Paula's Bread

Wheat Concerns Saga Finale? Part IV

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I say the Wheat Concerns Saga Finale as I am sure this topic is droning on way too long for you and I am in sense 'beating a dead horse' as my hubby tells me when I talk about the same thing over and over!

The last BIG gluten free pro/con question asked me, "Have you read or heard of the Wheat Belly book?"

The answer is: YES!

I have no motivation to bash those who love the book and/or followed Dr. Davis diet. This post is for those harried people out there who read the Wheat Belly book and are scratching their heads wondering what is next on the 'to do list' of health hurdles to jump. For those who are wondering what to believe and what not to believe. So, before you read further, I know I will be stepping on toes for those who have lost weight, who feel better, and who love Dr. Davis. Let's still be friends and just agree to disagree. :)

On to my personal review of the Wheat Belly book. I need to make a disclaimer that I am not promoting any medical advice nor trying to tell you what to believe or not believe. This is merely MY PERSONAL OPINION of the Wheat Belly book.

As I read Wheat Belly, I found myself saying "Really? Really, he believes this stuff?" It was very frustrating to read as there were a lot of stories to prove his position; there were lots of words that said studies show. As I said in my first post, don't let the buzz words be the litmus to make a decision. Be an informed consumer on any subject and check the studies IF if it telling to radically change your life.

As in my last post (Wheat Concerns Saga Part III), I told a story about Laura Ingalls Wilder's life who was so small in size that it should be blamed on the unmodified wheat. (No, I don't think that!) I could have told the story and then said, "This real life example proves my theory is correct." I think most of you would say "No, it just happens to support what you want to propose as truth, but that is not a factual way to prove your theory." As I read the Wheat Belly book, Dr. Davis would say he noticed his patients had this success or that success in better health and he attributed it to giving up wheat. There was NO documentation that wheat is all the patients gave up to get to the health level. If I give up doughnuts, fried foods, SUGAR, pop/soda, all manner of processed foods and don't super size my foods, I will lose weight AND I will feel better. As I said in an earlier post (Wheat Concerns Saga Part II), you won't find super-size portions in the gluten free foods and the variety of gluten-free foods will be limited that you can eat. You will lose weight when you don't eat as much!

I have a family member who was Type II diabetic. Her diet was changed (wheat was still a part of her daily routine) to more vegetables and no desserts. She is now off her meds!! The diabetes was not a wheat induced problem but poor food choices in general. I can't say it enough....PROCESSED FOODS ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOU!!

Just for good measure there are NUMEROUS broad statements made in the Wheat Belly book. Yet another example: (pages 184-186) Davis states wheat is the cause of alopeci areata (hair loss...baldness!) with no studies to prove his theory; no evidence; not even a patient who gave up wheat as an example for this claim. I really don't care that Davis made the claim except that these bold type claims throughout the book are off the wall and too many people are reading them and believing the book in total which has some truths and LOTS of misinformation.

This brings up another interesting point. Davis labeled wheat products as: HoHos, Scooter Pies, Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, TV dinners, etc. (page 7)! I am sorry this is NOT true whole wheat products but processed, dead foods that used highly refined flours and high amounts of sugar. He talked about how fat he was and then got off these "wheat products" and magically lost weight. Anytime you stop eating the junk food, the desserts, the processed foods which make you crave more and leaves you hungry, you will lose weight. This is basic 101 weight loss plan and not 'a wheat is the bottom of all problems.'

It bothered me throughout the book we were made to believe that refined flours were equal with whole wheat/whole grains. An example: Davis says (page 33) , "two slices of whole wheat bread is really little different, and often worse, than drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda or eating a sugary candy bar." He says (page 8) whole wheat bread has a glycemic index of 72. He sites a study done in 1981 for his data (page 33), yet here is a study done by Harvard Medical School saying 100% whole grain bread has a glycemic index of 51! There are other studies out there saying the exact same 51 glycemic index for true 100% whole wheat bread.

Hum?...maybe I should put a plug in for the Nutri Grain Mill as this gives you the best whole wheat flour for all your baking and making it a healthy choice to get the 39 nutrients, fiber and low glycemic index foods back into your diet!

I am not going to go on and on about different parts of the book that made numerous blanket statements, but I have one last red flag to make you step back and think about all the information Wheat Belly is promoting and read it with caution.

Davis recipes are in the back of the book and he is coming out with an entire cookbook for his 'new diet' plan. His desserts give you sugar choices to use, one being Splenda!! Davis says (page 239) " The compromise I draw in order to re-create several familiar dishes sans sugar is to use the artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners that I believe are the most benign and well tolerated by the majority." I would challenge you to simply google Splenda and check for yourself whether you think it is a benign substance to consume! There are NO benign artificial foods we an ingest that won't have consequences.

Bottom line, be an informed consumer. Do not let marketing ploys suck you in to eat and cook certain ways. Food chains are all too aware of the latest fads and trends. They are marketing you to make you believe you are getting the best foods. Why would potato chips say "Gluten Free?" There was NEVER any flour in a potato chip. It is all about convincing you to buy their products through marketing.

Get informed by taking the time to do your own research and not letting talking points lead you down a slippery slope. Keep things simple and basic. Enjoy life and stop to smell the roses. :)

Wheat Concern Saga Continues Part III

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:32:00 +0000

Question #2 Is your wheat GMO free? YES

I sell GMO FREE wheat.

I think the bigger issue is the info that is claiming our wheat is not the same as the ancient wheat and that we are not getting the nutrients we need. This type of info gives the impression you are eating chemicals...dead, artificial foods. The answer is NO!!! I guess this is more fear mongering words that are making the masses at large jump on the band wagon to take wheat out of their diet and not consider if the facts are true.

