Let's Talk About Wheat

I don't know about you, but wheat confuses me. There are so many terms (wheat berries, bulgar, red, white, etc) and I just can't keep it all straight. Plus, I figured that until I buy a wheat grinder, it was pointless for me to have any wheat. That's not the case, though! Wheat is very useful in many different ways. Here's a little breakdown of what wheat can do for you:

First of all, the most common types of wheat are red and white, so that's what we'll be using this month. They can both be used in breads, and are very similar when it comes to cooking them in water, etc.  LDS Catalog sells wheat online, and anyone can purchase it (prices include shipping).

Sprouted wheat: There is a soaking method where you can cause your wheat kernels to sprout. People use these raw in salads, sandwiches, or you can steam them and served as a vegetable.

Bulgar: Bulgar is wheat that has been soaked and then baked to speed up the cooking time. It's very versatile. Some people serve this like rice. You can freeze cooked bulgar.

Wheat berries: This term refers to wheat that has just been cooked in water (2-1 like rice). Like bulgar, it is very versatile.

Cracked wheat: Cracked wheat is a wheat berry that's been broken down into small pieces. To crack your own wheat, place whole (uncooked) wheat berries into a grinder or food processor for a few seconds.

If you ever grind or crack your own wheat, use only as much as you need. If you end up with extra, place it in a sealed container and store it in the freezer.

Gluten: You can make your own gluten from hard red wheat. Raw gluten can be made into flour.

I hope this little rundown of wheat terms has helped you a little bit. If you are still feeling overwhelmed about wheat, don't worry. We'll be sharing a handful of wheat recipes this month, and hopefully after reading those and seeing all the pictures, you'll have a clearer picture of what to do with wheat. However, if you have any specific questions about wheat, email us and we'll help you out!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org.