Essential Food Storage - For Emergencies and Every Day Living

IF YOU CANNOT STORE ALL OF THE ABOVE
Try the following SHORT TERM food lists

WATER
SEEDS (organic, non-treated, used for sprouting)

Tools for sprouting (any of the following):
1. A quart jar, piece of nylon or wire mesh
2. Wash cloth, plate, cake pan
3. Commercial sprouting trays
(see instructions below)

WATER
Water is more essential than food in sustaining life, and over the long term needs to be constantly available from an unpolluted source. But realistically, in case of severe emergency, plan to have enough water to sustain your family for TWO WEEKS.

How Much to Store:
Water storage should take top priority in emergency preparedness. 1 gallon per day per person is the recommended minimum. 1/2 gallon (2 quarts) for daily drinking and ½ gallon for daily washing. Try going without the water from your faucets one day and see how you fare with your emergency water supply. You may decide, like we did, to dejunk more storage areas and make room for more water!
Store a minimum of 7 gallons of water per person for drinking and food preparation. Store an additional seven gallons per person of the same quality water for bathing, brushing teeth, and dishwashing. This is approximately 3 gallons per person for 72 hours, or 14 gallons for 2 weeks.

How to Store:
Water can be stored in any durable non-glass container designed to store liquids for extended periods. If you use plastic, plan on changing the water every few months, as there is some transfer of toxic materials from some plastics to the water. Empty plastic milk jugs are food-grade, but they may start leaking over a period of time. Empty and cleaned 2-liter pop bottles hold up just fine with indoor storage where the temperature is more constant; however, a 2-liter bottle that has been in the car-trunk during the heat of the summer and extreme cold of winter will eventually start to crack. Put a new 2-liter bottle of water in your car trunk at the change of extreme hot and extreme cold weather.

In summary, use heavy plastic containers with tight fitting lids. Metal containers, which may corrode, tend to give water an unpleasant taste. If possible, use non-breakable containers for your water storage. You could end up without a water supply if all your glass containers are shattered.

For information on Water Treatment click here>>

SEEDS for sprouting

WHY SPROUT?
One of the very best foods you can eat is sprouts. Sprouts are live plant foods that are biogenic
("life-generating), which means they transfer their vital life energy to you! They are packed with
enzymes which aid in digestion and are alkaline-forming. Sprouts can be grown in your kitchen
(from beans, lentils, grains, seeds, almonds) in any season, providing you with fresh organic
produce when no other garden is available. They are easy to grow, some in as little as one day.
Seeds for sprouting can be stored for long periods of time and can produce many times their
weight in fresh produce full of vitamins, minerals, and complete proteins.

Note: 1 ½ cups a day of mixed sprouts, and alfalfa that has had a chance to green up
a little, will supply you with complete nutrition and SUSTAIN LIFE!
A good mix for this would be equal parts of Alaska pea (better tasting than the garden pea),
lentils, mung bean, adjuki bean. Half as much of sunflower, fenugreek seed and triticale wheat.
An excellent combination to put with the alfalfa is red clover, cabbage, and radish.
You can purchase the combination of seeds mentioned above already mixed for your
convenience. Contact Life Sprouts 1-800-241-1516. They are organic and guaranteed to sprout.

They can be eaten alone, in salads, with grains, in sandwiches, gently steamed with veggies,
as a snack, or sprinkled over soup. Everyone should store organic sprouting seeds and use
sprouts in their daily diet. This is the best way to eat soy. It is the ideal way to eat all legumes.
When sprouted, they are much easier to digest and will not produce intestinal gas as they do
when cooked.

During an emergency you will have a number of basic needs such as alternate methods of
cooking; some method of preserving perishable food; and a supply of foods that require little
or no preparation or refrigeration. In time of emergency, your source of heat may not be
available and you will be forced to search for an alternate method of heating or using your food.

Sprouts can sustain you! Don't want to wait until an emergency hits. Start now to introduce
sprouts into your diet. It may be a food you need to get use to, but as you do you will learn
to really enjoy the taste, the energy and the feeling of well-being they give you. You probably
eat as much for the pleasure that food brings as you do to satisfy your hunger. Some of the
suggestions may not meet your special needs, but you can adapt them, with the unique and
healthful recipes given.