Remember, it is the PROCESSED foods that are our real enemy! Many talking points site all the grocery isles of wheat products (cereal isles, baking isles, bread isles, foods in frozen section, TV dinners) as the bad wheat. The talking points don't point out that the 'wheat' used in these multiple products is highly refined, processed flour with most of the foods having additives, artificial colorings and flavorings, not to mention loaded with high refined sugar! Could it be the lowly wheat kernel is taking all the blame when the sugar and the chemicals created to give us the flavors and colors we think we deserve are the real blame?

Let's get a broader view and think about ancient food of old. I would first point out that with the grains of 'old' and the foods of old, were the people healthier than we today? Were life spans as long as today's life span? This is not to start a battle on foods or to determine life spans, as I think we eat way too much processed food and need to eat more natural foods made from scratch. The point is we have put the ancients on a pedestal. In trying to get some balance on this subject, I have been reading VERY boring paleontology info (study of ancient diseases) which talk about the small bone frames of the ancients; skeletons w/ bones that are poc marked and huge tooth decay. This doesn't give you the idea that the ancient grains were giving the people great bone density nor the overall health. In fact, most of the sites talk about 40 years old as a ripe old age for the 'ancients'! I am just saying we need to take a breath and not memorialize the health and foods of the ancestors.

So for today's food choices, I would tell you that certified organic anything is best for you. Before you throw wheat out as the culprit for all health woes...Have you completely changed your diet making everything that you put in your mouth to 100% organic foods? Do you eat canned goods (they leach aluminum into the food)? Do you eat out (processed food served here)? I guess my point is that is we need to do our best and relax. Though I would love to say that our family is eating everything organic, we are not. We do what we can and enjoy life.

Unfortunately, health is almost a god in our society and we jump on whatever bandwagon will tell us that we will live to be a zillion years old with a youth potion that will keep us from looking a zillion years old! I think we need to make healthy choices but not to the detriment of our sanity in trying to jump all the health hurdles put before us. We need to deeply inhale and enjoy the journey of life and the people around us.

Since all of us like stories and the talking mantra seems to give stories as their backbone for truth, I give you a story....

Have you read Laura Ingalls Wilder books? Have you read The Long Winter? This is a depressing book if I ever read one and I am glad that I am not a pioneer! I love my air conditioned/heated home; I love my Bosch mixer that makes my bread; I love my Nutri Mill that grinds my wheat and not a coffee mill that the Wilder family used. I am made to live with conveniences and in the modern world!

In the Long Winter book, it showed how the family survived the winter on a parcel of wheat bread each day as their only sustenance. They made it through the winter and lived to tell about it. Our family went to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Missouri and got to see many of the artifacts that are talked about in the books. Very interesting. The museum even had the clothes and shoes they wore. It was amazing to see how tiny Laura's dress was...how small her shoe size was. It looked like a child's shoe. The point? Not the image of a strapping young woman who grew up on the untainted wheat that the talking points make us believe grew these Godzilla type people. In fact, if you go to any Civil War type museum and you will see small, child size uniforms that the adult men wore. These men were eating the wheat of old that talking points want us to believe made thin, fit and bronze people.

So with a story told to 'prove' my theory: ancient whole wheat didn't make a bigger better human any more than today's whole wheat makes a fatter, malnourished human. Unfortunately, I don't think my hypothesis would be validated by my story but it does make sense. No? The real story is the 'ancients' ate whole grains but didn't have abundant food supplies and were for the most part malnourished and therefore skinny. Here in our industrialize world we have too much processed fast food available to stuff our bodies with making us fat and happy!

My mantra is to sit back and smell the roses and let the anti-wheat/anti-gluten proponents have their say as you enjoy a nice slice of WHOLE WHEAT bread made with FRESHLY GROUND WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR with all its 39 vitamins and minerals.

Wheat Saga Continued...Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Before you delve in reading this post, I would encourage you to read the "Part I" post to get on board with my reasons for even joining in the fray of the anti-gluten/anti-wheat discussion. On the surface, it will appear I am only trying to drum up some business or defend my turf. Both of these are far from the truth. I am motivated to step in and hopefully bring balance back to the over the top info bombarding us with the gluten free fad.

Dare I use the word "fad?!!" This is almost a fighting word to label this new gluten-free trek for health a fad. So, this leads me to talk about coconut oil. What you say? We are talking about wheat and you chase a rabbit about coconut oil. For you old timers, you might remember coconut oil was pulled off the shelves and deemed not only unhealthy for us but the oil of a sure heart attack! We were warned that to use the coconut oil we would be clogging our arteries and be in line for a certain heart attack. You might chuckle at the lack of education and knowledge at the time would cause us to lose the very oil that is now herald as heart healthy choice. Coconut oil is considered the oil of choice not only for the heart but a whole gammet of other nutritional benefits. Those I won't go into as I would be truly chasing the rabbit. The point is that 20+ years ago, we all jumped on the band wagon following the 'certified studies' proving that we should not eat coconut oil. Hum....today, everyone is jumping on the band wagon to cut gluten from our diet because 'studies show' the validation. Really?

Again, let me reinterate, I am NOT addressing those with celiac who must get off gluten products. This is to the masses who have simply jumped on the band wagon to go gluten free not even knowing why.

In my last post, I mentioned questions/comments that were given me which I will address yet another one today.

"I feel so much better since I have gone gluten free and I have even lost weight!"

To answer this I appear to chase yet another rabbit. My husband, Robert, is a financial adviser with Parsonex Financial Services. He helps people with all types of financial services from living trusts, college funding, life insurance, 401K rollovers....okay the advertisement is over! lol. Anyway, he also does financial counseling and helps people set up a plan to get out of debt. We are Dave Ramsey advocates and Robert uses the snow ball approach to help people get out of debt. The first thing Robert does, when counseling someone, is for them to write down every dime and nickle they spend for two weeks. The in debt person will balk and tell Robert they really don't spend that much money, but will commit to tally their spending for two weeks. The result? The in debt person comes back shocked at how much money they nickled and dimed themselves to death.

