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Mustard Flour: Effect and Application

Mustard flour consists of ground mustard seeds. Here you can read how you can use the mustard powder as a kitchen seasoning and remedy and what you should pay attention to.

Origin and Effect of Mustard Flour

You probably know mustard flour as a condiment in the kitchen. This is usually made from yellow mustard seeds. The grains come from mustard plants, which are yellow flowering annual cruciferous plants. The mustard plants were brought to Central Europe by the Romans. The three most well-known types of mustard are:
White mustard (Sinapis alba, also yellow mustard, field mustard)
Brown mustard (Brassica juncea, also called Indian or Chinese mustard)
Black mustard (Brassica nigra)
All types of mustard contain mustard oil glycosides. When the mustard seeds are ground into mustard flour, they are broken down in conjunction with enzymes into mustard oil. This mustard oil works as follows:
anti-inflammatory
antiviral
antibacterial
circulation-enhancing
but also irritating to the skin
According to a study by the University of Freiburg, mustard oils should also prevent cancer. 20 grams per day should be enough for this effect. Eating mustard also stimulates the appetite and improves digestion.

Use mustard flour in the kitchen

Mustard flour is a very aromatic spice. In the kitchen you can make your own mustard in combination with vinegar and salt and use it as an ingredient to refine many dishes:
curries
dressings
marinades
sauces
soups

Uses of mustard flour: when it helps

Mustard flour is used as a remedy in the form of compresses, baths and wraps. You can use it at:
arthrosis
bronchitis
a cold
gout
headache
migraine
rheumatism
sinusitis
If you use the home remedy, you should consider the following:
Mustard flour is a strong irritant and can burn the skin and cause severe redness.
As soon as you find any of these symptoms painful, you should definitely stop using mustard flour. Otherwise, in the worst case, severe skin burns can occur.
It is best to seek advice from a pharmacist with a degree in herbal medicine or a phytotherapist before using mustard flour.
Mustard oil can irritate the skin and mucous membranes. So be careful not to get it on your face. It should not come into contact with your eyes in particular.

Where to buy mustard seeds for mustard flour

You can buy mustard seeds cheaply in advance and grind them into mustard flour if necessary, preferably with an electric spice grinder. You can get mustard seeds in:
pharmacies
health food stores and
on the Internet.
You can often get ready-made mustard wrap sets at the pharmacy.

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Soy Flour: Info, Use

Soy flour is a gluten-free flour made from soybeans that contains a particularly large amount of protein. In this guide you can read about the other nutrients in soy flour and how you can use it in the kitchen.

Soy flour: nutritional values

Depending on the type of soy flour, the nutritional values ​​differ primarily with regard to the fat content. A full-fat soy flour consists of about 21 percent fat, while half-fat soy flour usually only contains 10 percent fat.

Bauckhof’s full-fat organic soy flour has the following nutritional values ​​per 100 grams:
Calories: 436 kcal
Fat: 21g
… of which saturated fatty acids: 3.3 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
… of which sugar: 5.4 g
Dietary fiber: 10 g
Egg white: 45 g

Production of soy flour

Soy flour is made from whole soybeans. Manufacturers clean and peel the soybeans before crushing them. Then they can be ground into flour. In most cases, however, the crushed soybeans are first roasted before they are ground. Soy flour made this way is also called full-fat soy flour.

Alternatively, there are also partially defatted soy flours, which are a by-product of soy oil production. The soybeans are pressed and de-oiled. So-called half-fat or low-fat soy flour is then obtained from the press cake.

Soy flour is so healthy

A look at the nutritional value table shows that soy flour is particularly rich in protein with 45 percent protein. For comparison: wholemeal spelled flour consists of 14 percent protein and even chickpea flour “only” makes it to just under 21 percent.
In addition to the protein content, the protein composition also makes soy flour an ideal source of vegetable protein: soy flour contains all the essential amino acids and is therefore comparable to animal protein.
Unlike most other flours, soy flour has a very high fat content. Around 80 percent of the fats contained in soybeans are the healthy unsaturated fatty acids. The content of important omega-3 fatty acids is also comparatively high.
Soy flour also contains vitamin B2, folic acid (vitamin B9), calcium and iron.
Thanks to these ingredients, soy flour is considered particularly healthy. Because of its high protein content, soy flour is an important part of the diet, especially for athletes and vegans.

