~Whole Wheat Convenience Mix~

Posted on Sunday, March 2, 2008 at 9:12 PM

It seems like every time I walk in the grocer's, I come out with sticker shock!  As I'm sure you know, the prices of oil and fuel are driving up the prices of food items in many areas.  When it comes to budgeting, you have to pay your tithe, your rent/mortgage payment, your utilities, your vehicle insurance, your vehicle's fuel, and you have to buy food.  These just become the necessities of life, and one area that we can try to save some money in is the food we buy.

Personally, I have started reducing the amount of meat I buy.  Americans eat way too much meat--much more than is necessary, or healthy.  When I do buy it, I try to buy the leanest cuts that I can.  I'm also changing from ground beef to ground turkey, or even ground chicken, for casseroles, soups, sauces, etc.  I have tried to have a couple of days each week that are *meatless* and replacing the protein on those days with eggs, cheese, legumes, etc.  Not only is this healthier, but also more economical. 

Another area that is quite expensive in the grocer's are the aisles with the convenience food mixes.  You know what I'm talking about!  And yes, they can come in quite handy, especially when you've been out and about all day, rushing here and there, trying to do a dozen or more things at the same time from sunup until way past anyone's bedtime.  Yes, we all have those days, and mixes really are nice then. 

An alternative, though, are freezer meals--casseroles, soups, stews, etc. that you have prepared ahead of time and frozen for just those kinds of days.  In the upcoming days/weeks I will be including some of them here, but one thing I'll say now to get you started is this--when you fix a casserole (for instance, a pan of lasagne), double it up and fix it in 2 different casserole dishes.  In one of the dishes, though, line it with heavy-duty aluminum foil before assembling the casserole.  Spray the foil with veg. cooking spray, just like you would the dish itself.  Assemble your casseroles, pop one in the oven for supper, and pop the other in the freezer for a freezer meal in the future when you need it.  It's really that simple! (Just take it out of the pan after it's frozen, double wrap it in heavy-duty foil, label/date it, and store in the freezer; put back in the casserole dish when you get ready to thaw/bake it.) You can take it out the night before (if you know the next day will be rushed/hectic), or even heat it up on a lower temperature for a longer period of time from its frozen state, if it's a last-minute idea.  If your microwave is big enough, thaw it in there if you need to (but not if you've used the aluminum foil!).

But to get back to the mixes I was talking about.  Here is a recipe for a mix that can be used in many different ways, and will not only make your life easier, but is more economical than what you buy in the store.  It also has the added benefit of not being filled with chemicals and preservatives (other than what's already in the ingredients you use).  I'm including the recipe for the mix, as well as recipes for using it.  I'm not sure where I originally got this from, though.  All I wrote on the paper is that it was from an Extension Office--but I'm not sure which state! 

Whole Wheat Convenience Mix

3 cups whole wheat flour

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups nonfat dry milk

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

Put all ingredients except oil in large bowl and mix well with a spoon.  Mix in oil with pastry blender or fork until finely distributed.  Store in airtight container in the refrigerator (use within a month), or in the freezer.  (Note: I put it in gallon size ziplock bags, label and date them, and put half in the refrigerator and the other half in the freezer.  As I get near the end of the first, I pull the second out and keep in the refrigerator.)

Makes 13 cups

Nutrient value per cup: 488 calories, 13 grams protein, 70 grams carbohydrate, 18 gram fat (with only 1.4 grams saturated fat).

Whole Wheat Bread

1 egg

1 1/4 cups water

4 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Convenience Mix

Beat the egg slightly with the water in a large bowl.  Stir in the whole wheat mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Turn into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and bake at 350° F. for 50 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let stand in pan on wire rack about 5 minutes; loosen sides with a spatula and turn right side up on rack.  Cool thoroughly before slicing.

Whole Wheat Muffins

Prepare batter as for Whole Wheat Bread.  Spoon into greased medium muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.  Bake in 400° F. oven for 15-20 minutes.  Makes 18 muffins. (Note: I like to fill them a little less than halfway, add a small spoonful of jam, and then finish filling them 2/3 full--makes a nice treat!  Also, you can add some frozen berries for a berry muffin.)

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 egg

1 cup water

2 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Convenience Mix

Beat the egg slightly with the water in a bowl.  Stir in the Whole Wheat Convenience Mix, just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Pour batter onto greased, hot griddle and cook over medium heat until browned on both sides and cooked through.  Serve hot with applesauce or molasses.  Makes about 15 3-inch pancakes. (The finished pancakes can be made ahead and frozen, and then reheated in the microwave or oven for a quick breakfast!)

Whole Wheat Coffee Cake

1 egg

1/2 cup water

2 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Convenience Mix

1/2 cup raisins

Beat the egg slightly with the water in a bowl.  Stir in the Whole Wheat Convenience Mix and raisins just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Spread evenly in 8x8-inch baking pan.  Sprinkle with Crumb Topping and bake in preheated 400° F. oven for about 25 minutes.  Cut in squares.  Best when served warm.

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

Mix the sugar, flour, and cinnamon together until there are no lumps of sugar.  Add the butter and mix until topping is fine and crumbly.

Enjoy!!!!

Hugs,

Cynthia Robin