Nature's Bounty

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Barley Divider

Glossary

Barley Divider

  • Lactose
  • Lacto–vegetarian
  • Lactose Intolerance
  • Leaven
  • Leavening Agent
  • Legume
  • Milk
  • Oatmeal
  • Organic
  • Ovo–lacto–vegetarian
  • Quick Breads
  • Quinoa
  • Rice
  • Rye
  • Solar Oven
  • Sourdough
  • Soy
  • Soybeans
  • Soy Flour
  • Soymilk
  • Tofu
  • Triticale
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Wheat
  • Whey
  • Whole Food
  • Whole Grain
  • Whole Wheat
  • Yeast

Barley Divider

Aglutinous

gluten-free, without gluten

Amaranth

a lightly nutty ancient Aztec grain, high in protein, gluten–free;  may be popped, steamed or boiled, or ground into flour Arrowroot

Amaranth

a lightly nutty ancient Aztec grain, high in protein, gluten–free;  may be popped, steamed or boiled, or ground into flour

Amino Acid

the building blocks of protein, a proper balance of amino acids is essential for health and proper nutrition.  Contrary to popular rumors in both directions, a proper balance of amino acids can be achieved through a vegetarian diet, but it is difficult, and takes knowledge and understanding, and for most people requires a serious effort and self–education.

Baking Powder

a combination of Baking Soda and a simple starch, such as cornstarch or arrowroot;  used as a leavening agent, through the same acid–base reaction described in this glossary under Baking Soda.  Persons allergic to corn can make their own Baking Powder by adding 1 part Baking Soda to 3 parts simple starch, such as arrowroot, or whatever simple starch is tolerated;  or, Baking Soda can be substituted by reducing amounts to 1/4 of the Baking Powder called for in the recipe.

Baking Soda

also known as Bicarbonate of Soda, this simple Basic (or Alkaline) chemical compound is used as a leavening agent, incorporating air pockets in a food by releasing carbon dioxide when placed in contact with acidic agents, such as lemon juice, maple syrup, or vitamin C.  It is also used medicinally, to settle a hyperacidic stomach, neutralizing excess stomach acid through the same chemical reaction that makes it useful as a leavening agent.

Barley

a delicately nutty traditional grain, low in gluten, adds a soft crumb and cake–like texture to baked goods;  "pearl barley" may be used in soups and stews;  rolled barley flakes are sometimes used in granola or baked goods

Bicarbonate of Soda

sodium bicarbonate – see Baking Soda

Berry

the whole, un–processed grain, comprised of the bran, endosperm, and germ;  used for sprouting;  sometimes sprouted and ground into dough for essene bread;  soaked, cooked, and added to baked goods for a sweet chewiness;  or ground for fresh flour

Bran

usually used to refer the partially ground outer cortex, or protective outer layer, of the edible kernel, or grain;  of the wheat berry.  However, it is not limited to wheat, and refers instead to this outer cortex of any grain, sometimes mistakenly called the husk;  rich in oils and nutrients, including the majority of the protein found in the whole grain, it also contains the majority of the dietary fiber of the whole grain.  Bran is found naturally in whole grain flours, or it can be added, to make food even higher in fiber, and darkly flecked.

Brown Barley

the whole, un–processed barley grain, comprised of the bran, endosperm, and germ;  used for sprouting;  sometimes sprouted and ground into dough for essene bread;  soaked, cooked, and added to baked goods for a sweet chewiness;  or ground for fresh flour

Brown Rice

the whole, un–processed rice grain, comprised of the bran, endosperm, and germ;  may be cooked by steaming or boiling, or ground for fresh flour;  may even be planted.

Buckwheat

This misnamed plant is more closely related to rhubarb than it is to wheat;  the so–called groats, hulled whole buckwheat berries, can be used raw, or roasted;  in the United States, buckwheat is mostly grown as animal fodder, or a kind of "green manure", however, buckwheat flour and buckwheat groats, both raw and roasted, are available organically grown in the United States and Australia, and can be used in baked goods, pancakes, casseroles and side dishes, limited only by your ingredients and your tastes.  Fresh flour may be ground from groats, roasted or not, if you prefer.  Buckwheat's nutritional value is similar to that of wheat, save that it is outstandingly high in the amino acid, l-lysine.  Buckwheat has a strong nutty flavor, with a distinctive undertone.

Butter

a smooth creamy spread made of milk or cream which has been "churned" until all of the fat particles have clumped together, without any of the liquid, protein, or sugars naturally found in the milk or cream;  sometimes this term is applied to smooth, creamy spreads made of fruit, such as "apple butter"

Casserole

a main dish consisting of a mixture of some kind of starch, such as noodles, grains, or potatoes, with a sauce, vegetables, meat, or other ingredients as desired by the cook;  usually baked slowly to allow the flavors to mingle

Casserole Dish

a deep, covered, oven–safe dish, suitable for making a covered casserole;  may be any size, from small enough for one person, to large enough for twenty or more.