Some people also suffer from a soy allergy.

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Cassava Flour: Nutrition Facts, Uses and Recipes

Cassava flour is a good alternative to conventional wheat flour. It is gluten-free and grain-free and yet can be used almost like wheat flour. You can find out more about cassava root flour here.

Cassava flour is being hailed as the new star among alternative flours. It is a flour that is gluten-free, grain-free and rich in fiber.

Cassava flour is made from the starchy tubers of cassava. This is a plant species that belongs to the Spurge family. Manioc originally comes from South America and the natives are said to have fed on the plant. There are now cassava growing areas in many tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Even today, cassava is one of the staple foods of millions of people in South America and parts of Asia and Africa.

However, the cassava roots are poisonous when raw because they contain hydrocyanic acid. However, they can be processed in such a way that the hydrocyanic acid boils down and the tubers become edible. For this reason, cassava tubers are often fermented, boiled or ground into flour and washed.

Cassava Flour: Nutritional Values

Manioc flour is an interesting flour alternative for people who (have to) eat a grain-free or gluten-free diet. It has a high starch content, a mild taste and a fine texture. Thus, cassava flour mimics the consistency and properties of conventional flour very well. Unlike other gluten-free flour alternatives (such as buckwheat or quinoa flour), cassava flour can often be used as a one-to-one substitute for conventional flour containing gluten, such as wheat flour. Other gluten-free flours usually require additional ingredients to make a working dough.
Energy: 371 kcal
Carbohydrates: 88.6 g
Protein: 0g
Fat: 0g
Calcium: 57 mg
Potassium: 303 mg
What is striking about the nutritional values ​​is the high proportion of carbohydrates. In comparison, wheat flour has about 70 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams of flour. Cassava flour is therefore a good source of energy. However, it has no protein and only a few essential amino acids. After all, wheat flour has 11 grams of protein. Cassava flour also lacks micronutrients such as vitamins. Therefore, where cassava is a staple food, nutritional deficiencies can occur. For this reason, scientists have been trying for some time to breed cassava varieties whose tubers contain more nutrients. On the positive side: cassava flour contains a lot of calcium and potassium.

However, there is nothing wrong with including cassava flour in a balanced diet from time to time. Especially in a gluten-free diet, cassava flour provides a lot of variety.

Use cassava flour: bread, pancakes and more

To make cassava flour the traditional way, the tubers are peeled, grated, and then soaked. The mass is then pressed out, washed and roasted in an oven. What remains is the cassava flour.

Depending on the region, the cassava flour is processed differently. It often turns into a bread-like cake or farofa (Brazilian side dish). A Brazilian drink is also based on cassava flour. In some African areas, the flour is also used for fufu or foufou, a kind of dumpling dough.

Tip: Incidentally, finely ground cassava flour is often also called fufu or foufou in European trade. You can find it in Asian or Latin American supermarkets.

If you have never used cassava flour, you can approach it and replace part of the conventional flour with cassava flour in existing recipes. You can use cassava flour to make breads, rolls, wraps, pancakes, cakes and cookies. Depending on the dough and recipe, you may need a little less liquid in your baked goods. Cassava flour is also suitable for binding sauces or making breading.

Recipe with cassava flour: Fufu from West Africa

Fufu (also foufou) is widespread in West Africa and popular as a main ingredient or side dish in many dishes. Fufu refers to a type of solid porridge or dough that is formed into small dumplings and served with a sauce, soup or stew.

Ingredients for fufu (dumplings made from cassava flour):
cassava flour
water
Cassava flour binds a lot of water. Therefore, the rule of thumb is that you should always use a little more water than you use cassava flour. If you take 100 grams of cassava flour, add about 120 milliliters of water.