Now, transfer this same scenario to diets and eating. None of us would readily admit that we eat processed food nor that we really eat that much. We just don't know how this extra layer of fat got on our bodies. We just woke up one day and bam...there was this 'love' handle! What is the method of all diet programs? Track what you eat!

When you go on a gluten free diet, suddenly you become aware of everything you put into your mouth. You start asking..."Is this gluten free?" It will definitely limit the food selection you can consume. No longer are you able to snatch the cookie, the cake, the doughnut, the multiple other snack foods. Another interesting fact, the gluten free restaurant portions are normal size, if not smaller. There are no 'super size' meals in the gluten free selections! So what happens, when you no longer super size your meals? You lose weight!

Most who go on the gluten free diets also are told to cut out sugar, pop (soda if you are from the east!), saturated fats, all processed foods. No wonder you would feel better! Anyone would feel better skipping the doughnut and the bag of chips and the pop and the....

The problem with the gluten free diet is it is not a long term good diet for you. As I said in my last post, the gluten free diet depletes you of many necessary vitamins, minerals and fiber that the gluten grains have because the gluten products readily available are made from refined gluten free grains. If you jump on the band wagon that the current gluten free fad is calling you to do, you have to make a concerted effort to reintroduce those missing nutrients into your diet. The average person/low information person hasn't even considered the nutritional loss. There are a lot of people who are going to be suffering other health symptoms due to lack of nutrients.

Will this 'fad' be something we laugh at like we do the coconut oil fad of yonder years?

For those who are finding their ears steaming reading my post, my only plea is to research for yourself the facts and not to jump on the coat tails of Dr. So n' So said nor let the verbiage 'studies show' sway you. Read the information for sure but don't believe everything you read! Just as all the studies and doctors assured us that coconut oil would kill us, take today's info with a grain of salt. Hum? There is that pun again using the word grain! :) Till we meet again on yet another commonly asked question.

Wheat and Anti-Grain Concerns Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:12:00 +0000

I have been on the road at various trade shows and have had numerous emails and calls all with people who are concerned about the recent anti-wheat info...the impact of wheat and other grains on their diet. I would talk with people one on one but had decided to stay out of the fray of the argument for or against wheat and gluten grains in general. I have remained silent on my blog/face book about the topic because it is so volatile and people have so much passion in their views for or against gluten or wheat.

I preface that my views are not based simply because I sell the Nutri mill grain grinder and the Bosch Universal mixer and only want to defend my marketing audience. For example, people think my saying "I LOVE my Bosch mixer" is only because I sell the Bosch Universal mixer and wear the apron donning "Bosch." I quickly tell people at trade shows that any who pass by my booth and have a Bosch mixer; the first words they say will be, "I love my Bosch; I couldn't live without my Bosch mixer; The Bosch mixer is the best mixer I could have ever bought." So, what do these comments have to do with the anti-wheat and anti-grain push seen today?

My motivation is not to defend my machines but simply bring balance to the broad claims made about taking grains out of your diet. I think there is too much pressure on us to jump certain nutritional hurdles; and if we don't jump the hurdles, we must not really love and care for our family. Remember the peer pressure we endured in our school days that made us do things that really weren't us...made us wear a facade. Humm...are we still there??; only the peer pressure is in the realm of what we eat or don't eat; how we choose to educate our children; how our children perform/act in front of others...the list goes on.

I guess, I have come to a point of speaking up on the anti-wheat issue because there are too many harried women who have come to me desperate with all the wheat information...the gluten issues....they are not intrigued nor excited about the subject but only have hallow eyes saying, "I must be failing in feeding my family nutritionally, and I can't take one more thing on my 'to do list!' Help!" So, these postings (it will take several) are for those harried women to step back; take a breath; and know things are not as bad as it appears or are led to think!

So now, I dive in to hopefully shed some light or a different perspective on all the information and be so bold to say misinformation circulating around the food talking circles...the anti-grain issue is no different than other issues which have some truth with a lot of erroneous ideology mixed in. The anti-grain...anti-wheat proponents throw words like "studies show; Dr. So n' So said; an M.D. behind their name." These buzz words make us give credibility to the person writing and information proposed without questioning whether the study was done validly.

The first question I am usually asked...What do you think about gluten? Is your wheat GMO?"..."I feel so much better off of gluten and I lost weight!"...have you heard/read the "Wheat Belly" book? What do you think?

Question #1 What do you think about gluten?
There is so much hype about gluten today. Truth: There are people who are truly allergic to gluten grains and need to use only non-gluten grains. I am NOT denying there are those with celiac and who truly need to avoid all gluten. This information is not to tell them to start using gluten!!

I want to counter the ideology that tells the general masses: "get off of gluten" "gluten is bad for you" "gluten is the cause of your allergies" "gluten is the cause of your weight gain" "gluten makes you sick".

Many who say they are gluten intolerant are not intolerant to the true wholesome whole wheat kernel, which contains gluten, or whole wheat bread made with fresh ground whole grain flour; but are reacting to the processed flour that is in all processed foods, condiments, in packaged foods you purchase at the grocery store, used in restaurants, and the list goes on. Even those who mill their own whole grains into flour and make their own bread from fresh milled whole grains, like my family, are still consuming the processed flour and other processed foods. If you eat out, you are eating processed flour...usually loaded with white sugar. These processed foods are a huge culprit in developing allergies to the masses.

We need to stop/curb the processed foods we consume and not blame ailments we suffer simply on the whole gluten grains. There is so much valuable nutrition in the whole grains. Whole grains, which contain gluten, are a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. (see the nutrition break down below). Gluten-free products you purchase or consume in the restaurants at large are made with refined gluten-free grains, and are low in nutrients. Gluten-free foods tend to be deficient in fiber, iron, niacin, thiamine, calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and zinc. You have to make a concerted, knowledgeable effort to put those nutrients back into your diet when eating a gluten-free diet which the average person is not doing. When eating whole gluten grains, you get these naturally in your fresh milled flour. Notice, I said FRESH MILLED FLOUR! If you are buying the processed flour in the store, you are not getting the nutrients you need.

