GRAINS

Grains are affordable and adaptable, and is a great place to start when building your food storage. Although when we plan our food storage we often think of WHEAT RED OR WINTER, there are so many other grains that are much more easily digested as well as taste great. You can also grind any grains into flour and add it to your bread mixes for extra vitamins and health. They can be mixed (up to 25%) with wheat. Spelt also has a high gluten content and will make raised bread by itself. So even if a large portion of your grains is wheat, you should still stock a wide variety of other grains for their flavor, variety and nutritional value. Rice, barley, millet, cornmeal, oats, popcorn, quinoa, tapioca and more all have a valuable place in a long-term food storage program.

GRAIN TO WATER RATIO

GRAINS CUPS GRAIN TO CUPS WATER
AMARANTH 1:2 1/2
BULGER 1:3
KAMUT 1:3
MILLET 1:3
OATS, ROLLED 1:3
PEARL BARLEY 1:3 1/2
QUINOA 1:2
SPELT 1:3
WHOLE WHEAT 1:3
CRACKED WHEAT 1:3
BASMATI-WHITE 1:1 3/4
BASMATI-BROWN 1:2 1/2
BROWN-MED 1:2
BROWN- SHORT 1:2 1/2
BROWN- SWEET 1:2
JASMINE -BROWN 1:2 1/2
JASMINE- WHITE 1: 1 3/4
LONG GRAIN 1:2
SHORT GRAIN 1:2
TEXMATI- BROWN 1:2
TEXMATI-WHITE 1:1 3/4
WHANI OR RED 1:2
WILD AND BROWN MIX 1:3
WILD 1:3 1/2

*When boiling grains- bring water to a boil, then add grains, stir and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered until done. The grain is done when the water is absorbed and the grain is softened. When done cooking remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Re-cover and allow to sit for 5-10 min.


Some tips using grains:

• To sooth an upset stomach - rice water or barley water
• presoaking hard grains like whole wheat can reduce the cooking time. Soak for 6-8 hrs or over night and cook them in the soaking water.
  
• Do not rinse rice before cooking.
• If you have dogs, you can store rice as back up or filler to their dog food.
• If you have old popcorn that has lost its moisture. You can put the moisture back into it by adding a small amount of popcorn to a jar and add a tablespoon of water. Put the lid on and shake the bottle to distribue the water throughout the corn. Then set it aside for a day or two so that the water can be absorbed.
• the grain amaranth can be popped the same as popcorn. it will make teeny tiny popped kernals
• you can grind popcorn, and use it for cornmeal in place of corn bread or any other recipe.
  
• you can sprout grains for even more vitamins and nutrition

IDEAS FOR USING WHOLE GRAINS -

·grind into flour and use in baking bread, cookies, pasta

·flake or cook whole as a cereal, similar to oatmeal with optional additions such as flavorings (cinnamon) and dried fruit (diced apples, raisins, craisins).

·toss into spagetti sauce or into chili (*bulgar or cracked wheat works especially well for this)

·toss into soup, such as vegetable (pearled barley, millet and brown rice work well in vegetable soup)

·use in place of rice in casseroles