How to prepare fufu:
Boil the water.
Pour the boiling water over the flour in a saucepan.
Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, bring to the boil and then continue to simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes. Keep stirring the porridge.
Then take the pot off the stove to let the mixture cool down a bit.
Then form small dumplings with your hands. You can serve these with various vegetable dishes, or use them traditionally as an ingredient in soups, stews or sauce dishes.
Tip: The balls are often so sticky that they are difficult to chew. That’s why they are usually dipped into the sauce or soup and swallowed whole.

Recipe with cassava flour: Farofa from Brazil

Another classic cassava flour recipe is the Brazilian farofa. This is a popular side dish, for which the cassava flour is sautéed in a pan with butter, onions and herbs until golden brown. Eggs are often added as well.

We recommend that you use organic ingredients that come from the region whenever possible. In this way you support an agriculture that does without many synthetic pesticides and in which animal welfare is better guaranteed. In addition, with regional products you avoid long transport routes that cause high CO2 emissions.

You need these ingredients for four servings:
200 g cassava flour
3 tbsp butter (or margarine if vegan)
2 spring onions
1 bunch coriander or parsley
5 sprigs of fresh mint
1 teaspoon zest from a lemon
Salt
How to prepare the farofa:
Wash the herbs and chop them up.
Cut the spring onions into rings.
Heat the butter or margarine in a pan and sweat the onion in it.
Add the cassava flour and toast until golden brown in color.
Stir in the herbs, lemon zest and spring onions.
Tip: If you want to eat eggs, add them to the pan along with the cassava flour. The farofa goes well with rice or bean dishes.

Life cycle assessment: cassava flour is so sustainable

The life cycle assessment of cassava flour:
On the one hand, cassava grows very well even in long periods of drought and therefore does not need to be watered heavily. This is particularly beneficial in regions where water is often scarce.
On the other hand, buying cassava flour in Germany is not very ecological. Because the flour is imported and therefore travels long distances. Transport causes so many climate-damaging emissions.
Therefore, you should carefully consider to what extent you want to integrate cassava flour into your diet. Conscious handling of cassava flour is important in any case. Also, you can try mixing cassava flour with other locally sourced gluten-free flours. This includes, for example, buckwheat flour.

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Rice Flour: Nutritional Values, Uses and How to Make Yourself

Rice flour is a gluten-free type of flour that you can use for cooking and baking. In this article you will find out what you should consider when using it and how you can make your own rice flour.

Rice flour: properties and uses

When making rice flour, machines grind raw rice grains into a fine flour. If polished rice is ground, you get a snow-white flour. Brown rice flour, on the other hand, is made from whole grain rice. Since the shell is preserved here, this flour is richer in minerals and vitamins.

Rice flour is often used as a binding agent in Asian dishes, especially for sauces and desserts

Rice flour is only suitable to a limited extent as a substitute for wheat flour. It is not suitable for fluffy pastries such as muffins, biscuit bases etc. Since the flour lacks gluten, the dough would not rise in the oven. However, you can use rice flour for flat pastries like flatbread.

If you want to bake gluten-free bread, it is advisable to combine rice flour with other gluten-free flours. So wheat flour cannot be replaced 1:1 with Asian flour. It is therefore best to consciously use gluten-free recipes when baking.

How healthy is rice flour?

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), rice and rice products contain relatively high levels of inorganic arsenic compounds. These are considered carcinogenic. The BfR therefore recommends consuming rice in moderation and alternating it with other types of grain as part of a balanced diet. Parents in particular should take this into account when feeding small children.

Also make sure to buy organic rice flour. So you can be sure that farmers did not use synthetic pesticides during cultivation.

How to make your own rice flour

You can easily make rice flour yourself. It is up to you which type of rice you want to use. Usually rice flour consists of long grain rice. A grain mill is best suited for the production. However, since rice is softer than wheat, the grinder should be able to grind very finely. Otherwise the grains will be too large and the flour will become crumbly.