Current talking points lump anything with gluten as the culprit for all ailments and that specifically wheat is not a healthy choice for you or your family. Below are nutritional details of whole wheat. I do want to add those who are truly gluten intolerant need to consider a Nutri Grain Mill so they can mill the non-gluten grains and keep the nutrients and fiber these non-gluten grains contain. The key here is FRESH MILLED FLOUR and stop the processed foods/flours.

Many will say they went gluten free and feel so much better and lost weight. Well, this is for the next post! I have rambled too long and given too much info for you to digest...pun intended! :) Till we talk again....

Notice how many nutrients you are getting from the whole wheat grain?!! The processed flour is depleted not to mention bleached. The processed white flour is just not good for us and yet we consume it in high volumes just as we consume white sugar. Again, if you eat out....if you buy any processed or canned type foods, you are getting the depleted, processed flour and white sugar which are culprits for making us sick.

Here shows the parts of the wheat to help understand what that tiny wheat kernel has and benefits us. Plus you can see how much we lose with the white "enriched" flour!

Bran - Essential to good health; it permits the body to rapidly eliminate wastes and toxins which are believed to be the cause of many health problems and diseases. It is resold to us consumers (minus much of the original nutrients).
Middlings -This highly nutritious outside layer directly under the bran; contains a high percentage of minerals and vitamins and is sold to ranchers and farmers as livestock feed.
Wheat Germ - This important source of vitamins and minerals is also removed and sold separately as a food or food supplement.
Wheat Germ Oil - This oil is rich in vitamins, but is removed along with the wheat germ to insure longer shelf life. Oils exposed to air oxidize and rapidly turn rancid, giving a bitter taste to foods that become harder to digest. Wheat germ oil is widely used in cosmetics because of its high percentage of Vitamin E.
White Flour - The result of the commercial milling process is white flour, almost entirely devoid of nutritional value. It is tasteless and usually flavored with sugars, fats and salt, which are at the root of many of today's diseases: obesity, constipation, diabetes, hypoglycemia, hypertension, heart disease, etc... "Enrichment" which is required by the US government (not the Japanese government), consists of only restoring artificially 3 vitamins (B1, B2, and Niacin) and 1 mineral (iron) after having removed 39 of them plus the bran.

The Sutton Clan Grows!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:06:00 +0000

Let me introduce another little guy to you...Joshua joined our Sutton clan. In the pic, he is only a few hours old!

He is such a cuddly little guy and very alert. He came to visit his grandma last night.....I know he knows his grandma is holding him because he keep watching me! :) You think?!! We are so happy to have another little grandson. Thanks for being happy with me. :)

Pizza on a Grill!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Yes, you read the title right!! We used the basic bread recipe and made a pizza on a grill. It is FABULOUS!! In fact, I think it will replace our traditional all-American hamburger cookout. this Fourth of July! Making your pizza on the grill is not only tasty but fast. We fixed our meal in about 8 minutes!

I used the basic bread recipe. Click here for recipe

You can see I have the Xagave Cookbook in the background. It uses another bread recipe and has great instructions and ideas for toppings for a grilled pizza. Click here to learn more about the cookbook!

For mini pizza you will need a baseball size ball of dough. Roll it out into a large circle. You will oil both sides with olive oil. This will keep the dough from sticking to your grill.

Place on heated grill (have your grill set at a medium heat; too hot will burn quickly)

Grill one side moving often as it will stick. Flip the pizza dough to grill the other side.

Now comes the fun! Top with pasta seasoning* add your favorite toppings and cheese. Close the grill and let heat for about 4-5 minutes.

You now have a 'to die for' pizza in about 8 minutes. Happy grilling

*I used the pasta seasoning mix with tomato sauce (1T pasta mix per 8 oz. tomato sauce!) Click here to see pasta mix!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I am doing a Bible study over the Book of James. There have been so many profound truths that have pricked my heart; encouraged and given me hope; challenged me to look for and remove the junk cluttering my soul.

This past week I was studying James 4:14 which describes our lives as a vapor. First, let me say God is not saying WE are a vapor but life is. This is significant because God thinks we are unique and very important to Him. We are not some empty vapor.

Have you ever heard the symbol of "The Dash?" A tomb stone tells the day we were born; a dash; and the day we died! That small dash represents our life...our vapor! There are so many things to be said about how we spend this dash but I want to talk about the vapor of trials.

I was so encouraged to know that the hard knocks of life...the rough road...the trials will pass just as the vapor of my breath disappears on a cold day. I exhale to see my breath and then its gone! Just as our whole life is a vapor, I can bask that this trial will not go on forever. This brought me great hope and joy to my soul. I hope you are as encourage as I that the 'this too shall pass' is truly true!

A very poignant poem to make us realize the dash of life and all the activity that we try to fill in that dash as if it will last forever. Check out the poem: The Dash

Thank you to our Military!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Mon, 27 May 2013 00:23:00 +0000

I am always in awe with the commitment and loyalty to our country our service men and women have to the point of willing to lay down their life. This weekend is to honor those who have laid down their life for our freedom. Two servicemen who touched my life and are sons of good friends of mine are counted in the number who gave their life...

Jaron Holiday died in service to our country at the young age of 21. I still remember the day we got the phone call of his death.

Andrew Looney died in service to our country at the young age of 22. I remember sitting at my computer while out of town reading the news of the death of yet another soldier and friend.

Thank you Holiday and Looney Family and to ALL our military and to their families who also have sacrificed in the absence of their soldier AND those who have lost their soldier. May God bless you richly and you know His presence as you deal with the loss of your loved one.

Another Sad Day....

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

We received news of a dear friend, Randy Miller, going home to Jesus. He is a fellow vendor in our trade show world and died during the booth set up of the Florida’s FPEA Homeschool convention. His homecoming to Jesus is not sad but those left behind has brought tremendous sadness and grief.