To experience some simple sprouts, try lentils. Soak 1/3 cup green lentils overnight, preferable
in purified water, in a 1 quart jar. (special sprouting jars with drainage lids can be obtained at
health food stores. You could use nylon or fiberglass mesh as a lid, fitted with an elastic band
or the ring on the canning jar.) In the morning rinse the lentils well with fresh water, then pour
off the water through the lid or mesh. Turn the jar to spread the seeds, then leave the jar upside-
down (tilted at a 45 degree angle ) in a dark, warm place, to continue draining. Rinse and drain
the contents of the jar twice a day, once a day, or sometimes I leave it a day or two and just
rinse, drain and let dry out a little before storing in the fridge. This will depend on the seed or
bean you are sprouting. Beans take longer to sprout, so they need more rinsing. In 2-3 days
the sprouts will be ready to eat. Store sprouts in the refrigerator in a glass jar, sealed plastic
bag or a plastic container. They will keep for about a week.

In Summary

• Sprouts are one of the most complete foods known to man, with vitamins, proteins, minerals,
  live enzymes, and fiber in their purest form.
  
• They are a whole food, nutritious, efficient and the most inexpensive source of dietary fiber
  available.
  
• They taste good raw or cooked, have no waste. Higher than meat in protein and the citrus
  fruits in Vit C, at a fraction of the cost!
  
• Sprouting makes it easier to digest and adds enzymes that change the starches to sugars
  and proteins to amino acids.
  
• Sprouting changes the texture of dried beans and legumes so that they can be easily chewed
  and digested with little or no cooking.
  
• Sprouted grains and beans increase in vitamins A,B,C,E and K. Riboflavin and folic acid
  increase up to 13 times the original amount present in the dry seeds. Vit.C increases up
  to 600% in some cases. Two of the most important amino acids necessary for the body
  to manufacture proteins are lysine and tryptophan, which are also increased significantly.
  
• They can grow anywhere, needs neither soil nor sunshine, and flourishes in any climate,
  during any season of the year, and ready to harvest in 1-5 days.
  
• The volume increases 3-4 times the original amount when sprouted! So, in addition to
  adding important enzymes, increasing nutrition, saving time and effort in preparing whole
  foods, the yield is even a greater savings on your food budget.

HOW TO SPROUT

Jar Method
Soak 1/3 cup seeds in a 1 quart jar of water for 6 hours or overnight. (Special sprouting jars
with drainage lids can be obtained at health food stores. You could use nylon or fiberglass
mesh as a lid, fitted with an elastic band or the ring on the canning jar.) In the morning rinse
the lentils well with fresh water, then pour off the water through the lid or mesh.
Turn the jar to spread the seeds, then leave the jar upside-down (tilted at a 45 degree angle )
in a dark, warm place, to continue draining. Rinse and drain the contents of the jar once a day,
or sometimes I leave it a day or two and just rinse, drain and let dry out a little before storing
in the fridge. This will depend on the seed or bean you are sprouting. Beans take longer to
sprout, so they need more rinsing. (Sunflower seeds only need 3-6 hrs. soaking and only one
day of sprouting). In 2-3 days the sprouts will be ready to eat. Store sprouts in the refrigerator
in a glass jar, sealed plastic bag or a plastic container. They will keep for over a week. Rinse
and drain occasionally if they are not used up within a week.

Wash Cloth and Plate Method
This is a slower method and to be used if a jar or sprouting trays are not available. Place a wash
cloth or terry cloth on a plate. On top of the cloth, sprinkle unsoaked seeds, touching each other,
on top of the cloth and cover with another cloth Rest the plate on a shallow pan containing water,
with one end of the cloth hanging down into the water. This will act as a wick and draw up the
water to keep the wheat moist and will sprout.