If you don’t have a grain mill, you can also grind rice flour in a stand mixer. Be careful not to add too many grains of rice to the blender at once. Otherwise, less powerful devices in particular can quickly become clogged. Therefore, only add one to two cups of grains of rice to the blender at a time. Then, on high, grind the grains into a fine flour.

Alternatively, you can grind rice in the coffee grinder. Slowly add the rice to the mill, spoonful by spoonful, so that nothing gets clogged here either. Then put the flour in an airtight container (e.g. a mason jar) and store it in a dry and cool place.

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Lupine Flour: How Healthy it is and How to Use it

Lupine flour is a gluten- and grain-free type of flour that contains a lot of protein. Here you can find out more about the nutrients and possible uses.

Lupins belong to the legumes. The seeds of the lupine plant have been used as food for several thousand years. In the Mediterranean area, pickled lupine seeds are still a popular snack with beer in restaurants today.

Here, too, lupine is increasingly on the menu: on the one hand, meat substitutes often contain lupine protein isolate. On the other hand, lupine flour is also becoming increasingly popular because it contains a lot of vegetable protein and other healthy nutrients and is easy to use.

Lupine flour: How it is made

Lupine flour is made from lupine seeds. In order to remove the water from them, they are first pressed. The resulting flakes are then soaked in water again. In this way, the protein is released from the fiber structure of the seeds. The protein mass is then heated, causing the water to evaporate. The lupine flour remains.

Lupine flour can only be made from pure cultivated lupine varieties. The seeds of wild lupins and garden lupins contain a toxic type of bitter substances. However, edible lupins are cultivated in such a way that they hardly contain this bitter substance and are suitable for human consumption. In contrast to their wild relatives, these varieties are also called sweet lupins. To produce sweet lupine flour, producers often use the seeds of the white sweet lupine. Sometimes the yellow lupine or the blue sweet lupine are also used.

Lupine flour contains a lot of protein

According to the Association for Independent Health Advice (UGB), lupins contain between 36 and 48 percent protein. This makes them an important source of vegetable protein, especially in vegan diets. Lupine seed protein contains all eight essential amino acids, including lysine. In other plant-based protein sources such as cereals, lysine is rare and found in small amounts.

The UGB also points out that unlike other legumes, lupine seeds provide basic protein that is low in purines. Purines are a natural part of many foods. The body converts them into uric acid. If you have elevated uric acid levels and need to make sure you consume little purine-containing foods, you can eat lupine flour. Elevated uric acid levels occur, for example, in gout.

Nutrient-rich lupins

Lupine flour is also a good source of certain minerals and trace elements. According to the UGB, lupine seeds contain mainly potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. The flour also contains a lot of fiber and thus fills you up quickly and for a long time.

Lupins contain about four to seven percent fat – less than soybeans. It is mostly present in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both types are valuable for the body: the monounsaturated fatty acids help to build up the cell membrane. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (called essential fatty acids) support numerous bodily functions, such as hormone production and blood circulation.

Lupine flour and allergies / intolerances

Lupine flour is one of the types of flour that suit special dietary requirements – for example intolerances. It is starch-free and also contains no gluten. This means that people with gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy can also incorporate lupine flour into their diet.

However, lupins can also cause allergic reactions – the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment warns of this. According to the BfR report, cross-allergic reactions can occur, especially in people who already suffer from a peanut allergy. In principle, people who are sensitive to other legumes such as soy (which is the case, for example, with a histamine intolerance) should initially be careful with lupins and test their tolerance with small amounts.

How to use lupine flour

Although lupine flour is made from sweet lupine varieties, the sweet lupine flour does not have a sweet aroma, but has a noticeable taste of its own. It is therefore usually added to food in small quantities and only used proportionately in baked goods. Nevertheless, there are many uses for lupine flour. This includes:

Protein shakes: Because it is high in protein, you can use lupine flour in a high-protein mixed drink. To do this, mix the flour with a liquid (water, milk or plant-based milk substitutes) and fruit or vegetables. Such a protein shake is particularly suitable after exercise. We recommend a portion of 30 grams of lupine flour for about one liter of liquid.
Baked goods: In baked goods, you can replace up to 20 percent of the total amount of flour with lupine flour. More is not recommended, otherwise the taste or consistency may change. For example, combine spelled flour with lupine flour in vegan pancakes or wheat-free bread.
For binding: Instead of starch flour such as potato flour, you can also use lupine flour to thicken soups and sauces.
Egg Substitute: Mix 1 tablespoon of the flour with 12 ounces of water and let it soak to substitute for an egg in recipes.
Instead of soy: You can also use lupine flour to prepare recipes that use soy flour.
Enrichment: You can enrich your porridge with some lupine flour. This makes the porridge creamy and richer in protein.

