taking it slow...

[Denise]

I am just getting started with this and am the type to take it slow... Can anyone start me off with a few things~ a flour to bake with (spelt seems like a good choice but I am not sure if wheat would be better) and a sweetener to also bake with. I have looked at the rice syrup but how does that measure when following a recipe for cookies that calls for sugar? Oh and one more thing, what about olive oil for sauteing vegetables? I always thought that was so good for you. OH, one last thing. My friend uses sucanat and has to be extremely careful healthwise. That is a refined sugar, right?? Thank you so much. Denise (dede)

[Esme]

I am very new and cannot answer your questions.
But I too bought rice-syrup today., I do not plan to be a fanatic macobiotics, but to pick up what seems right for meg.
For a starter I have bought natural brown rice, mmmm, very good and that also very good soy-sauce, called Tamari.
I think if you look around this site you will find at least one recepie with rice-sirup.

Love

[Esme]

Under baking I found this recepie. It is whay I bought the rice-syrup but I have not tried it yet.

Orange Poppy Seed Muffins
preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 c)

prepare:
scrub clean 1 large organic orange and zest
pulp the remaining orange in a blender (or hand mixer)

dry ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup of rice flour (or replace wheat flour, with 2 cups of rice flour if you are wheat free)
1 tbs baking powder (aluminum free)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
1/3 cup rice malt syrup
2 tbs maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup organic orange juice
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Wisk the wet ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the dry ingredients in a larger bowl. Gently pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold. Sprinkle in the poppy seeds and gently combine the mixture.
Lightly oil muffin pans and pour the mixture into the pans, (this batter makes 6 large muffins, 10 to 12 med muffins, or 18 mini muffins).
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until cake rises and is golden brown.
Let cool on a bakers rack and pop the muffins from the pans

Icing (optional)
1/2 brick of tofu
2 tbs maple syrup (or 1 1/2 tbs rice syrup)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice

blend well until creamy and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
(This icing works great on carrot cake too, with crushed walnuts sprinkled on top)

[Denise]

thank you so much Esme~ that is funny, I just told someone today how much I love orange muffins! Do you grind your own wheat? I am about to order the rice syrup, I can't wait to start experimenting! thanks again, Denise

[Esme]

But I guess it will come. Please let me know how the muffins turned out.
Love

[Denise]

I will let you know~ we are going on vacation tomorrow but when I get home I am putting my order in for the wheat berries (I am just going to use my coffee grinder for now and only grind when I need it) and also for the rice syrup so I can start baking. I have a major sweet tooth. I love eating all the veggies and such but I still love the sweets so at least they will be a little healthier and maybe more satisfying. Let me know what you have tried and maybe we can share more recipes. I like it simple and quick, and that way I will stay with it!! talk to you soon... oh, did you order the rice and Tamari from this website or at the health food store?

[Esme]

I bought it in my neighbourhood health food store. I live in Norway and it is easy to find "good" food here. They have a lot in regular stors too.
Have a nice vacation.
Love

[Denise]

wow, that is so cool that you live in Norway! I live in the U.S. ~ in Tennessee. We just moved here from Michigan. Quite a different lifestylye here... Have you ever been to the U.S.? I wonder if it is very different or maybe alot the same?? Well I better finish packing. I always wait till the last minute.