Commercial Sprouting Tray Method
For an easy-to-get started program on sprouting, we recommend a company dedicated to
producing the best possible product in organic, clean pure sprouting seeds, grains and beans
with instructions on how to sprout, and nutritional aspects for the different seeds.
Contact Life Sprouts 1-800-241-1516

Some of the easiest sprouts to grow are: alfalfa, mung bean, chick pea, green or pink
lentil, sesame, sunflower, almond, buckwheat, and wheat.
A lettuce replacement - equal parts of red clover, cabbage, radish and twice the amount
of alfalfa.
A Good Bean Mix - Equal parts of Alaska pea (better tasting than the garden pea),
lentils, mung bean, adjuki bean. Half as much of sunflower, fenugreek seed and triticale
wheat.

Note:
Sprouts are the single most important item left out of our diet for healthy living. A good supply of sprouting seeds could be one of the most important items in your food storage.

We recommend storing 25 lbs.of seed per person, in addition to wheat. Stored with
Diatomaceous earth (which is a natural insect killer). Grain seeds will last for 8-10 years or more, depending on the moisture content of the grain and atmospheric temperature (must be stored in a cool place for successful sprouting). Vegetable seeds are good for only 5-7 years. It is important; however, to ariate every 2 years, by pouring the stored seeds into another clean bucket and then back again. Seeds are alive and contain oxygen, but if they are canned and never ariated, they can die from their own carbon dioxide and will not sprout. ROTATE, enjoy this live food now and keep it alive for the future. Note: If seeds are canned with an Oxy pack, many will not sprout. Those who are in the know urge canneries to not can or use oxy packs for grains.

Sprouted Wheat Crackers
(The method for making sprouted wheat crackers and
cooking in the sun, comes from the Dead Sea Scrolls)

1 C sprouted wheat (about 1/4 inch long sprout)
1 tsp. salt or other seasoning

With hand food grinder, using the disk that mashes, or grinds the smallest, grind 1 cup
sprouted wheat. When preparing outdoors, you could pound with tamper on hollowed-out
log or rock.

Wheat, when it is sprouted, takes on a slightly sweet flavor; however, they can become
quite strong as they get older. The mashed wheat can be flavored to make a sweet cracker
by adding a little cinnamon, honey, brown sugar, or sweetener of your choice. For a savory
cracker, add onion, garlic or other herb salts. If sesame seeds are available, sprinkle on
rolled out wheat sprout dough before baking.

Spread mashed mixture onto well greased or Pam'd cookie sheet. Roll out to 1/8th inch thick.
You can add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, additional salt etc. At this point. Score into squares,
prick with fork tines a couple of times in each square. Bake in 350° oven for 15-20 minutes or
till browned and crispy. For outdoor cooking, spread out on rock or flat wood surface in the hot
sun about 2-3 hours until crisp and crunchy.
Note: To keep dough from sticking to rolling pin, place freezer paper or brown bag paper on
top of dough, then roll out thin.

Variation by adding flour:
2 cups mashed wheat sprouts
1/2 cup whole wheat, or other grain, flour
1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional seasonings if desired
4 T olive or vegetable oil
2 T water

Mix together. Roll out on a cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or till browned
and crisp.

Salads
Add sprouts to a tossed salad or to a blend of grated raw
vegetables (try yams, red beets, turnips, jicama, peeled broccoli spears etc. for a delightful
change) This makes a very nutritious and filling meal.

A Sprout Sweet Treat
Mix two parts wheat sprouts (not older than 2-3 days) to one part coconut. This is good
eaten plain or sprinkled over sliced banana, ice cream, pudding etc.

Other Suggested Uses

* Addition to bread dough (ground fine)

• A filling for egg omelets
  
• Warmed in butter and seasoning
  
• Ground with dried fruits such as raisins, dates, figs, apricots, etc., formed into balls
  and rolled in unsweetened coconut. Nuts can be added; also grated orange rind with
  a little juice to hold the balls together.

WHOLE GRAINS (wheat, oats, barley, rice etc.)
SALT and /or other SEASONINGS (garlic and onion salt
or powder, and a basic blend (Seasonal, taco, chili pwd. etc.)
OIL (100% virgin olive oil, not light) shortening stores well but is made of harmful chemicals.
HONEY
MILK POWDER, non instant

Plus these Tools for Preparing:
Fry pan; sauce pan; cookie sheet; Wire strainer; Hand Grain Mill (that will crack and grind grains
into flour); Stove with oven; honey squeeze bottle.