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Konjac Flour: Properties of Low-carb Flour

In addition to being an additive in the food industry, konjac flour is also known as a weight-loss agent. We’ll show you what the powder is all about and how it performs in terms of sustainability.

What is konjac flour?

The basis for konjac flour is the so-called konjac root. This is the tuber of devil’s tongue, a plant native to East Asia. To obtain the flour, manufacturers first dry the tuber and then grind it into a fine powder.

In Southeast Asia, konjac flour is a traditional food and is mainly used for gelling and thickening. Because when it comes into contact with a liquid, the powder swells up and can bind large amounts of water.

The active ingredient that produces this effect is also known as glucomannan. The effect is somewhat comparable to that of psyllium husks. Konjac or glucomannan flour is also registered as an additive in Germany under number E425.

Konjac flour to lose weight?

In the fitness industry, konjac flour is now considered an effective weight loss aid. This is mainly because it is very low in calories: 100 grams contain only about 80 kilocalories. Konkjak flour is fat-free and consists of about 87 percent carbohydrates. These are mostly indigestible carbohydrates, i.e. soluble fiber.

Konjac flour is very satiating due to the high fiber content. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirms that overweight people can lose weight with the help of glucomannan powder.

According to the EFSA, adults should consume at least one gram of konjac powder three times a day with one or two glasses of water before meals. The saturation effect should lead to the fact that you then eat less. However, effects only occur if the person generally pays attention to a certain calorie deficit.

Note: If you want to lose weight, you should always do so as part of a healthy and balanced diet. Crash diets and uncontrolled fasting are neither healthy nor do they provide a long-term effect. Therefore, when losing weight, pay attention to the signals of your individual body instead of being guided by social body ideals.

Konjac flour: tips on buying and sustainability

You can buy konjac flour in the form of capsules or as a powder. When buying, pay attention to organic quality to avoid pesticides that are harmful to the environment and health. Also read the list of ingredients carefully and make sure that the product does not contain any additives.

You can mix the powder with a liquid of your choice or mix it with yoghurt, muesli and smoothies. In general, always make sure that you take konjac flour with sufficient liquid. Other typical konjac products are low-carb noodles and rice made from the tuber. You can find out more about this in this article: Konjac Noodles: What’s in the Konjac Root?

However, from an ecological perspective, konjac flour and products containing it are questionable. This is mainly due to the poor ecological balance: devil’s tongues only grow in East Asia and therefore have to travel long distances to Germany. So only use konjac in moderation or it is best to use regional alternatives.

Konjac Flour: Sustainable Alternatives

You don’t have to resort to products from other continents for filling low-carb flours. Examples of low-carbohydrate flours from regional foods are:

Flaxseed meal: Flaxseeds also have a high proportion of dietary fiber and therefore a high swelling capacity. In addition to their filling properties, they are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can not only help with weight loss, but also with gastrointestinal problems.
Walnut flour: Walnuts can also be grown in Germany without any problems. Like flaxseed flour, walnut flour is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vegetable protein. However, it swells less. Due to its intense aroma, you can use it particularly well for baking.
Pumpkin seed flour: Pumpkin seed flour is a particularly good source of protein and has a spicy, nutty taste. This flour is ideal for savory dishes.
Sunflower flour: You can also get flour from sunflower seeds grown in Germany. Similar to pumpkin seed flour, it is particularly suitable for savory dough. You can also use it in small amounts for sweet dishes.

