The Nutrition Label: This Cafeteria Got It Right

You can too using made from scratch whole foods!

In the last years of the twentieth century, quantity packages of food were not required to have nutrition labels. Many customers wanted nutrition labels at point of service. The work began. With help from the salesperson and a computerized computer program, the work began. First, ingredients for recipes were entered. The highlight of the process: the staff made everything from scratch using ingredients found in the kitchen and storage areas.

I was a retail dietitian.  I used the information to plan meal deals, to meet the Mayo Clinic guidelines for sodium, to meet the American Heart Association guidelines for added sugar, to determine eligibility for the Whole Grains Stamp and to add value before testing.  The nutrition labels gave customers nutrition facts as well as ingredients so they could determine the fit into their eating plan. We used limited manufactured preservatives, additive, flavored and colored ingredients.

The same principles apply in the home:

Use whole ingredients found in the kitchen.

Fit those into a healthy eating plan.

The Perfect Bread with Easter Dinner

 

This Marble Whole Grain Bread champions a Ham, Au Gratin, Green Beans and Pineapple meal. It includes my whole rye sourdough discard and instant yeast. I adjusted the flours in the recipe to include whole rye, whole wheat and all purpose flours with just the right amount whole grain flour to make it 50% whole grain.

Here's the recipe with Cindy's adjustments. Original recipe from King Arthur. 

Marble Whole Grain Bread

(2 Loaves)

Night Before:

44 grams sourdough culture (mine is whole rye)

145 grams whole rye flour

73 grams all purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold water  

In mixer with dough hook in place, combine sourdough culture with water, whole rye and all purpose flour. Turn dough into greased bowl. Knead by hand  into sticky ball. Cover and let sit at room temperature over night.

 

Next day:

312 grams all purpose flour

196 grams whole wheat flour

3 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/3 cups warm water

2 eggs, warmed to room temperature

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoon olive oil. 

In mixer with dough hook in place, combine all ingredients. Knead for 8-10 minutes until dough leaves the side of the bowl.

 

With scraper, break off 2/3 of the dough to and place in greased bowl. Cover. 

To remaining dough, add:

1/4 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa

1 Tablespoon molasses

Mix thoroughly, then place in greased bowl. Cover.

 

Let both doughs rise in warm place until double in bulk.

 

To shape dough:

Divide each in half. 

 

On lightly floured board, roll lighter dough into a rectangle about 12 inches by 10 inches. 

On second floured board, roll dark dough into a smaller rectangle.

Place the dark dough on the lighter dough. Fold shorter ends of light dough over dark dough. From the top of the long side, roll 2 doughs toward you.  Place in greased pan. 

Repeat with remaining dough.

Cover and let rise until double.

 

Bake at 360 F for 30 minutes. Cover with foil the last 10 minutes of baking.

It's Whole Grains Time for Life Long Learners

Whole Grains Sampling Day has become a tradition among life long learners locally. Today's event focused on brunch. Today's participants enjoyed porridge, waffles, parfaits, salads and cookies.

Guests sampled 9 different whole grains today. Most folks have only tried a handful of whole grains in their entire lives. Guests were asked what new whole grain they'd make at home and Millet was the most selected grain. Winners of a drawing received prizes from a local grower of buckwheat, wheat, corn (grits and popcorn).

The grains enjoyed with links for recipes is here:

Millet Porridge  http://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2024/11/diversify-your-grains-with-millet.html

Amaranth, Oat and Brown Rice Waffle http://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2025/03/try-new-recipe-every-week.html 

Teff Parfait http://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2024/11/try-teff-parfait-for-breakfast.html
 

Millet, Amaranth and Teff are C4 Grains . The C4 grains have reduced environmental impact. They are more water efficient and climate tolerant. Amaranth is a complete protein. Teff has 2X the iron of other grains and 3X the calcium.

 

Freekah Salad http://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2024/11/fire-roasted-freekeh-adds-flavor-to.html

Freekah is a smoky bulgur. Bulgur has more fiber than quinoa, oats, millet, buckwheat and corn.

Ezekiel Cookies http://cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com/2025/01/ezekiel-cookies.html  

Ezekiel flour has 4 grains (spelt, wheat, barley, millet) and 4 beans.

 

 

Try a New Recipe Every Week

 

The 3 whole grains in my waffle-amaranth, oat and brown rice are non gluten flours that do not produce the firm structure that normal loaves of wheat bread do. Gluten free flours work best in smaller pans. This 5 inch mini waffle baker was perfect for this batter. 