Many of you may know this man at the home school convention, but only as the guy at Miller Pad. This company offers a wonderful bounty of paper and art supplies. They have had their business for over 20 years and have been faithful servicing the home school community. I know you have been blessed if you have stopped by their booth. In fact, I encourage you to stop by their booths at the future home school conventions to support this family.

Another twist to the grief many are sharing at the moment....many don't realize that vendors at conventions you attend have become 'family' with each other. We see each other every weekend in different states. We sweat with each other setting up our booths and tearing down our booths. We visit with each other during the slow times of the home school conventions; we visit with each other at the end of the day; we visit with each other when the convention ends and before we take off to the next state. Our kids have become friends and look forward to the next time they get to hang out together. We are family.

Many of you simply know this vendor as the Miller Pad Booth who had wonderful bounty of paper and art supplies; but we know them as Renee and Randy Miller. Randy was a quiet, gentle man who was so kind. Just recently, he guarded my back in moving my truck and trailer! I had to maneuver into a tight squeeze and he was there to help me get out. A seemingly small thing but when you are exhausted and setting up a huge booth, do you really want to take care of someone else's problems? Randy did. He was such a kind man.

Please pray for this family as they walk through the grief of the sudden death of husband, father, grandfather, and friend. I am grateful we can all bond together to lift up a fellow family to Jesus.

If you are not going to a home school convention, you can shop online for their great products at:
http://www.millerpadsandpaper.com/

A sad day for Oklahomans

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:39:00 +0000

Many are watching/hearing the news that tornadoes have hit Oklahoma. We are Oklahomans and grieve with those who have lost loved ones and their homes.

We are fine here in Skiatook (just outside Tulsa, OK), however, I did have 3 funnels make an appearance during the storm! God was watching over us....

It was actually really weird. I didn't even know there was bad weather happening. The kids had just finished mowing our property and had come in for showers. I had 2 grandkids here watching a movie, so we didn't have the news on to even know there was bad weather coming. My son says..."There is a guy in on our drive sitting in his car." I go outside with my son to check it out. The guy says, "I just love watching the clouds and saw your vantage point was cool." He stayed a few moments, then left. I look up at the clouds and see the rotation; tell my son go get the pantry/storm shelter ready and get the kids in the pantry w/ bike helmets; and tell mom to get in the pantry. In case you are wondering why bike helmets, I put them on my grandchildren to protect them from any possible falling debri.

I stayed on the drive trying to determine the weather...the clouds....I see 2 small funnels come down over the trees south of us, but they quickly sucked back up to the clouds. This is a first time ever here in at our Skaitook home! Then, a bigger funnels starts to come but goes back up into the clouds. The wind hits hard and strong....the clouds/storm moves east. This whole episode lasted probably 20-30 minutes. Crazy, but that is Oklahoma weather for you. Anyway, we are fine, the storm is over BUT there is so much damage in OKC. :( Time to pray for the needs of the people.

Nashville, TN & Des Moines, IA...Good to see ya!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:27:00 +0000

We have different teams at different conventions and have so enjoyed getting to see lots of you. If you haven't stopped by yet, come see us at The Teach Them Diligently convention in the Grand Old Opry Convention Center in Nashville, TN OR...the NICHE convention at the Iowa Convention Center.

We are making bread in our booths and you can come smell the aroma and tastes great bread. You can see the 'wares' in real life rather than the internet pics AND you get to see us! We love to visit and get to meet you all in person. Come on by and sit a spell.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:09:00 +0000

My daughter made these scrumptious muffins for our family...me! She knows I love blueberries and this muffin really hit the spot. Best of all, it was easy to make, especially for me as my daughter made them. She told me they were easy to make as well, so don't be afraid to try them.

For Mother's Day we went to my sister-in-law's home who treated us to a luscious chocolate cake. You will never see that recipe on my blog as it was a 12 step process and used a dishwasher load full of utensils to make it happen. I thoroughly enjoyed eating her chocolate cake and told her I would come to her house any day to eat it!! Thus, I LOVE the fast and easy recipes which this blueberry streusel muffin makes for your family.

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS

Ingredients:

1/3 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg (beaten)
2 1/3 cup sifted pastry flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Streusel:
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup sifted pastry flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Cream sugar & butter; add beaten egg. Combine flour baking powder & salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in vanilla. Fold in blueberries. Fill 12 cup stainless steel muffin pan.
Combine streusel first 3 ingredients & cut in butter. Sprinkle over muffin batter. Bake 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins.

Note from Paula: You can use the Bosch Flour Sifter to make a cake consistency flour. This will yield light and fluffy baked goods...heavenly blueberry muffins!

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Sun, 12 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Happy Mother's Day

I hope you all have a Happy Mother's Day...celebrate with your mom...celebrate with your spiritual children...celebration is really in the form of appreciation.

I think there is so much emphasis on 'getting' something for mom that the reason for the gift is forgotten...appreciation! Some have moms they really see the sacrifice and love that all the media and greeting cards portray and others struggle because they never knew or experienced that 'type' of mother. The point isn't to stir up loss or bitterness but to embrace where we are in life and rejoice/appreciate the those that made us what we are today. If not your birth mother, is there another mentor/mother image who has helped to form your life. A teacher? a Sunday school teacher? A neighbor? An elderly woman? Thank them and use this occasion of "Mother's Day" to show appreciation to them.

I think thankfulness and appreciation are forgotten words in our fast paced, it's all about me world we are living in. We look at ourselves as these self-made people not seeing the 'mom' who did indeed sacrifice for our benefit. Take a moment and pick up the phone or write a note to say, "I am thinking of you....I appreciate you....Thank you!"

For those moms who didn't get the appreciation call or 'rise up and call her blessed' moment, God knows your work and has counted it. You will see your reward! Remember, life is a vapor and we will be face to face with Jesus and He will acknowledge those works of love!