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Types of Flour – Everything You Always Wanted to Know

Flour 405, 550, 1050 – hardly anyone knows what these types of flour mean. There are big differences in the use of flour types. We explain which flour is suitable for which dough and which is the healthiest.

This is what the numbers of the flour types mean

The numbers of the flour types do not stand for the fineness of the flour, as is often assumed. The numbers indicate the mineral content, i.e. the amount of fiber, vitamins and vegetable protein in milligrams.

To determine this, 100 grams of flour are burned at 900 degrees. The remaining ashes are then weighed. This value gives the type number of the flour.
Lower numbered flour types contain fewer minerals and are also much lighter in color compared to higher numbered flours.
Flour types also differ in how much the grain was previously ground. With the low types, only the inside of the grain was ground, with the high flour types, the healthy shell and the germ were also partially ground. Some types of flour are better suited for certain baked goods than others.

Rule of thumb: Flour types with high numbers are harder to process, but healthier.

Wheat flour – good or bad?

Wheat flour 405 is most commonly used in the kitchen. This particularly fine flour is suitable for baking cakes and biscuits. You can also use it to thicken sauces. This works well because flour types with low numbers have a higher percentage of starch. Bread rolls are baked with wheat flour 550. But pasta and yeast pastries also work well with it. It is a real universal flour.

Wheat flour is often dismissed as unhealthy, but it contains valuable soluble fiber and minerals.

However, wheat flour also causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly and can upset the body’s insulin balance.
The carbohydrate content is very high.
There are also studies that wheat flour products stimulate appetite. This leads to excessive consumption and can ultimately lead to obesity. However, the results are very controversial.
One thing is clear: For a balanced diet, you should not rely solely on wheat flour.

Type 630 – spelled flour for pizza and bread

When it comes to spelled flour, spelled flour 630 corresponds to wheat flour 405. Only the grain used is different. Like wheat flour, spelled flour with its slightly nutty note is suitable for sweet baked goods.

However, spelled flour is also available with a higher number, such as type 1050. Wheat flour with the number 1050 and rye flour with the number 1150 are also popular in the kitchen.

Because these types of flour are darker and have a stronger taste.
They contain more vitamins and trace elements.
You can use them to make mixed bread (e.g. spelled bread) or pizza dough yourself.
Since these types of flour are heavier and less likely to bind, they are not ideal for baking cakes.

Wheat and rye flour type 1700 and 1800

Types of flour with very high digits have a particularly high mineral content and are much coarser and stronger. If you look closely, you can still see pieces of the leftover grain in the flour. Thanks to their strong taste, wheat flour type 1700 and rye flour type 1800 are used for wholemeal breads.

Whole wheat flour is the healthiest

Wholemeal flour does not have a type number, since wholemeal flour contains all the components of the ground grain. It is rich in fibre, minerals and B vitamins – regardless of whether the flour is made from wheat, spelt or rye.

Wholemeal flour keeps us full longer because of the high fiber content, you have less cravings.
Wholemeal flour also stimulates intestinal activity and prevents constipation.
This means that wholemeal flour is considered the healthiest flour – especially if it is freshly ground and processed immediately.
Why is whole wheat flour so healthy?

It contains healthy carbohydrates. Unlike wheat flour, these are long-chained and are only slowly processed in the stomach.
As a result, the blood sugar level does not rise sharply.
Since little insulin is released, fat burning begins.
When baking with wholemeal flour, you should note that more liquid is required than with other types of flour.

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Barley Flour: How to Use It

Are you wondering what you can prepare with barley flour in the kitchen? We give you ideas and also show you the properties of barley flour.

When it comes to grain cultivation, wheat in particular is at the forefront in Germany. But there are also other types of grain that can be used in many ways – such as barley.

Barley products such as beer, malt coffee or whiskey are particularly common in the trade. But barley can do much more than just be processed into malt – there is also barley flour, for example. We will show you what is special about barley flour and how you can use it in the kitchen.

