SOURDOUGH {OR SOAKED} WHOLE GRAIN FREEZER WAFFLES

I have a couple of different types of waffle makers but once I came across one that makes round waffles I knew this would be perfect for making waffles to freeze. I always thought that Belgian waffles were too bulky for that purpose, but for some reason Belgian-style waffler irons are most common for home use.

During the school year, mornings are so hectic and it’s nice to have something that can be made so quick and be so nutritious.

Even the best organic store waffles have weird ingredients, from soy oil / vegetables oils to enriched flour and artificial flavors. I make my waffles with freshly milled White Sonora wheat berries so they have the entire nutritional content of whole wheat untouched.

White Sonora is remarkable because of its tenderness and white color even using 100% whole grain flour. Good for those picky eaters you are trying to keep healthy!

WHITE SONORA WHEAT

White Sonora is one of the oldest North American wheat varieties that can be traced to 18th century California and Mexico. It is believed that it was brought to the Sonoran desert of Mexico in the late 1600s by a Jesuit missionary named Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino (source).

White Sonora is hardy against disease and weed-resistant. It is a winter wheat and doesn’t have to outcompete weeds during active growing. It also has taller stalks so it outshades the weeds. The benefit of that to us, consumers, is it needs less fungicides and insecticides. All good things in my book.

Even though it is high in protein (over 12%), it it low in gluten forming proteins. This means it won’t produce airy open loaves but is great for flat breads and anything that needs to be tender, like cakes and pastries.

WHAT IS SOURDOUGH AND WHY USE IT

Sourdough is a mixture of flour and water. Flour has yeast and bacteria naturally present within it; and when mixed with water, an environment favorable for growth of microorganisms is created. Naturally occurring enzyme amylase starts converting starch into sugar.

Bacteria, lactobacilli mostly, eat the sugar, and the by-product of that fermentation is consumed by yeast. Again, the by-product of all that together is carbon dioxide, which is what leavens the dough. Much like commercial yeast, sourdough starter is added to dough where it works to give rise to breads.

Unlike commercial yeast, sourdough rye starter works to make breads more nutritious and easier digestible. It breaks down grain proteins and sugars into simpler compounds. It also enriches dough with by-products of its metabolism – additional vitamins and minerals that were not originally present in the flour.

Here is my recipe for Sourdough Starter, you can use any type of flour with it.

WHAT IS SOAKING AND WHY DO IT

If you don’t have sourdough starter, soaking is another good option. Soaking grain in water or acidic medium like buttermilk or kefir makes its nutrients more bioavailable, meaning you can digest them easier and your body will extract more vitamins and minerals out of them.

Grain has this magic ability to stay dormant until favorable conditions arise, such as warm weather, humid surroundings etc. To stay dormant, grain is ‘locked’ with substance called phytic acid. To unlock all of the nutritional potential of the grain, you either leaven it with sourdough culture or soak it – for 8 and up to 24 hours.

MILLING YOUR OWN GRAINS

Since you found my site, you probably already have a grain mill or seriously thinking about it 🙂 My KoMo Mio Grain Mill  is the favorite thing I own. When we were moving from Illinois to Florida last summer, the mill was in my car with me and all the three rentals until we moved to our new home. I use it so often for several years now and it still looks and operates like new.

EINKORN

Einkorn is still my number one choice of wheat but it does have its shortcomings in performance. If I didn’t have a large family to feed and was me by my only little self, I would use einkorn every time. But whole grain einkorn tends to be quite dark when used whole and not as appealing when you are used to living in processed modern world.

EINKORN WHEAT IS HEALTHIER THAN MODERN WHEAT OR EVEN HEIRLOOM WHEATS

• Einkorn is the oldest cultivated variety of wheat that did not undergo genetic hybridization.
• Einkorn has significantly more vital nutrients like Zinc, Copper, Iron, Magnesium and Selenium than modern wheat (1)(2).
• Einkorn is a lot lower in gluten proteins that cause negative reaction not just in people with celiac disease but even in those with sensitivity, or plain regular folks! (3). Since einkorn does contain gluten, it is not acceptable for those with Celiac disease.
• It’s better for your good old arteries, keeping down inflammation (4).

BUT!

All that said – whole grain wheats that are not modern hybrids are remarkably good for you. Don’t let low carb movements sway you away from eating good bread. By good I mean naturally leavened bread with most of the germ and bran intact.

I always search for and try different options. The movement that’s taking place in our country right now is exploring new (or you might say old and revived) methods of farming and crop rotating to prevent soil depletion. To learn more about this movement, check out latest Chad Robertson’s Bread Book: Ideas and Innovations from the Future of Grain, Flour, and Fermentation, it’s quite inspiring.

SOURDOUGH (OR SOAKED) WHOLE GRAIN FREEZER WAFFLES