Again, I say.....

Happy Mother's Day!

Slow Cooked French Toast!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Sat, 11 May 2013 03:55:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted a new and different idea for Mother's Day. There is always the traditional breakfast ideas, but this one is soooo different!! I must admit, I don't think I would make it for breakfast as it only has to cook about 3-4 hours which means I would be getting up way too early in the morning to have this breakfast ready for breakfast. I have become a morning person but this would be over the top. I would be like all those doughnut shop/bakery people who get up at 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. to have those fresh baked goods ready for us to consume. I just don't have the DNA to do that. Kudos to those who do get up and have those fresh pastries ready for us.

So how would I use this luscious recipe? I would make it for the dessert finale of the Mother's Day Meal. It would be cooking through the morning and be hot and ready for dessert. I can't tell you how good this breakfast...dessert is. My kids kept asking me when it would be ready as the smell permeated the house. Then, it was like holding back a starving animal from its food. My kids were far from starvation but you would have thought they hadn't seen food in years the way they dug into this breakfast dessert!

Humm? Am I recommending this dish? YES!!! It is worth trying. So without further ramblings...here we go!

Slow Cooked French Toast
Found & Adjusted from Taste of Homes

1 1/2 cup raw sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
12 slices whole wheat bread
2 cups fresh blueberries
6 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
garnish with fresh blueberries and whip cream

Step One: Butter inside of the crock pot. Mix raw sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Put 1/4 of sugar mixture on bottom of the crock pan. Put 4 slices of bread on the bottom. Cover with another 1/4 sugar mixture and sprinkle with blueberries; Repeat this step with each layer of bread.

Step Two:
Mix eggs, milk, vanilla extract, salt. Pour over the bread mixture.

Step Three:
Turn crock pot on Low Setting. Cook for 3 to 4 hours or until egg mixture is solid/cooked.

Garnish with whip cream and blueberries.
Note from Paula: If your mom is not a blueberry fan, try peaches...strawberries. This is a fun, delicious breakfast OR dessert for Mom! Can I say YUM!! Enjoy!
Don't forget the Mother's Day Sales!! You can see them at www.paulasbread.com!

More help tips on the why your bread has issues!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:51:00 +0000

1. Help! There's a hole in my baked bread!!

Just this week, I cut into a loaf of bread and there in its full glory was a hole in the center of the loaf! I considered taking a pic to let you know it happens to all of us even those who have been making bread for over 30 years!! Don't despair in making bread. So why the hole? There are three culprits causing the hole.

-The first is not 'slapping' your bread to get the air pockets out of the formed loaf. I always give my dough a good 'spanking' to tighten the dough. This slap will make the gluten of the dough tighten and keep air pockets from forming.

-The second is letting your bread rise too high and fast. Sometimes I have had my bread in a warm spot and it rose really fast with an almost airy look. The end result is usually a hole in the center.

-The third is not kneading your bread dough enough. Sometimes when I add extra vital wheat gluten to my whole wheat bread recipe, I need to knead the dough a little longer (1-2 minutes) just to let the gluten thoroughly work. Just remember, if you are not using a Bosch Universal Mixer, you will need to knead your bread dough for about 20 minutes!!

Both of these were the case for the bread that I cut into this week. I had let it rise too much outside the oven AND I had not bothered to slap my dough nor press it firmly into the bread pan. Sometimes haste in baking is not a good thing. :)

Don't throw the bread away!! You can make it into croutons or blend the bread in your Bosch Blender to make bread crumbs.

2. I have too many loaves rising and they won't fit in my oven at the same time. Help!!

You can form the extra dough into pizza crust or other bread delectable OR you can form them into a loaf in the bread pan but put the dough in the fridge. This will slow the rising and allow the other bread to bake. When your oven has room, remove the slowly rising bread dough from the the fridge and let it rise till ready for the oven. I always try to make as much bread as possible since I already have all the ingredients out. Don't let a small oven inhibit your bread making endeavors.

Whole Wheat Calzone

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Sat, 04 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Here is yet another thing you can do with bread. I love my Bosch Universal Mixer because it makes life so easy to create fantastic food! This time I am making Whole Wheat Calzone using my basic whole wheat bread recipe...First you go to the basics and make your Basic Whole Wheat Bread Recipe!

Pick your basic whole wheat bread dough recipe size here: http://www.paulasbread.com/recipes.html#5loaves

Whole Wheat Calzone

Step One: Roll the bread dough 1/2" thick into a round circle. Your circle will be depend on the size servings you want to make. I made individual calzones so I made small 6" circles.

Step Two: Place the filling of your choice on one side of the circle.
Pepporoni and grated cheese; Thinly sliced roast beef and grated cheese; spinach, rocotta cheese & mozzarella cheese; the list goes as far as your imagination!

Step Three: Fold the other half the bread dough circle over the side with the filling. With fork tongs, press the edges tightly together.

Step Four: Bake 350 degrees till golden brown.

Step Five: Pasta dip. I simply used tomato sauce mixed to taste with Pizza Seasoning. You could have an alfredo dip; cheese dip...again, let your imagination go!!

The Art of Bread Making!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

I told you all about the studio taping I did last September demonstrating the Bosch Universal Mixer and how to make bread. As much as I don't like seeing myself on DVD nor hearing myself recorded, I am telling you about my workshop: Beautiful, Bountiful Bread.

Check out the workshop and you will see why I LOVE my Bosch and how easy it is to make bread!!

Here is the link: http://hedua.com/media/beautiful-bountiful-bread/

Mother's Day Sale #2

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Many have been holding out to buy their Nutri Mill Grain Grinder. Hoping for a sale....here it is!! You can get the L'Equip Nutri Grain Mill for ONLY $229.99!