Properties of barley flour

Barley probably originated in South Asia and has also been cultivated in Europe since the fifth millennium BC. There are two varieties of barley, spring barley and winter barley. The barley that is grown in winter is used in agriculture for animal feed. The barley grown in summer is suitable for food.

In addition to malt production, spring barley can also be ground into barley flour. This special grain flour is characterized by an aromatic, nutty taste.

Nutritional values of barley flour

Barley flour is one of the whole grain flours. This means it still has all the valuable nutrients in it as it is made from the whole barley grain.

Barley flour is also characterized by the fact that it provides a lot of carbohydrates, but at the same time has a low fat content. Barley flour also contains a lot of fiber. In detail, 100 grams of barley have the following nutritional values:

Energy: 320 kcal
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Water: 11g
Dietary fiber: 10 g
Egg White: 10g
Fat: 2g
also traces of vitamins such as B vitamins and minerals such as calcium and potassium

More facts about barley flour

In addition, barley flour has some other interesting properties:

Barley is the grain with the highest content of the dietary fiber beta-glucan. A study involving scientists from the University of Gothenburg, among others, has shown that barley can lower blood sugar. This means that barley is a good type of flour for diabetics. In addition, barley flour supports the intestinal bacteria, which promote digestion.
But the cholesterol level can also be reduced by the beta-glucan, according to a report by the ARD.
Like other cereal flours, barley flour also contains gluten, reports the Apotheken-Umschau. According to the ARD, however, barley flour contains significantly less adhesive and binding proteins than other types of grain. For this reason, barley was not considered suitable for baking for a long time. When baking with barley flour, other types of flour usually have to be added so that the bread dough succeeds and does not fall apart.

Barley flour is suitable for these dishes

Barley flour can be used in different ways in the kitchen. We give you some suggestions here. If you want to bake, you can basically replace about a fifth of the specified amount of flour with barley flour in the recipe. You benefit from the nutty, aromatic taste of the barley flour and its high proportion of B vitamins. The flour is particularly good in the following baking recipes:

For example, you can use barley flour to bake wholemeal bread.
You can also replace a fifth of the specified amount of flour with barley flour for flatbread. You can find simple instructions for a flatbread recipe here: Flatbread recipe: simple instructions for the classic.
You can also use barley flour by modifying our basic pancake recipe and replacing about 50 grams of wheat flour with 50 grams of barley flour.
According to Deutsche Welle (DW), Lithuanian barley rolls are a particular classic from the Baltic States.

But you can’t only eat barley with barley flour: For example, you can also mix the grain in the form of barley flakes with your muesli or use barley barley as an ingredient for barley soups and stews.

Buying tip: You can find barley flour mainly in health food stores or organic shops. If possible, buy barley flour and all other barley products from regional cultivation in order to support local suppliers and avoid long, climate-damaging transport routes. It is also best to look for an organic seal – this way you can be sure that the product does not contain any chemical-synthetic pesticides.

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Emmer Flour: You Can Use It For This

Emmer flour is an ancient grain flour with a strong, nutty taste. Not only can you use it to bake bread and rolls, you can also use it in other areas. We present you with various ideas.

Emmer is one of the oldest ancient grains and is considered the forerunner of today’s wheat. After higher-yield types of grain had long supplanted the emmer, today it is once again being appreciated. On the one hand, this is due to its aromatic taste, on the other hand, emmer flour contains numerous healthy nutrients. In particular, it is very rich in protein and provides important minerals such as zinc, iron and magnesium.

In the kitchen you can use the flavor characteristics of emmer in many ways – not only for baking bread, but also for cakes or pasta, for example. We give you an overview of the possible uses of emmer flour and present a simple recipe for emmer spelled bread.

Whether wheat, spelt or emmer: Flour is best bought in organic quality and from regional suppliers. Organic flour comes from ecologically sustainable agriculture and is therefore not treated with chemical-synthetic pesticides. If you use regionally produced products for cooking and baking, you also save on unnecessary transport routes and know exactly where your food comes from.

Incidentally, because emmer is less productive than other varieties when cultivated, conventional emmer flour is rare. That’s why most of the flour comes from organic farming anyway. To be on the safe side, look out for an organic seal.

