Healthy Baking Whilst We Stay at Home!

Flours

Baking flour or plain flour is the most versatile of flours. Use for flaky pie crusts, chewy biscuits and breads. Baking flour has less protein and can be good for light, soft baked goods. The difference in white and wholewheat flours is the bleaching in white flour can produce changes in the texture, taste and appearance of flour, where unbleached flour is often denser with a tougher texture.

Replacing bakers’ flour with plain flour will result in a slightly denser texture. Adding some cornflour to the plain flour can help reduce the density.

Self-raising flour is a great flour to use for biscuits, muffins and pancakes. If you don’t have self-raising flour in your pantry, you can easily make your own. Turn bakers flour into self-raising flour by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to each cup of flour.

Simply combine 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda (baking soda). You can use self-raising flour as a 1:1 substitute for bakers flour, just reduce the amount of raising agent to compensate.

Whole-wheat flour tends to be higher in protein and fibre due to the varying amounts of germ and bran that have been added back into the flour once it’s been milled. Whole-wheat flour will often produce heavier, denser baked goods, making it the perfect flour for healthy muffins, breads and homemade pasta. When substituting wholemeal with white flour in baked goods, in order to produce a similar texture use 3/4 cup of wholemeal flour to every 1 cup of white flour. Spelt Flour contains a significant amount of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. Its protein level is reasonably high as well. With a flavour that is subtle and nutty when used in bread and other baked goods. If you plan to bake bread with this flour, the good news is that it contains a lot of gluten; however, it’s not like the gluten in wheat flour. Spelt flour’s gluten breaks down quickly, which means that you have to cut down on your mixing time.

Flours are best stored at a cool temperature, to maintain maximum freshness store in the fridge or freezer as the healthy oils within them can be impacted by heat.

Gluten-free flours are made from all kinds of grains, nuts and starches and are perfect for those avoiding gluten for dietary or health reasons. At The Source Bulk Foods, we stock almost every kind of gluten-free flour you can think of:  rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, almond meal or almond flour, hazelnut meal, buckwheat, lupin flour, coconut flour and more. Not sure how to substitute wheat flours for gluten-free flour? You can try our Wheat Free Self-Raising or Wheat Free Plain Flour alternatives. Ask one of our knowledgeable team members instore for recommendations or advice.

Turn wheat-free plain flour into self-raising flour by adding 2 teaspoons of gluten free baking powder to each cup of flour.

Flatbread & Pizza Base Recipe

There’s nothing more satisfying than making your very own pizza bases, you can use this opportunity to spend valuable time with your partner or as a fun activity with the kids and the whole family. DOWNLOAD our Light & Fresh Recipe Booklet to try making your own flatbread and pizza bases with our exclusive recipes featured in this booklet.

Find out more information, tips and how to use our flours by checking out each product here.

Legumes

Did you find a few jars of dried legumes hiding at the back of your pantry? Or ditch canned beans and legumes for dried as not only does it help cut down on packaging waste, but they are free from added ingredients and toxins. We also think they taste a whole lot better! Packed with loads of nutrients and a good source of plant-based protein, be sure to incorporate these foods into your diet and try soaking, sprouting, and fermenting them.

Use them in lentil patties, hummus, salads, vegetable casserole, homemade baked beans, a chickpea and pumpkin curry or delicious black bean brownies.

Find out more about each product including which ones require soaking, how to soak and tips on cooking dried legumes and pulses by checking out each product here.

Sugars

Were you storing away coconut sugar, caster sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar and many other types of sugars? Why not make it into a sugar scrub for your self-care routine? Simply blend equal amounts of freshly minced ginger with brown or raw sugar and a sprinkle of Organic Vanilla Bean Powder, Macadamia Oil or sweet almond oil (optional). Run yourself a bath or shower and lather the scrub onto your skin, focusing on drier areas like the elbows and knees.

Dried fruit

If your biscuit, slice or muffin recipe calls for dried fruit, remember this: there are no rules. Swap raisins for dried cranberries, sultanas, currants or goji berries – it will all turn out delicious! Plus, it’s a great way to use up dried fruit and add colour to your baked goods. Same applies for small portions of nuts!

Pasta

Do you know how easy it is to make a healthy and nutritious red pasta sauce? Crush some garlic and add it to a saucepan with good-quality olive oil. Grate a few fresh tomatoes in a bowl, then add to the garlic mix. Optional to add a small handful of thinly sliced Organic Sun Dried Tomatoes for an extra Mediterranean flavour. Give a good grind of salt and pepper and let simmer. Finish with oregano or parsley and remove from heat. Then, simply pour the red sauce over your cooked pasta and serve. Try our Organic Tomato & Spinach Zoo Pasta for a fun and healthy meal for the kids. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, drizzle this sauce over lasagne sheets, roast some eggplant, capsicum and pumpkin, make up a simple white sauce and finish it off with cheese. Use this time at home to try out making your own lasagne or pasta. Bellissimo! For the ultimate Pesto Pasta using pepitas and macadamias, download our free recipe booklet.

RECIPE

Gluten Free ANZAC Biscuit

If you are looking for the ultimate gluten friendly version of the traditional ANZAC Biscuit, then this recipe is a must! It’s also vegan and paleo! This recipe is great for those wanting a healthier option. Try adding Protein Powder or Organic Hemp Seeds for extra protein.

CLICK HERE for the full recipe.

RECIPE

Banana Choc Chunk Walnut Bread

Kick start your healthy baking with this delicious recipe, it’s perfect for using up pantry staples and ripe bananas. Full of wholesome ingredients so you can skip feeling guilty when indulging on this delicious version of banana bread. Enjoy this warm with a cup of Organic Rooibos or Rainbow Chai, Organic Ginger Glow or Organic Warming Digestive Tea.

Recipe and image by @madeleinelumley

CLICK HERE for the full recipe.

RECIPE

Easy Apple Pear Galette

Whip this up on a whim using just 5-6 ingredients! This easy recipe will allow you to master your pastry making skills in an instant. Not only can you make this with what you have to hand and your pantry staples, but it’s also an excellent recipe for when you require a last-minute dessert! If you don’t have any fresh fruit, you can swap this with frozen, pre-soaked dried apple wedges or whatever you may have.

Recipe and image by @rainbownourishments

CLICK HERE for the full recipe.