WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY SALE
July 8, 2015   

Available in our retail store (not available on line)  Can't make it to Bread Beckers on Wednesday by 5:00? - just call the store, place your order, pay with a credit card and we will hold it for pick until Monday July 13, 2015.   Call 770-516-5000     

•  The Soap Works  Products -  Buy any 3 bars and get a 4th one free.  Get 10% off any of the other great Soap Works products.
   
• 20% off any size of the "Grain of the Week" - OATS

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The nutritional value of oats has been documented for thousands of years. Dating back more than 2000 years ago, records show oats as a medicinal food used as a "healing agent, desiccant for the skin, a cough reliever, and a natural food for horses that was used by humans when resources were scarce". Despite oats early acceptance as a healing food, it was primarily considered as a food for horses. Before the 19th century, the only area where oats were a significant part of the human diet were Ireland and Scotland. It is the Scottish settlers that are credited with bringing "oatmeal" to North America, and it soon became a main stay with its "stick to your ribs" reputation. Germanic tribes also discovered oats for human consumption and it is said that they made their "porridge of nothing else". In fact, it was a German immigrant that moved oatmeal from the druggist's shelf to the grocer's shelf. Recent research supports both the nutritional and medicinal properties of oats, with some believing that oats are the most nutritious of all the cereal grains.

Oats have the highest protein content of any of the commonly consumed grains, with the best overall amino acid profile. Oats are particularly high in the amino acid glutamine, which has been shown to promote healing in the gastrointestinal tract and increase immune function. Oats are naturally gluten free, therefor an excellent grain choice for those with compromised gut function.  Those with celiac disease or severe gluten sensitivities would want to make sure the oats are processed in a dedicated gluten free facility, to avoid cross contamination with other grains.

Oats are an excellent source of many important healthy fats including a class of fats known as phospholipids. Particular phospholipids, more commonly known as lecithin, found in oats have been shown to lower cholesterol, improve liver function, improve brain and memory function, and promote healing of the cell walls of the intestinal lining.  

Along with barley, oats have the highest beta glucan content of any grain. (see Sue's blog post on beta glucans)

Scores of studies have documented the many health benefits of oats. In a nutshell: 

• Eating oats helps lower LDL "bad" cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Oats help you feel fuller longer, which helps control your weight.
• Oatmeal and oats may help lower blood pressure.
• Oats may help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, since their soluble fiber helps control blood sugar.
• Oats help cut the use of laxatives, without the side effects associated with medications.
• Oats are high in beta-glucans, a kind of starch that stimulates the immune system and inhibits tumors. This may help reduce your risk of some cancers.
• Early introduction of oats in children's diets may help reduce their risk of asthma.
• Oats are higher in protein and healthy fats, and lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains.
• Oats contain more than 20 unique polyphenols called avenanthramides, which have strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching activity.

Simply put, oats are a healing food, particularly to the gut and should be enjoyed by all.

Oats have an inedible husk that must be removed for human consumption. The remaining seed is called a groat. Oats are sold either as the whole groat, steel cut oats or rolled oats. To make steel cut oats, the oat groats are cut slightly using steel cutters. Since oat groats are a soft grain, they can be rolled flat by sending the groats through steel rollers, to make regular rolled oats. Quick cooking rolled oats are simply rolled oats cut in smaller pieces.

Oats have a sweet, nutty flavor and add a soft texture to baked goods. Besides being cooked into a delicious porridge, oat groats and steel cut oats, can be milled into flour and used for cakes and cookies. Rolled oats, may be ground into flour using a blender, but can be added whole to muffins, cookies and bread dough. For oatmeal or porridge, oat groats and steel cut oats will take about 1 hour to cook, whereas rolled oats only a few minutes.

Easy No-Cook Oatmeal
Recently, while staying several days in a hotel, I came up with a delicious way to prepare oatmeal using a travel coffee mug and the in-room coffee maker to heat water.  

• ½ cup regular rolled oats
• Pinch of Redmond Mineral salt
• 1 cup hot water (I heated it in the coffee maker)

Put the oats in an insulated container (such as a travel mug). Sprinkle the pinch of salt over the top. Cover with the hot water. Stir. Cover and let sit about 10 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite toppings.  

Once it was ready, I stirred in about 1 Tablespoon of our new Maple Pecan flavored ButterCups, sprinkled it with a little sucanat, and added a handful of fresh blueberries.  It was so delicious!

Oat Flour Spice Cake

This is a moist spice cake that can be served for breakfast as well as dessert. It is especially good topped with either fresh peaches and whipped cream or cooked spiced apples and ice cream.  

• 1 cup water     
• 1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces    
• 1/2 cup honey    
• 2-1/2 cups oat flour    
• 1 tsp baking soda     
• 1/2 tsp salt     
• 2 tsp cinnamon    
• 2 eggs    
• 1/2 cup buttermilk     
• 1 tsp vanilla extract     

Preheat oven to 3750 F.  

In a saucepan, combine water, butter and honey. Bring to a boil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Pour hot liquids over dry ingredients and stir well.

Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and stir well.  

Pour into greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched. Can be served warm or allowed to cool completely to frost.

This cake batter is very thin. Don't be tempted to add more flour.  

Can't make it to Bread Beckers on Wednesday by 5:00? - just call the store, place your order, pay with a credit card and we will hold it for pick until Monday July 13, 2015.   Call 770-516-5000