Amaranth, Oat and Brown Rice Waffles 

(4-5 inch round waffles)

Mix flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2 Tablespoon 2 teaspoon Amaranth Flour 

2 Tablespoon 2 teaspoon Oat Flour

1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat egg and evaporated milk using whip attachment of mixer about 5 minutes. 

1 egg 

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

Add sugar, vanilla and butter.

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon melted butter

Stir in dry ingredients.

Pour heaping 2 ounce ladle of batter into greased waffle maker. Close lid and bake 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Mine is served with fresh pear slices cooked for 10 minutes in apple juice with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Connect With Whole Grains

 

There is no better way to connect with whole grains than cooking and grinding at home. I know what the seed looks like, where it grows and how it is harvested. I know where to buy the seeds. I’ve made many things with each. I’ve cooked most whole grains, then ground to make into breads, pasta and sides. Perhaps the best connection I’ve made is with the farmer who grows them.

In 2007, the cafeteria I managed received a whole grains award for healthcare. Retired now for 10 years, I cook and ground most whole grains to create a nutrient dense recipe. Diversity of grains and nutrients is my challenge.

Next year marks my 50th year Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ membership. While the health care community has done a good job encouraging a variety of fruits and vegetables in diets, I’m sorry to say that the same cannot be said with whole grains. In the early 1970’s, I promoted whole grains crackers as a choice whole grain. Then the push was cold cereals containing whole grains and later oatmeal. On into the 21st century rice was encouraged in recipes (hope it was brown!) I was happy when the popularity of quinoa brought down the consumer price significantly. Yet there are many more gluten free and gluten containing whole grains to choose. The lack of choices in the individual dietitian’s toolbox astounds me. After 50 years, has this contributed to the existing autoimmune diseases?

Every week, I try something new in a recipe, usually inclusive of whole grains. Here’s a recent recipe. It was really good the first day, not so thereafter. Next time, I’ll make less and perhaps strain the yogurt.

Barley Muesli 

(4 cups)

Boil water. Add grain, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender and slightly chewy. This can take up to 1 hour. You may need to add water to continue cooking. 

1 cup hulled barley 

3 cups water

Drain.

Whisk together spice, milk and yogurt. Stir in barley, apples, dates and seeds.

1 1/4 cups nonfat milk

1 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt 

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 unpeeled apples, grated 

1/4 cup diced dates

1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds

Garnish with colorful fruit. 

Ezekiel Cookies

Ezekiel flour is a complete protein mix of four grains and four beans. The Biblical prophet Ezekiel was able to survive for almost a year on this bread and water.

Ezekiel Flour

(Makes 2 1/4 cups)

1 cup 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1/2 cup 2 tablespoon spelt flour

2 tablespoons barley flour

2 tablespoon bean flour 

2 tablespoons millet, ground in a spice mill or seed grinder

2 tablespoon lentils, ground in a spice mill or seed grinder

 

This flour mix is good in batter breads, muffin and cookie recipes. The flour has less gluten than all wheat flours and does not hold its shape well without the pan. Use the paddle blade of the mixer and do not kneed as long as an all wheat dough.

 

Ezekiel Cookies

(28 Cookies) 

Combine flour, oats, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

1 1/4 cup Ezekiel flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add flour mixture to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add coconut and chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (60% cacao)

Drop by tablespoonful onto ungreased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wired rack to cool further.

 

Strike Gold with Amaranth

 

Pancakes do not require gluten for structure. There are many recipes for these made with gluten free whole grain flours, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, oat and brown rice pancakes. There are also recipes for pancakes made with whole grain wheat flours Kamut and spelt. For the most nutrients avoid the recipes or mixes made with potato starch, tapioca starch, cornstarch and white rice flour. Gluten free flour mixes are often made with large amounts of these starches.

Amaranth flour, ground from tiny seeds of the amaranth plant, is whole grain with high levels of the complete protein lysine. 

Amaranth Pancakes

18-2 1/2 inch pancakes (1 Tablespoon batter each)

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
3/4 cup amaranth flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon sugar

Beat eggs into milk.  Add fat.
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoon skim milk
1 Tablespoon melted butter or oil

Pour liquids into dry. Mix only until flour is not visible.

Allow batter to sit for 5-30 minutes.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Brush grill with butter. Scoop 1 Tablespoon batter onto skillet. Grill until bubbles form across the surface of the pancake. Turn and heat the other side until brown.

Serve with fruit, an egg or local maple syrup.

To make bigger batches, double or triple and freeze leftovers. Serve versatile pancakes for breakfast, lunch or dinner.