MAKING YOUR OWN VEGETABLE FLOUR
Making You Own Vegetable Flour
by Back to the Basics--Hope for the best, Prepare for the Worst
Starchy
vegetables may be used as a thickener for gravies, soups, or stews by
first cooking and then mashing or pureeing. Vegetable flour can be made
out of squash, pumpkin, yams, potatoes, or carrots. Peel and cut into
chunks, then dry in a very slow oven or dehydrator. Grind to a fine
powder. When using alternative flours to thicken, dissolve first in cold
water to prevent lumps, just as you would cornstarch. They can also be
used to replace other flour in breads.
Potato Flour
Potato flour is often confused with potato starch, but the flour is produced from the entire dehydrated potato whereas potato starch is produced from the starch only. It is also used as a thickener for soups, gravies, and sauces. </span>
Potato Flour is heavy and has a definite potato flavor.
Made from the whole potato including the skin and will absorb large amounts of water.
It is not used as the main flour in baking as it will absorb too much liquid and make the product gummy.
Small amounts are used to increase water, hold product together and so on.
It is used as an ingredient in potato based recipes to enhance the potato flavor and is often mixed with other types of flour for baking breads and rolls.
Potato flour Substitutions:
For general baking: Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour in a recipe or substitute 5/8 cup potato flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour.
For yeast breads: Replace up to 1/6 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe or substitute 5/8 cup potato flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.
Potato Flour Biscuits and they're Gluten Free as well.
1/2 cup White rice flour
1 tbsp potato flour
2 tsp cane juice crystals
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix together the rice flour, potato flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
Add buttermilk and margarine and mix until well blended.
Partially flatten pieces of dough with hand and place on cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
http://www.barryfarm.com/nutri_info/flours/potatoflour.html
Sweet Potato Flour
Sweet potato flour is produced from white sweet potatoes and is dull white in color, stiff in texture, and has a somewhat sweet flavor.
It is high in fiber and contains a higher level of carbohydrates and lower level of protein than common wheat flour.
It can be used for baked goods, such as breads, cookies, muffins, pancakes, and doughnuts, and as a thickener for sauces and gravies. Commonly used in gluten free cooking and baking.
Sweet Potato Crepes Recipe
3/4 cup sweet potato flour 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring 2 eggs 1 cup of skim milk 1 tablespoon of nonfat dry milk Pinch of sea salt
Mix all items in a blender or food processor until it has become a creamy batter.
Spray a nonstick skillet heated over a medium heat with nonstick spray. Follow by adding 2 tablespoons of the crepe batter into the skillet.
Tilt the skillet and swirl it in a circular motion until the batter is evenly spread over the pan. </span>
Cook the crepe until the outer edges begin to brown and loosen from the skillet.
Flip the crepe to the other side and cook for about 30 more seconds.
Using a thin spatula, lift the crepe from the pan and serve on a plate.
http://www.barryfarm.com/nutri_info/flours/sweetpotatoflour.htm
Green Pea Flour
Green Pea Flour can be used to make creamy pea soup with that fresh pea color in just three minutes and contains less than 2% fat. Can be used in Guacamole and try substituting 1/4 of the regular flour in your sugar cookie or muffin recipe for an St. Paddy's Day treat.Try this delicious quick
Green Pea Soup
3 Tbsp Green Pea Flour
2 cups Hot Water
2 tsp Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon
Stovetop: In a saucepan, heat 2 cups water to just about boiling.
Reduce heat to medium and whisk in 3 Tbsp Green Pea Flour and 2 tsp of chicken or vegetable bouillon or soup base.
Cook until mixture boils, then boil for 2 minutes.
Serves 2
http://www.barryfarm.com/nutri_info/flours/greenpea.html
Carrot Flour
Dried Carrot powder can be used to replace some of the flour in breads and baked goods to produce some interesting foods. Some dog treats can be made from carrot flour.
Carrot powder is obtained by drying and milling carrots without any added substances. It has a very high content of Beta-Carotene and fibers. Carrot powder is an innovative supplement for bakery, confectionery and pasta products. It is a naturally gluten free product thus highly recommended in the gluten free diet in the preparation of tasty, home-made pasta as well as cakes.
Replace up to 1/4 c of flour with dried carrot powder in your favorite recipe.
In your favorite pasta recipes, start with 1 T of carrot powder and adjust according to the intensity of flavor you prefer.
Dried carrot powder can also be used as a natural colorant to foods.</span>
http://www.barryfarm.com/nutri_info/veggies/carrotpowder.htm
Spinach Flour
I picked enough spinach to heap onto the dryer trays (I have five very large trays) and started my spinach to dry at about 10 AM. Right now it is 6:24 PM and I have processed it all and have gotten 12 ounces of my spinach flour.
When you dehydrate the spinach you start with your fresh spinach leaves. Wash them and de-stem. Place the spinach leaves on your dehydrator trays and dry until crisp and brittle. At this point, since we have electricity, I use a food processor and process into flour (a blender works too). If you don't have a food processor, use a ziploc bag, insert the dried spinach, take out the air, zip and use a rolling pin to make into a powder. Takes a little longer this way, but it does work. Your dried spinach may have little flecks of dried spinach in it and this is fine. It does not all have to be a fine grind like flour.