You Can Make:
1. Cooked Cereal (whole, cracked, rolled - with stove or thermos)
2. Meat Replacement
3. Salads
4. Trail Mix
5. Hot Drink (coffee replacement)
6. Wheat Chips (like potato chips)
7. Powdered Milk Candy
8. Homemade yeast
9. Sour Dough Bread
10. Dutch Oven Bread
11. Unleavened Bread

1. Cooked Cereal

Using a Thermos Bottle to cook
Warm the thermos first by pouring boiling water into it for about 5 minutes.
Pour this water out and add equal amounts of boiling water and whole kernel
wheat (or any other grain) to the warmed thermos. Secure lid and leave overnight
or at least for 8-10 hours. The kernels will be large and tender

On Top of Stove (for Cracked Wheat).
Cracked wheat is wheat kernels that have been very coarsely ground.
Sift out any flour found in cracked wheat by shaking it through a fine wire
strainer (these fine particles can be used in other recipes and makes a quick
cream of wheat cereal).
1 C cracked wheat
1 3/4 C water
1 tsp. salt (add after wheat has cooked)

Place water and cracked wheat in heavy sauce pan, bring to full boil, cover, turn
off heat and let stand 15 minutes or till water is absorbed.
Note: This cooked cracked grain makes a flaky, tender breakfast cereal. It can be
used in place of meat, rice dishes and other recipes to replace a ground meat.

On Top of Stove (for Cream of Wheat)

Stir together:
1 C coarse flour (a germade or farina texture)
1 C cool water
In a sauce pan bring to boil:
1 C water

Gradually add the first mixture stirring continuously on a low boil until thick, about
1 minute. Add salt and honey to taste. Serve with milk or juice.

Steamed and dried for Rolled Oats, wheat etc.
Steam the desired grain, for rolling, until tender. Roll thin with a heavy rolling pin.
Dry flakes out in the oven.

2. Meat Replacement
Use cooked crack wheat for a ground meat replacement. (could also use cooked
black or red rice) add to any dish.

3. Salads (using sprouted seeds)
Make a dressing with your seasoning blends and olive oil.

4. Trail Mix (Popped grains and seeds)
In a heavy fry pan (with no oil) over medium-high heat, pop (stirring and/or shaking
constantly) 1 cup each of any or all of the following until lightly browned and popping
sounds have almost stopped: Dry whole wheat kernels (soft wheat is more tender),
raw, green pumpkin seeds (called Oriental or Pepita pumpkin seeds), and raw, hulled
sunflower seeds. Mix together, add ½ teaspoon oil and season with salt, onion or garlic
salt, herb seasonings, or any seasoning of your choice.

5. Hot Drink
Use the popped method, #4 above, for developing parched wheat.
Place ½ cup or less wheat kernels in fry pan on high heat, stirring constantly until the
wheat gets quite dark. Crack in blender or nut mill. Add 1-2 teaspoons parched wheat to
1 cup boiling water. Let steep, strain and serve with milk and honey. Note: for a variety in
your wheat drink, add parched barley and rye to the parched wheat. This makes a blend
similar to postum.
Note: you can add parched wheat to liquids for darkening broths and gravies.

6. Wheat Chips
Similar to potato chips and made from whole wheat
1 C whole wheat flour
2 C water

Mix together and season to taste with one of the following:
1/2 tsp. each onion and garlic salt
1 tsp. salt or vegetable salt substitute
3-4 T parmesan cheese (optional)
1 T of any seasoning The Amazing Wheat book (i.e.,taco, barbecue, onion etc.).

Stir ingredients together. Pour mixture into squirt bottle, as shown in the Quick Wholesome
Foods video,and squirt onto nonstick sprayed cookie sheet in potato chip shapes. Sprinkle
with toasted sesame seeds if desired.
Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Check occasionally and turn chips over if middle
is not cooking as fast as the outside.
Note: the thinner the batter, the more crisp the chips.