Cheese

a slightly rubbery dairy product made from the protein in milk, with or without some amount of milkfat;  includes "cottage cheese", the simplest of the cheeses, in which the protein (with or without included milkfat) collects into small to medium pellets, surrounded by the whey, or liquid and other remaining elements of the milk.  These curds, or clumps of protein, may be collected together in a mold or form, and pressed to make soft or hard cheeses;  soft cheeses are used quite fresh, while hard cheeses may be aged for a year or more.  Many cheeses are high in fat and sodium, while others are fat–free, almost entirely protein.

Chlorophyll

the green pigment which allows plants to use the solar energy of sunlight to produce sugars and cellulose

Clabber

when milk is exposed to heat or acid, such as lemon juice, the proteins in the milk start to connect with one another, forming clumps, a process known as "clabbering up";  this is the process by which all cheese, including cottage cheese, is produced.

Corn

the old traditional name for grain, this term has come to be used almost exclusively to refer to maize, what we often think of as "corn–on–the–cob";  other grains generally preface the term corn with the name of the specific grain whose seeds are being described, such as "barley–corn"

Cottage Cheese

the simplest of the cheeses, in which the protein (with or without included milkfat) collects into small to medium pellets, surrounded by the whey, or liquid and other remaining elements of the milk.

Cream

the milkfat–rich top layer of the mammary secretions of a dairy animal;  can be churned into butter, or used in recipes to add richness to a dish;  cream is an essential element of the best gravies

Cream Cheese

a smooth, rich cheese made primarily with cream, rather than milk;  can be used to make a delicious dessert favorite of mine: cheesecake!

Curds

clumps of dairy protein in curdled or "clabbered" milk;  the solid part of cottage cheese

Dairy Animals

any mammal whose mammary secretions, milk and cream, are cultivated for human food use; including cows, goats, even sheep and other lesser–known dairy animals

Dairy Products

any food derived from milk and cream, the mammary secretions of dairy animals including cows, goats, even sheep and other lesser–known dairy animals

Dutch Oven

a heavy lidded pot, often made of cast iron, which can be used for cooking in campfires, baking, and making fantastic slow-cooked soups, stews, and casseroles

Endosperm

the starchy middle layer of a grain;  this is the starch that breaks down into sugars to feed the developing seedling until it can produce its own food through photosynthesis

Farina

degermed wheat

Farinha

a refined buckwheat flour, a staple food of the Mediterranean area

Flour

consisting of finely ground grains, seeds, legumes, or nuts, flour is usually a dry powder, though some of the nut and legume flours may be naturally moist

Germ

the central part of a grain, the part that sprouts when planted

Ghee

a form of clarified butter used in the cooking of some cultures

Gliadin

the stickier of the two proteins comprising gluten

Gluten

Gluten is a protein, consisting of gliadin and glutenin;  when glutinous dough is kneaded, these two stick together to form an elastic web, which traps small pockets of carbon dioxide exhaled by the yeast as they grow, and/or air from the kneading process.  This allows the bread to rise and keep its shape during baking;  gluten–free breads tend to be more crumbly and less flexible.

Gluten is present in highest levels in wheat, while rye and triticale contain less, predominated by the stickier gliadin.  Oats and barley contain low levels of gluten, and other grains none at all;  grains with low gluten levels should be used with care in baking yeasted breads, but are highly suited to cakes and quickbreads, where they will produce a soft crumb.

Unfortunately, gluten, especially wheat gluten, can cause allergic reactions in some individuals, or irritate Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), sometimes known as spastic colon.  People suffering from Leaky Gut often find that gluten and glutinous foods are among the most difficult to tolerate.  However, many people find that they can tolerate gluten–rich grains, such as rye, or even wheat, if they have been sprouted.  If you have a mild allergy to wheat, you may be able to eat essene bread, or other sprouted wheat breads.

Note: If you are following a restricted diet for medical reasons, PLEASE do not deviate from the prescribed diet without consulting your health care professional.

Glutenin

the less sticky of the two proteins comprising gluten

Glutinous

containing gluten

Grain

the edible seeds of plants of the grass family, such as wheat, rye, maize, triticale, oats, amaranth, and quinoa

Gravy

a savory sauce usually made with meat juices, cream, and a thickening agent like roux, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder;  vegetarian versions can be made, including a nice one based on an organic herbal stock concentrate.  Gravies benefit from the inclusion of carmelized juices, so consider roasting vegetables if making a vegetable–based gravy. Roux Cornstarch Savory Carmelize Sauce Roast Juice Expressed Cold–pressed

Green Manure

a nutrient–rich plant grown to enrich the soil by being plowed under at the end of the growing season, then left to decompose and release their nutrients and organic matter into the soil

Groats

the hulled whole berry, or grain, such as in buckwheat groats (also known as "kasha") and oat groats, often cooked and eaten as gruel, may be ground into flour, as grains keep better and stay fresher the less processed they are.

Gruel

a simple food made from grains cooked with water or milk until they reach either a thick paste, like stiff oatmeal, or a runny paste, thin enough to resemble a lumpy gravy
  • Husk
  • Glutinous

    containing gluten
  • Ice Cream
  • Glutinous

    containing gluten
  • Ice Milk
  • Glutinous

    containing gluten
  • Kasha
  • Glutinous

    containing gluten

    Barley Divider



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    Last updated on January 5, 1999