I then pour the spinach flour into a jar and screw on the lid tightly. I use old pasta jars (any jar with a screw on lid will work fine). I place the jars on a shelf in the dark basement where it is cool all year long. These jars last a very long time. My test was I put items in these jars in 1982 and checked and used them this year (2000)
Here are some recipes for using dried spinach:
Pasta Recipe - makes approximately 1 pound2 3/4 cups semolina or unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, extra large
1 tablespoon olive oil
In a bowl mix together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs. Gently blend with a fork or your fingers, drawing the flour from the sides toward the center. Add the olive oil and mix until dough cleans the sides of the bowl. (IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE SPINACH PASTA FROM THE DRIED SPINACH FLOUR NOW IS THE TIME TO ADD 2 OR 3 TABLESPOONS).
Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough 5 minutes until it is smooth and does not stick to your hands. It should be one color. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces with a pasta scraper and let it rest for 5 minutes covered with a piece of plastic wrap. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, kneading gently and flatten with the heel of your hand. Feed the flattened dough through the rollers of a pasta machine, gradually decreasing the space between the rollers by adjusting the notches. I start at 1 and finish at 5 or 6. Roll to desired thickness.
Insert cutting roller heads into the machine and cut the pasta, being careful not to feed it through the cutters at an angle. It is easier to feed the dough through the cutter if the ends are squared off. Dry the pasta until it is dry but not brittle. For longer keeping twice the moist strands into loose loops to dry. They will keep this way a few days in the refrigerator or up to a few months in the freezer. Cook the pasta until it is al dente or tooth tender in 7 quarts of rapidly boiling water to which 2 Tablespoons of salt have been added. Stir with a wooden fork to separate the strands. Test every 2 to 3 minutes for doneness since fresh pasta cooks faster than boxed. Drain pasta in a colander or lift it from the pot with a fork, shaking off the excess water.
Creamy Spinach Soup
Make a thin white sauce (if you need a recipe let me know) add 3-4 tablespoons of spinach flour and stir Stir well, then let set 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes reheat and eat OR 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (can be purchased whole at herb shop or any good grocery store) 2 chicken bouillon cubes 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cups half and half 1/4 cup dried powdered spinach Melt butter in saucepan. Add onion powder, nutmeg and bouillon cubes. Crush and dissolve bouillon cubes adding a little milk if necessary. Add remaining milk and half and half. Heat to 185 degrees (just below boiling). Place spinach power in bowl or blender. Pour hot milk mixture over spinach. Blend well. Serve at once. Yield: 3 small cups of soup as an appetizer or 1 large bowl (2 cups) as a main entree.
Spinach Squares
4 tbsp. butter
3 eggs
1 c. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 lb. grated cheddar
1/4 cup spinach flour
1 tbsp. chopped onion Seasoned salt (opt.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in 9 x 13 inch baking dish in oven. Remove dish. Beat eggs then add flour, milk, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Add cheese, spinach flour, onion and mix well. Spoon into dish and level off. Sprinkle with seasoned salt if desired. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and cut into squares.
Spinach Feta Bread
3/4 cup spinach flour --
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast --
3 cups bread flour --
1/3 cup wheat bran --
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar --
1/2 tablespoon salt --
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg --
1/2 teaspoon black pepper --
3 tablespoons oil --
2 eggs --
1/3 cup feta cheese --
1/2 cup water
Bring all ingredients to room temperature and add to machine. Select white bread cycle.
Spinach Casserole
1 pint cottage cheese
4 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese cubed
1/2 cup spinach flour
3 - 4 tablespoons of butter dash of salt
Mix together cottage cheese, eggs and flour. Add cheese. Cut butter into pieces and combined with mixture. Add salt. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Spinach and Mushroom Quiche
2 medium onions, white or yellow, chopped
1/2-1" size 8 ounces mushrooms washed and sliced
1/2 to 2/3 cup spinach flour
2 or more cloves garlic, minced
3 or 4 eggs beaten with about
1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 nine-inch deep dish pie crust
1-2 tbs butter Herb for garnish and flavor, such as Rosemary, Summer Savory, Marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste.
Bake at 350 F for one hour or until no longer juicy inside. Melt the butter over medium heat, saute onions and add garlic in a skillet. When onions are translucent add the mushrooms and cook out the juice. Then add the spinach flour and extra milk if needed and mix together. Add your salt and pepper. Place the pie crust on a cookie sheet or something similar. Transfer vegetable mixture to the pie crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top, then sprinkle on the cheddar cheese. Separately gently beat the eggs adding the milk. Salt and pepper can be added to the eggs, add the herb 1/2 tsp. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the cheese and veggies. Sometimes its too full so don't use all the egg. Clean any spilled egg off the cookie sheet and put the quiche back on the pan, sprinkle with additional herbs. Place pan in the lower part of the oven for the first 30 minutes and then transfer to the upper half to finish baking.