Emmer Flour: Nutty basis for breads

Emmer flour provides a good basis for bread or rolls with a hearty, spicy taste. You can either use pure emmer flour for baking bread or combine it with other types of flour to form a mixed dough. In terms of taste, emmer flour and spelled flour go particularly well together.

Mixtures have the advantage that the ingredients bind better to form a dough – pure emmer flour does not stick as well as, for example, wheat flour. Doughs made from pure emmer flour therefore have a slightly softer consistency, but can still be processed.

In most wheat or spelled-based bread recipes, you can simply substitute the same amount of emmer flour for the amount of wheat or spelled flour. In this case, however, it is best to add water or milk carefully and gradually: If you change the type of flour, you may need a little more or less liquid than in the original recipe. Depending on the consistency of the resulting dough.

Recipe: mixed bread with spelled and emmer flour

Ingredients:

300 g emmer flour
250 g spelled flour (type 630)
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons bread spice
20 g fresh yeast
200 ml lukewarm water
130 ml cow’s milk or plant milk
flour for sprinkling

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the emmer and spelled flour with the sugar, salt, and bread spices.
Make a well in the middle of the mixture and crumble in the yeast. Then add the water and milk to the well and stir in the yeast until dissolved.
Knead all ingredients with the dough hook of the hand mixer to a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for an hour.
Sprinkle a work surface with some flour and knead the dough well again with your hands. Then shape it into a ball.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper (or a sustainable baking paper substitute). Place the ball of dough on the baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise again for an hour.
Cut the emmer spelled bread in a diamond shape and brush generously with water. Then bake it at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Emmer flour: not only suitable for bread

You can not only use emmer flour for baking bread. Its nutty taste also lends an interesting note to sweet baked goods and goes well with spices such as cinnamon, anise or fennel seeds. This means that emmer flour is also suitable, for example, as a basis for Christmas cakes.

The strong emmer aroma goes particularly well with apples. In apple pie recipes, it is therefore worth replacing part of the flour with emmer flour. As with baking bread, you can usually do this in a 1:1 ratio. For example, try the following recipes with emmer flour for a change:

Apple pie with shortcrust pastry
Covered apple pie from the tin
Vegan apple pie

You can also make pasta dough partially or completely with emmer flour. Because emmer grains are a bit firmer than wheat grains, the pasta gets not only a strong wholemeal flavor but also an additional bite when you prepare it al dente.

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Food

Chickpea Brownies: Recipe Without Flour

Chickpea Brownies are a delicious alternative to traditional brownies. In this article we will show you a recipe that is gluten-free, vegan and high in protein and does not require flour.

These chickpea brownies are particularly juicy and full-bodied. At the same time, you stay full longer because they are rich in protein and fiber thanks to the chickpeas. They are very easy to make and taste good with afternoon coffee or as a snack in between. In addition to an oven and a baking pan, you will also need a blender.

We recommend that you buy the ingredients in organic quality. This is how you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides. We can particularly recommend the organic seals from Demeter, Bioland and Naturland, as they follow stricter criteria than the EU organic seal. In addition, it makes sense, especially with cocoa powder, to pay attention to the Fairtrade seal. This is how you support better working conditions and fairer trade.

A recipe for chickpea brownies – without flour

Ingredients:

450 g canned or jarred chickpeas
5 tbsp rolled oats
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Baking powder
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 ELA horn syrup or raw cane sugar
150 ml plant drink
1 pinch(s) of salt
1 pinch(s) of cinnamon

Directions:

Wash the chickpeas in a colander under running water and drain well. You can also use your own cooked chickpeas.
Place the chickpeas in a blender with all other ingredients. Make sure that the coconut oil has a liquid to creamy-soft consistency and is not too hard. Reheat briefly on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the oven if necessary. Mix everything until a homogeneous mass is formed.
Pour the batter into a medium-sized, shallow baking dish. You can also use a casserole dish.
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and let the chickpea brownies bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove the chickpea brownies from the oven and let them cool before slicing.

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