You will be able to grind all your grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, corn, all the non-gluten grains AND beans!) Did you know that within 78 hours after milling you have lost the nutritional value of the flour. There are 39 vitamins and minerals in the grain and it will oxidize out of the flour. When you don't have the nutrients in the flour, you loose the flavor. When you use fresh flour with your baking all your baked goods will taste better.

Think of it much like eating a fresh carrot. The carrot is juicy and sweet. Now, boil a carrot and you can see the water has turned orange due to the nutrients seeping out of the carrot into the water. You taste the carrot and it is tasteless....no nutrition. The same way, when you have the nutrients in the flours, you will have the flavor.

So we loose the flavor but fresh whole grains will actually go rancid due to the release of the oil in the grain. A funny on me buying bulk flour before the day that I even knew about nutrition in flour and wanting to have fresh flour for flavor. I bought 50# of whole wheat flour to save money. Things were going pretty good for about 3 months. Then, I began to notice a strange flavor in my bread...in my cookies...in fact, this strange, horrid flavor was in all the things I was baking. I realized the flour was the source of the horrid taste. I didn't want to loose my bargain so continued to use the flour to the almost "last drop." Later, as I began to research nutrition, I found that using rancid flour was not only bad tasting but it wasn't harming us as well. Take if from me...the taste is enough reason to through out the old flour.

So what do you do? Having fresh milled flour really does make a difference. With the L'Equip Nutri Grain Mill, you will be able to mill all your grains and beans fast and easy. You will get the full nutrition available in the grain and your baked goods will tastes better.

Cash in on the Mother's Day sale!!

Another blessing!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

I have been off the race track of life and business playing! I had the 'burden' of playing with my grandchildren and cuddling my newest grandson. Such a hard job but somebody had to do it! I loved every moment and sat for hours simply holding our precious little one. My hubby would ask me if I really enjoyed just sitting and staring at the 2 week old. I gave a wholehearted "Yes!"

My hubby on the other hand entertained the two year old brother with multiple games. Robert has bruises all over him as he was the tramplene for our two year old grandson to bounce on granddad. From the time our grandson woke up (7 a.m. ) to bed time, it was non-stop play with both granddad and grandma. I did the more quiet things like reading books and building train tracks. Still sooo much fun.

Grand-parenting sure is fun and everything we had dreamed it would be. I guess I am back into the real world. sigh.

Mother's Day Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Just in time for Mother's Day....A SALE!!

The Bosch Universal Mixer has added a wonderful attachment (Bosch Slicer Shredder) for a Mother's Day sale. When you working in the kitchen, good kitchen tools make all the difference in the ease of preparation and really the joy of cooking. When you have to slice/dice/chop everything by hand, it is a real chore. With the Bosch Universal Mixer, all my baking and cooking turns to an easy prep which makes it more fun to cook.

This Bosch attachment just makes cooking easy and fast which is what I need for my busy schedule. It also makes cooking more enjoyable as I am not exhausted trying to pull off a meal with lots of prep work. Have you ever sat down to a meal that has so many steps to prepare that by the time you gather everyone to eat, you just want to lay down and forget it? I would sit down with everyone but was so tired I didn't converse as much nor feel like company. Like, I had missed the whole reason for all the food prep. :( Thus, my Bosch Universal Mixer has become my true kitchen center that does all my meal prep fast and easy.

The Bosch Slicer/Shredder is normally $119.99 and now you can get it for only $49.99 with the purchase of the Bosch Universal Mixer. What can the Bosch Slicer/Shredder do? It can obviously slice and shred with the disks that come with it. On each of the disks...one side slices/shreds thin while the other side shreds thick. The other cool disk that comes with the basic Bosch Slicer/Shredder unit: a French Fry cutter. Yes, you can make wonderful French fries with this disk BUT I use it to chop veggies for stir-fry dinners or put iceberg lettuce through it and make taco style salad fixing in minutes. Who wants to spend time chopping all the lettuce just for a salad. My mantra is fast and easy. This is what this Bosch accessory does. It is GREAT!! Humm...can you tell I LOVE and use my Bosch mixer to the max.

The beauty about the Bosch Slicer/Shredder is it can be expanded with other blades, a dough hook and a whisk. I use the whisk attachment for the slicer/shredder to make whip cream and icings. It is a small bowl which is the perfect size for the whip cream. You are going to love your Bosch Mixer AND the Bosch slicer/shredder attachment that you can get for only $49.99 w/ the purchase of your Bosch Mixer.

Why is my bread dry and crumbly?

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:29:00 +0000

I have lots of people calling with the same questions and came to the conclusion that maybe there are a lot people out there with those same questions but simply haven't call to ask.

1. My bread is dense, dry and crumbly. What am I doing wrong? Solutions:

I know it will be hard to believe but you are adding too much flour.
a. If you are using your Bosch Universal Mixer, you add flour till it just starts pulling away from the side of the Bosch bowl. If you find your bread is still crumbly, back off on the flour again. Bottom line: back off on the flour!

b. Don't automatically use the recipe flour measurement! Most recipes have about 15%-20% too much flour! If you are using freshly milled flour it is like a sifted flour consistency. If you are using bagged store flour, it is compacted and thus you are using more flour with each cup of flour. Did I say...back off on the flour? :)

c. Don't flour your counter surface or knead with extra fl

our. Oil your counter surface and oil your hands. This will keep the dough from sticking to your hands and counter but not add the flour which dries out your loaf of bread.
Bottom Line: Too much flour makes a dense, dry, crumbly loaf of bread!

2. My bread always sinks in the middle while baking.

You need to put your rising bread into the oven sooner. The dough has risen too much outside of the oven. Remember, it will continue to rise as it begins baking. The best test is to lightly touch the side of the rising bread. If the bread stays indented when lightly touched, it is ready to go into the oven for baking.

Mocha Frappucino

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

We made the doughnuts and I wanted coffee to go with the doughnuts. A Mocha Frappucino isn't what people think of buying to go with their sugary doughnut BUT this recipe was too good to pass up. We were able to whip this up with our Bosch Blender fast and everyone enjoyed them.

