Thursday, February 28, 2013

Bisquick Mix ~ Made at Home and Our Journey Toward Health

"Bisquick" Mix
Rachel's Way!
6 cups of flour
3 T. Baking Powder
1 1/2 t. Salt
1 stick Butter
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the dry ingredients resemble corn meal.  
 This can also be done in a food processor if you have one.  I'm a pioneer woman (remember?) and I don't have a food processor.
This is so super "easy peasy" to do.  The mix will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.  However, I don't know exactly what indefinitely might mean because our mix never lasts that long.  This is an amazing base for biscuits and pancakes or waffles.  I will say, if you are a Bisquick user, then this is it!
In 1999 after some health issues that couldn't seem to be resolved, I started researching things I could do to put our family, not just myself,  on a journey toward life long health.
That journey continues.
Interestingly enough, people out of the blue have started asking me what we are doing and it always catches me off guard.  
Our journey toward health has been quiet with a lot of highs and lows.
Currently I am researching six specific issues that I don't want our family to be plagued with.  I'm not to the bottom of yet, but I am on my way!
We have been on this path for what to me seems like a long time, and it always catches me off guard when people say what have y'all ( well here in Indiana they would say you guys, but anyway) done differently.
And I kinda get this bewildered look on my face ( I think) or in my brain at least, and try not to say, "Duh?  I don't know.  Differently, hum?  Since like several years ago you mean?"
We still eat the occasional potato chip and drink an occasional glass of sweet tea sweetened with white sugar.  Gasp!  I know, terrible huh?
We haven't been radical in our real food journey.
We are always working toward it with a balance that fits our family lifestyle and budget.
Otherwise, I might have given up.
I am always striving to learn.
We have been blessed because of the changes we have made.
My immediate family has embraced it, and when I introduce a change, if I sense resistance, I back off, until everyone is on board.  In this way,  I have seen our young adult sons embrace health, and our daughter knows nothing different than to question whether something is the best healthy option available to her.
If you have read books on achieving or maintaining health through real foods, or seen documentaries on "edible food like products", it is easy to be overwhelmed with all the stuff that we are consuming.
I mean like I could totally freak out y'all. I mean you guys.
However, I have tried my best to make balanced and wise choices that we could maintain long term.

I know many people have switched to coconut flour and rice flour and other flour replacement products. I know that a lot of people grind their own flour.

Our family hasn't made that change. 
I don't have a flour grinder.
The flour shown in the two photos above is my favorite.
  It is white whole wheat flour. 
 But it isn't white, because it is whole wheat, but it is the texture of white but the color of whole wheat.
Now what?
Huh?
I know.  Confusing!
Oh, my it is delectable and soft and smooth and silky and fluffy and it simply feels alive when you work with it.
Have I told you it is my favorite? 
I can buy it at Walmart and it is about $3.84 for 5lbs where I shop.
I love it!
It is my favorite! ;)
If I told you that I have never bought a bag of white flour since 1999, it would be ABSOLUTELY untruthful.  But I will say, this is the flour I buy the most.  There have been times our grocery budget didn't allow for this much expense on just flour and I bought white flour for $1.88 and we were OK, but as soon as I could, I came back to this.
My goal:
Healthy choices as often as possible.
Long term maintenance.
When life knocks you off track, take a deep breath and claw your way back to the track.
Whatever that means.
Balance.

Happy baking to your health.
Rachel

P.S. This bag of yummy healthy flour is less expensive than a big box of Bisquick.  If your budget is tight consider your balanced and healthy options and maybe making your own Bisquick would be a great choice.  You'll still have flour left over to use for your latest paper mache project or for um, oh yeah, cinnamon rolls.  Yes, cinnamon rolls! 

I would love to know, what is one thing you have changed in your journey toward health?
 

5 comments:

Judy said...

Thanks for sharing your recipe. We try to eat healthier here and I will admit I still have a chip or two but not often.

Karla Cook @ Roads to Everywhere said...

Wheat Montana?? We stopped there last summer on a road trip. They have a bakery and sandwich shop just off the Interstate right out in the middle of nowhere! I told Lyle we should plan our lunch stop there next time we go that way.

Also, our friends who own the bakery and coffee shop here in Post Falls, use Wheat Montana flour. They are talking about baking whole wheat bread, too. (In addition to the white-flour pastries they already offer.) I hope they do! I've never learned the knack of making yeast bread.

We have been on the same journey for about as long as you have. Baby steps every year. Our latest "adventure" has been juicing. We've decided we like fresh fruit juices but not the veggie juices so much. We'd rather have our fresh veggies in salad.

Attic Clutter said...

hehe-- curious (:)
it was on the drive between Wenatchee, WA and the lake Coeur d alene Idaho.. it is a huge beautiful lake ..love the green forests around it.. Wenatchee is a bare hill town so nice to get away to a refreshingly green place(:)

Donnie said...

Last time I saw you, the food changes you have made ready did show! Keep up the good and hard work!
Have a wonderful healthy day.

Kathy Skinner (Kat) said...

Love Wheat Montana flour!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe for Bisquick-type mix! The journey to healthful eating is always evolving. Ours just went the vegan route because of food allergies.