NutriMill: An appliance to help make real food!

A few years ago, I wrote a post about grinding wheat (in my first ever blog video – please ignore the less than ideal set up). If you’ve never milled your own wheat or even heard of it, I promise it’s not as crazy as it sounds! It’s actually fairly simple (kind of like grinding your own coffee), and it also has so many benefits including, in my opinion, flour with a much better taste.

One thing that I can honestly say about my last mill is that while I loved the functionality of it, it was a rather large, futuristic-looking appliance that I definitely put away after every use. So when NutriMill told me about their newest bamboo Harvest Grain Mill, I was super excited to try it out! Just check out how pretty it is…even pretty enough to leave on your counter, which would also serve as a good reminder to use it. :) And I think it’s even easier to use than my old one since there are fewer parts. Plus I also really like the smaller size and the look and feel of the eco-friendly bamboo. What a wonderful makeover!

For those of you who are not familiar with grinding your own wheat, I hope this post, which is sponsored by NutriMill, can help explain the benefits.

The reason I first wanted a mill was because, after exclusively eating white bread for many years, I learned that freshly ground wheat tastes much fresher and lighter than store bought flour/products. I used to avoid whole-wheat foods because I didn’t like the taste – but not if I use my wheat grinder! Plus there are extra nutritional benefits to grinding it fresh as well.

Benefits of Using a Grain Mill

• You save money. Grind as much (or as little) as you want, without waste. Commercial flours and mixes expire, but whole grains (before you grind them) don’t.
• Know what’s in your flour. Nothing bad is added, and nothing good is removed. You can be sure it’s the entire grain and nothing else!
• Use it for bean flours (see ideas below).
• Those who are gluten free can use it for various types of flour, including corn.

Harvest Grain Mill Features

• Texture control: grind anything from coarsely cracked grains (for cereals) to ultra-fine flour.
• It’s pretty! There are 6 color choices with a small footprint, making it perfectly acceptable to keep on the counter.
• It’s designed and assembled in the USA. Hard to go wrong there!
• 5-year warranty. In fact, truth be told, I had a minor warranty issue with my NutriMill Classic recently. I sent it back and in just a couple of weeks it was returned to me fixed, no questions asked. So there is good peace of mind for such an investment!

Ways to Use a Mill

• Prepare homemade baby food – quinoa, barley, millet, rice, and oats for cereals or dried peas/lentils.
• Grind oat groats or buckwheat right into your cereal bowl for raw muesli.
• Make healthy instant protein powder – quinoa, oat, or buckwheat flour. You probably know I’m not a fan of processed protein powders, so this is a great real-food alternative.
• Grind 100% whole-grain cornmeal from dried corn for masa, tortillas, and corn bread (this mill does NOT mill popcorn).
• Easily add bean and lentil flours to baked goods such as cookies, brownies, breakfast bars, or power muffins.
• Use chickpea flour for a creamy hummus (no gritty texture!), black or pinto bean flour for quick soups, bean dips, and refried beans.
• Make fresh pasta from alternative grains such as buckwheat or quinoa.
• Put cracked grains in pilafs and stuffings or use as meat extenders/replacers for burgers and meatballs.
• Grind white bean flour as a gluten-free thickener for soups or sauces.
• Add cracked grains to bread for more texture.
• Experiment with a variety of whole grain flours to replace white flour for ALL breads and baked goods.

We all know that there are SO many appliances out there and only so much space to store all these things, but I can honestly say that the NutriMill makes my short list of products to help make real food. It’s not difficult to get started, and as I mentioned – above all – it by far gives you the best tasting whole-grain products. Anyone else with me when it comes to grinding your own grains? I’d love to hear in the comments below!