For cold cereal flakes: season batter only with salt to taste and a little sweetening if desired.
Bake as above for Wheat Chips

7. Powdered Milk Candy
(Honey taffy)
In a heavy sauce pan boil 2 C honey to the hard ball stage, 250° on medium heat, stirring
constantly, (4-5 minutes). Take off heat Add 1 T butter and 1 teaspoon soda (optional). Flavor
with 12 drops oil of anise or your choice of flavor (also optional). Pour onto a buttered surface.
When cool enough to handle, butter hands and start pulling as you do for taffy. When honey
holds its shape and is a golden color, twist into ropes and place back on the counter top or
baking sheet and cut into pieces with scissors. Wrap individually with wax paper.

(Basic candy)
1 ½ cups non instant dry milk
½ cup honey (whipped honey works well in this recipe)
See also "Good For You Treats" in the Additional Recipes Section.

Stir and knead enough dry milk into the honey to make a firm ball. Stretch and
form into pencil size rolls. Let stand 3-4 hours. If rolls flatten out, gather up and
knead more milk into it. Form into rolls and let stand again. Cut into bite-size
pieces. If candy is to be stored, let pieces stand to dry slightly (to prevent sticking)
before piling on top of each other.
Variations:
Add peanut butter, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, carob, flavorings, food coloring,
chocolate or carob chips, or crispy rice cereal. Add flavorings and food coloring to
honey and mix well before adding the dry milk. Try 3 drops oil of peppermint and
¼ teaspoon green food coloring; ½ teaspoon raspberry or strawberry flavoring and
¼ teaspoon red food coloring; ½ teaspoon black walnut flavoring.

8. Homemade Yeast
Mix together 1 C each whole wheat flour, warm water and 2 tsp. honey. Place in bottle,
leave uncovered. Stir several times a day for 5 days in a warm room. There will be small
bubbles
coming to the top and it will have a yeasty aroma.
To keep it going: feed the starter after the 5th day (to replace what you have used) by
adding equal parts flour an water (or potato water). In 24 hours the yeast will be ready
again.
Store unused yeast in fridge with tight lid. Shake it often. To activate it before using
again add 2-3 tablespoons each flour and water and stir.

9. Sourdough Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup yeast (from homemade yeast) 2 tsp. salt
2 cups warm water 2 T dry milk
3 ½ cups flour 1 T honey
Mix well, place ball of soft dough in a nest of flour. Knead in only enough flour to keep
mixture from sticking. Develop the gluten for 10 min. by kneading or pounding. Place the
satin-smooth dough to rise for about 5 hours at room temperature, about 72 degrees or
until it doubles in bulk. (5 hours is the usually time for sour dough to raise.
Shape into 3 oval loaves or use small bread pans about 3 ½ " x 7 ½". Allow to rise again
for about 3 hours. Bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.

10. Dutch Oven Bread
With a hand-crank wheat mill, it takes about 30 minutes to grind enough wheat into flour
for 3 loaves of bread. When cooking and doing dishes without the modern kitchen, you will
want to keep the effort and mess to a minimum. The Dutch oven works well enough to mix
the ingredients, knead the dough, let it rise mix the ingredients with a potato masher.
Depending on the weather, wind and temperature outside you will need about 4-5 coals
underneath for rising the dough. Rising time, about thirty minutes. Let the dough rise only
once, then increase the coals for cooking. For cooking use 8 to 10 briquettes under and 12
to 14 on top. Cooking time is approximately 35 minutes. If the bread is too moist you can
crack the lid for the last 5 to 10 minutes of the cooking time.

Recipe:
4 1/2 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
2 T salt
3 T yeast- added to 1/2 cup warm water and 1T honey
11-12 cups flour

In a 14 inch dutch oven mix together with a potato masher and work with hands into a
manageable dough. Follow cooking instructions above.
Note: Use vegetable oil on hands to keep dough from sticking

11. Unleavened Bread
(This is also called Matzah - the Hebrew
name for unleavened bread)

3 cups matzah meal (or a flour the texture of corn meal)
water (enough to make it pliable)
pinch of salt

Knead together until soft and fine. Divide into 3 parts. Roll out thin like a pie crust.
Set on a teflon or lightly oiled (olive or vegetable oil only- to be kosher) cookie sheet
and use a fork to lightly puncture the dough. Bake immediately at 400 until lightly
browned. May be turned over, bake until brown. Don't break. You could bake this in
a loaf pan or in a round ball.