Mocha Frappe

3/4 cup strong dark coffee, room temp.
1 cup whole milk
2 Tbs. Xagava
3 Tbs. Hershey Chocolate Syrup
2 cups ice

Directions:
Blend in your Bosch blender until smooth. Sit back and enjoy your mocha frappe with your whole wheat doughnuts!

For those who like the Starbucks moments...this is a real close to the Starbucks Mocha Frappucino! Yum!...and the price is so much better. So indulge and have a moment of coffee heaven. :)

Whole Wheat Doughnuts!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

My kids love doughnuts and I hate to see them eat the processed doughnuts at the store. I try hard to turn my eyes when their dad takes them for the occasional doughnut trip. They usually don't want me to go along as I find myself commenting on all the saturated fats, sugars and empty calories. I am not very fun company when you are wanting to indulge. Well, at least when it comes to the high processed sugar stuff. Humm...I know you are thinking all my desserts listed on the blog don't reveal someone who hates sugar or chocolate. I guess it is the chemicals and saturated fats that get to me.

I started thinking about how much my kids like doughnuts and started searching the web for different doughnut recipes. I took all the recipes into account and created my own. One common ingredient that all the doughnuts have is nutmeg which was interesting to me. I am not a nutmeg lover, however, this is one of the seasonings that you don't want to pass up when making doughnuts. For those who like the doughnut flavor, it is the nutmeg that makes you think you are eating a doughnut!

Without further ramblings...onto

Whole Wheat Doughnuts!!

Ingredients:
2 cups scalded whole milk
8 Tbs raw sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup oil*
4 Tbs. SAF yeast
4 cups sifted whole white wheat flour**

Directions:

Scald the milk. Put into your Bosch Bowl Mixer. Add sugar, oil, salt, nutmeg. Check the temperature of your milk mixture. If it is back to lukewarm (100 degrees), add your SAF yeast. The reason you want to wait on the yeast is so you won't kill the yeast with the liquid being too hot.

Add the flour and knead in your Bosch Mixer with the dough hook for 5 minutes.

Roll out 1" thickness and cut in 2" size. I do not have a doughnut cutter so I simply used the biscuit cutter and then poked a middle hole with my finger. Set them on a cookie sheet to let rise (about 5 minutes.)

Fry on each side till lightly golden brown. Be careful not to have your oil too hot as the doughnuts will burn on the outside and the inside will be raw dough.

Now for the fun part. Drain slightly on a paper towel to get the excess oil off the doughnut. Then, place the doughnut in the favorite topping of choice. Cinnamon/sugar...powdered sugar? Place the sugar mixture in a zip lock bag to coat the doughnut. Another option: set on a cooling rack and drizzle runny icing over the doughnut. This lets it coat the doughnut. My kids love chocolate and melted chocolate on a doughnut is a dream come true! :)

Chocolate Easter Baskets!

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Something about holidays makes me deviate from the normal healthy recipes. I do try to make some healthy but there are just too many fun ideas out there to make that are just plain fun. I guess I could have gone to the health food store and gotten carob chips but the semi-sweet chocolate chips were there and handy.

I saw this recipe on foodnet and it was just too fun to not make. It is actually easy! Hurray! This meets my criteria of cooking: easy and fast! I did change their recipe from using the large muffin pan to a mini muffin pan as the chocolate nests were too big and way to much sugar and chocolate to enjoy in a large serving. The smaller mini muffin pan made the bite size serving that would be good on a dessert tray and makes Easter a festive time. Great dessert to make and you can whip it up EASY!

Easter Chocolate Nests/Baskets
Shoestring Potato Chips (also called Potato Stix)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

Melt the chocolate chips either in the micro wave or place in bowl with warm water under the bowl of chocolate chips to melt the chips. Fold in the potato string chips.

Dab a spoonful in the mini muffin pan and press down the center. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Decorate with 2-3 Easter egg malt balls or jelly beans.

Have fun eating and serving the Chocolate Easter Baskets!

Mexican Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Paula's Bread) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Create a Mexican Casserole!!

I had made Taco Soup which is always easy and a good hit with the family. However, I made way too much soup and the kids grew weary of eating the Taco Soup. I didn't want to waste my soup so I drained the excess liquid and created a Mexican Casserole.

So, we can zero in on my casserole or get the bigger picture...create a recipe! I used to be one who only combed the cookbooks to find something to cook. I would only bake/cook things that came in the form of a recipe. Several years ago, I realized that someone had to create the recipe. They just didn't happen. Someone had to taste/test the recipe to decide how much of a certain ingredient would make it good..better...best.

What do you do when you want to deviate from a recipe or use ingredients you have in the fridge to make something for dinner? Think about the things you like. Do you like cheese, sour cream or cream cheese? Do you like Cajan seasonings, Mexican seasoning, or soy flavorings? Incorporate your flavors that you like into a recipe. Cream cheese and sour cream mix well and do well with Cajan and Mexican seasonings. Throw meat in with them and you are creating something you will love.

Now, we get to my creation Mexican Casserole. My base was my Taco Soup. I then simply layered whole wheat tortillas, the drained taco soup mixture, dabbed sour cream over the meat mixture, and then a layer of cheese. I repeated the steps again. The results....a DELICIOUS meal. My soup wasn't wasted and the kids were relieved for a break from my Taco Soup. If you don't want to deviate from a recipe, below is my taco soup. Enjoy!

Taco Soup
6 (frozen!) Chicken boneless Chicken breasts
3 cans Ro-Tel
1 cup dry black beans
3 cups frozen corn
1 onion chopped
1 qt. chicken broth
1-2 cups water
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. chile powder
1 Tbs. ground cumin

Throw all in your crock pot and simmer for 6-8 hours. A great meal to start in the morning and have dinner ready without the evening rush to get dinner on the table.