What are whole grains? And ancient grains? What are the best cookbooks on whole grains? I wanted to learn more about it all! I shared this journey in my recent blog post – The 7 Best Cookbooks On Ancient Grains, Einkorn, And Milling Flour.
Whole grains, including ancient grains, have many fantastic bodily benefits! When we learn to cook with them properly and in the right ratios, our bodies thrive off the nutrition. I have recently enjoyed milling my grains at home for extra nutrition.
You can invest in a grain mill and some wheat berries and begin grinding your grain with the switch of a button! Several of these books discuss the amazing benefits of freshly milled flour. You can also mill other things like corn, rice, and split peas with your grain mill. It is so easy and convenient I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.
But you can also consume whole grains in various ways for all your meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Plus several sweet treats too. These cookbooks on whole grains will get you started on the right track today!
Let’s check them out…
Don’t forget to Pin this image for later!
As someone who has recently fallen in love with einkorn, I love cookbooks where einkorn is the star of the show! As I shared in my first blog post, I purchase einkorn wheat berries in bulk and use them for all sorts of things like milling flour for bread or making porridge.
If you also have einkorn wheat berries on hand you can make some fun recipes in this book, such as popped einkorn berry parfaits. I also appreciate whole grain recipes and this cookbook has quite a few! I’m going to be trying the doughnut holes next!
This cookbook is filled with breakfasts, breads, appetizers, berry salads, main dishes, and desserts. Plus, I love that there are sourdough recipes sprinkled in as well. It covers all your bases!
Check it out on Amazon here!
This is the same author who wrote Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. If you are new to whole grains, start with that cookbook first, as it is larger with more detail In this cookbook on ancient grains and whole grains, she discusses how to incorporate whole grains into your diet even when you are busy!
I appreciate how simple yet delicious these recipes are. For where we live, with harsh winters, I found myself gravitating towards the soups and stews. Perhaps you enjoy pastas, casseroles, or skillet suppers: there are lots of these recipes too!
The recipes also include salads, side dishes, quick breads, and desserts! This cookbook covers a variety of recipes, so you can always have something new to try throughout the year!
Check it out on Amazon here!
Related Post: The 7 Best Cookbooks On Ancient Grains, Einkorn, And Milling Flour
I have loved milling my own grain at home for several months now and I can’t imagine doing it any other way. It is so easy, I wonder why more people don’t do it. And then I remember that there is a learning curve when it comes to baking with your new fresh milled flour.
This book helps you on the journey. The author discusses the basics of milling grains and which grains to use, including ancient grains but the majority of the book is recipes. The first recipe is “Your First Home-Milled Loaf.” I suggest just focusing on mastering this recipe no matter how long it takes before moving on. It is very foundational to learning about sourdough, whole grains, and bread techniques.
I like to stick to my basic einkorn recipes but if you are interested in exploring different grains, there is a recipe in here for you as it covers just about every grain and grain combination to make fantastic bread. There are even several recipes that stick solely to ancient grains!
Check it out on Amazon here!
This is hands-down one of my favorite cookbooks on whole grains! There is so much to love about it but most importantly, it makes understanding how to cook sourdough whole grain bread so easy and simple, I wish I had known about the Bittman Bread recipe and method years ago.
I am currently loving using whole grain einkorn for our family’s baking needs, so I do have to tweak some recipes slightly. However, anyone looking to try their hand with whole grain sourdough bread and then more whole grain baked goods needs to start here!
I especially loved learning about their no-banneton method and easy way to start a whole grain sourdough starter. This book starts with making your sourdough starter and learning about whole grain baking.
After that you learn how to make Bittman Bread – a perfected loaf of sourdough whole grain goodness. Then you dive into even more variations and recipes! Everyone needs to move towards more whole grain baking and this is the perfect place to start with it.
Check it out on Amazon here!
Don’t forget to Pin this image for later!
This book was a fantastic read, along with being a unique cookbook. It had my head spinning at times as I learned more about sprouting ancient grains and cooking with whole grains.
I especially appreciate this as one of the cookbooks on whole grains because it can be difficult to find recipes that focus on milling ancient grains and cooking with them. It is not common in today’s day and age.
This book provides lots of detail and recipes on sourdough, sprouted flour breads, sprouted pulp breads, whole grains and whole milling, and gluten-free options. It also has Q&A sections throughout the book to make things easier to understand!
Check it out on Amazon here!
I appreciate how this book opens with Ancient Grains 101 – learning about each grain, how to cook them, how to bake with them, equipment, cooking tables, and menu inspiration. Then the cookbook is organized into categories of breakfast; slow mornings; salads and sides; soups and stews; pasta; simply mains; and simple and sweet.
The fantastic thing about this cookbook is that grains are interchangeable in recipes and there are notes on how to make the various variations. The “fine points” are sometimes full pages too of tips and ticks for the kitchen. If you are gluten-free the author is always making notes and suggesting the best grains for you!
So many of the recipes are created for busy times and seasons of life, so whole grains can always be enjoyed without sacrificing them for convenience foods. As a busy mom, that is something I appreciate! This cookbook makes it easy to incorporate these healthy ingredients into our meals, and even try new ones too.
Check it out on Amazon here!
Related Post: 11 Yummy Things This Homemaker Makes From Scratch And Does Not Buy
While this book is 20 years old now it still takes all the fear out milling your own grain! It is packed with wonderful information on grains and the benefits of milling your own at home. It even goes over how to find the time to mill, picking out a mill, the variety of wheats to mill, and what other foods you can put in your mill!
It ends with some wonderful and simple recipes so that you can ease into cooking with your freshly milled flour right away! I love milling my own einkorn at home and this is one of the books I recommend for beginners who want to mill too!
Check it out on Amazon here!
There you have it – the next list of cookbooks on whole grains and ancient grains, and how to cook and mill them at home! Which one of these will you be reading first? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
Latest posts by Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma (see all)
- Our Homesteading Journey – June 2024 Update - June 29, 2024
- A Letter From The Heart Of A Wife, Mom, and Homemaker - June 22, 2024
- The 7 Best Cookbooks On Using Sourdough and Natural Yeast - June 15, 2024
