads have done so much damage to the once well-known art of bread-baking.)  You can also stick your extra dough in the fridge and use it throughout the week for fresh homemade loaves of chow-down goodness.  How cool is that?