Granddaughters Em and El walking through the field of rye.
As you know,each week I chat with Matt Swaim on theSunrise Morning Show, Sacred Heart Radio. Today the subject was spelt and rye. Wow, these ancient grains are known as one and the same according to some Bible scholars. Here’s some interesting information, along with 2 yummy recipes.
Spelt – Exodus 4:9
“Also take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself.”
Spelt is one of the original grains known to man, it is an ancient grain. It is believed that farmers grew spelt thousands of years before Christ was born in what is now known as Iraq. It was used as a common grain during Bible times.
Spelt contains gluten protein just like common wheat.
Spelt berries are larger and chewier than farro, requiring a bit more time to cook, around 45 minutes. Spelt can be used just like farro, and makes the base for a high-fiber grain salad. You can also use spelt flour to give baked goods a nutty flavor.
RYE 9:32
(Talks about the 7th plague from Moses and how the hail destroyed the crops) “Now the flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley was ripe and the flax was in bloom; but the wheat and rye (scholars believe the rye was actually spelt since it’s generally agreed that rye was not cultivated in that area during Bible times) were not destroyed. Because they were late crops.”
Rye is a high protein grain, as well.
SPELT BISCUITS
This yummy recipe is from All Recipes site.
Ingredients
2 cups spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425.In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You may need to adjust the amount of milk. Pat out on a floured surface to about 1 inch thick. Cut into biscuits and place on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
RYE BERRY SALAD
The only things I changed here from Ellie Krieger’s recipe were subbing in rye berries for the wheat and adding a bit more green onion/scallions, oil and lemon. Yes, you can use wheat berries or farro.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups rye berries
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup tart dried cherries, chopped
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil or to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a large pot combine the rye berries and enough water to come 2 inches over the berries. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Drain and let cool. Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cherries, scallions, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.Appalachian Herbal Scholar