12. Seasonings
Basic Sausage or Mock Beef Seasoning Mix
A versatile, unique blend used for a sausage flavor as well as a substitute
for beef flavor.
3/4 C each salt and sage
1/4 C each: ground rosemary, thyme, marjoram, basil
2 T each: cayenne and garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper
3 T dry minced onion

Combine together and store in labeled container. Makes 2 1/2 cups.
See also the Additional Recipes Section.

If you have List #1 and #2 ...plus:

1. LEGUMES, RICE (black or red for meat substitute)
   
2. VEGETABLES (fresh, dried or canned)
   
3. ONIONS (fresh or dried)
   
4. PEANUT BUTTER
   
5. EGGS (fresh or powdered)
   
6. TOMATOES (canned, sauce, juice etc.)
   
7. SODA
   
8. BAKING POWDER
   
9. YEAST (commercial)
   
10. BROTH (vegetable or meat)

Plus these Tools:
Bread pans, oil spray, rolling pin, cookie sheet, sauce pans, bowls, knives.

You Could Make The Following:
1. Chili
2. Spaghetti
3. Meatballs,Veggie Burger
4. Soups
5. Breads
6. Tortillas
7. Dumplings
8. Noodles
9. Crackers
10. Pancakes
11. Peanut Butter Fudge

1. Chili
4 C steamed wheat or rice
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T cooking oil
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 T whole wheat flour
5 C vegetable, or your choice, broth
1 C tomato sauce

Sauté steamed wheat with onions and garlic until lightly browned. Add
remaining ingredients and simmer to heat , stirring frequently. Serves 6.

2. Spaghetti
2 garlic cloves, minced or garlic powder
1 onion, finely chopped, or dried
2 C tomato sauce (15 oz can)
1 1/2 C tomato paste (12 oz can)
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 C stewed tomatoes
3 C water
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. chili powder mix
1/2 C Romano grated cheese (in a jar or can- optional)
2 T olive oil
2 C cooked ground grains or rice
Mix all ingredients except olive oil, cheese, steamed grain or rice;
cover. Reduce heat; simmer 15-20 min, stirring occasionally. Uncover; add
remaining ingredients and heat through. Place steaming hot in center of
warm plate of hot boiled pasta. Serves 12

Sauce Variation:
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp. chili powder
8 oz can tomato sauce (1 C)
1 #303 can tomatoes (2 C)

3. Basic Meatball or Burger Recipe
2 C steamed cracked or whole grain or rice
3 T finely minced onion or 1 T dry minced onion
1 T seasoning mix
2 T flour
1-2 eggs, beaten
2 T oil (olive best)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and form into balls. Bake at 350° on cookie sheet sprayed
with nonstick cooking spray 20-30 min. or until firm.
4. Veggie burger
Mix ingredients together and form into patty shape. Brown in oiled skillet. If desired, patties may be dipped in egg or breaded first before browning. Serve plain or topped with a gravy or sauce.

Burger made from Cracked Wheat:
2 C cooked cracked wheat
1/2 C chopped onion
2 T dry non-instant milk
2 eggs, beaten

Salt, Pepper,onion and garlic salt or your choice of seasoning.
Mix, season and fry patties.

Filling
Fill each with equal portions of steamed grain or rice, a taco sauce made from
tomato sauce seasoned with onion, garlic, oregano, cayenne, chili powder and
cumin or follow this recipe:

Taco Seasoning Mix:
2 tsp. instant minced onion
1/2 tsp. instant minced garlic
1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Mix together & store in labeled container

4. Soups
Use the recipe below for the seasoning and add whatever vegetables you
have stored, into water.
Noodles could be added.

Basic Vegetable Soup Blend:
This blend is not only great for soups but for flavoring breads also.
1 C each chopped dehydrated carrots, onions, tomatoes and celery including tops.
1/4 C each chopped dehydrated red and green peppers and spinach

Store in container at room temperature. Makes 4 C.