When you post a Sprouted Wheat French Bread recipe and you get an email from a company offering to send you a sample of their sprouted grain products, that my friends, is serendipity. Which is exactly what happened and I am a new fan of Columbia County Bread and Granola. As I mentioned in my French bread post, it has been difficult to find really good tasting sprouted wheat products outside of my usual sandwich bread. Unfortunately, many of the “healthy” crackers resemble cardboard more than food. We avoid most commercial crackers, chips, or other snack type products because of the flour or oils used, so if we eat them at all, it is sparingly. Rice crackers have been a good substitute, but tend to be more hard or crunchy than truly crisp.
Enter the Sprouted Whole Grain Sesame-Cumin Flat Bread from CCB&G.
I fell in love with its flavor and texture, which is somewhere between a cracker and a chip—truly light and crisp. At first, I thought the distinct taste of cumin (which I adore) might overwhelm a delicate artichoke dip or compete with a schmear of balsamic and goat cheese (in case you’re wondering, a schmear is a more generous application). As you can tell by the photo, I tried a variety of samples and loved every single one. So impressed by this product, I immediately placed an order for all three flavors: Sesame-Cumin (the one shown), Rye-Caraway, and Orange-Poppy Seed.
Sesame-Cumin Flat Bread ingredients: sprouted-wheat mash (ground wheat berry sprouts), molasses, flax seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and sea salt.
The second sample was Sprouted Grain Pocket Pita, a 2 oz. version slightly smaller than the size you see in stores. Since I did not have a real plan in mind for testing it when it arrived, I put it in the freezer, hoping it would not change the fresh taste too much. Homemade sprouted grain breads are soft and moist, but commercial sprouted grain products can be dry, which is why we primarily enjoy our sandwich bread toasted or grilled. To test the pita, I pulled it out of the freezer and popped it in the toaster to defrost and warm it, but not toast it. The smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, tomato, spinach, and honey mustard spread were ready to fill it, but how would it hold up? Would it be soft? Would it tear? Would it crumble and fall apart?
I was impressed yet again.
These babies were soft and tender, yet sturdy enough to withstand a good amount of filling—one had to be stuffed twice because I forgot to spread the honey mustard on the inside first, and it stood the test. It went from freezer, to toaster, to table, without any compromise in texture or flavor at all. My husband and I both loved the idea of stuffing them with all sorts of lunchtime favorites, but also plan to use them as burger buns this summer. Yes, burger buns. I know, I could make my own, but I’m not likely to once the weather turns warm (which I am looking forward to right about now). The sprouted wheat buns we’ve tried up to this point have been dense and heavy, so the CCB&G Sprouted Grain Pocket Pita will definitely make grilling burgers fun again.
Pocket Pita ingredients: whole-grain sprouted wheat, molasses, sea salt, and naturally occurring leavens.
Michael and Doug at Columbia County Bread and Granola have developed some fantastic tasting, healthy products. I was not paid for this review or promotion, they were just kind enough to send me samples and let the quality of their products do the rest. If you have never tried sprouted grain products before, this is a perfect introduction.
So how can you get your hands on some?
Three ways:
1. Visit one of the stores that carry their products in NY, PA or CT.
2. These products are available to order on-line. You can place an order and wait for the deliciousness to arrive.
3. [This drawing has concluded.] Enter the drawing to win a free package! CCB&G graciously offered 5 packages of pocket pita and 1 package of flat bread (your choice of flavor), which means we will have SIX winners selected from the drawing entries.
Here’s how to enter the drawing:
Each of the following will be counted as 1 entry, which means you can enter up to 5 times to increase your chances to win. This drawing ends Tuesday, January 31, at midnight (MST). [This drawing has concluded.]
1. Leave a comment on this post and let me know which of the two prizes you would most enjoy. (Be sure to include an email that is checked frequently in the comment form.)
2. Subscribe to Savoring Today (top of the right column) and leave a comment to let me know you did. IF you are already a subscriber, let me know that too!
3. Share this post on Face Book and leave a message that you did so on the Savoring Today Face Book page.
4. Tweet about the giveaway on Twitter with a link back to this page and mention @savoringtoday in your tweet.
5. Email friends (no minimum) about the giveaway with a link back to this page and leave a comment here that you did.
[This drawing has concluded.] Drawing entries will be collected until Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at midnight (MST). The winners will be determined by Random.org, and announced in February. Only U.S. residents are eligible.
Shared on the following Blog Hops:
SS&GF Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Real Food Forager Fat Tuesday
Premeditated Leftovers Hearth & Soul Hop
day2day joys Healthy 2day Wednesdays
Jan Simpson says
Dont twitter, but told 3 quilt guild friends about the fabulous link to Savoring Today. Btw, great recipes you have provided me, thank you!!!
Alea Milham says
What a lovely pita bread! I love the idea of buying sprouted flours. Thanks for sharing this with the Hearth and Soul Hop.
Stephanie Augustine says
Wow! I am excited to try theses. Thanks for the fabulous post. My mouth is officially watering. The pita looks Ah-mazing! But, after I saw the ingredients on the websit I can’t wait to try the flatbreads. Since they don’t have any at the stores in CO, how do their products hold up via mail?
Thanks again!
Judy Purcell says
They arrive is excellent condition, no worries. 🙂
Caroline says
Yummy!! Both look/sound fantastic. I’m leaning towards the pita though. I believe I’m already following you, and I’ll check on Facebook as well. 🙂
Mary says
What a wonderful assortment they sent you. Everything looks delicious. This is my first visit toyour blog, so I took some time to browse through your earlier entries. I’m so glad I did that. I really like the food and recipes you share with your readers and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Sammie says
pita and hummus!!! that would be my favourite!
Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen says
Oh man…both of them look great! Too bad I can’t get my hands on some here in Illinois! I will have to check them out online! 🙂
Sawsan says
I love the flat bread and all the dip suggestions you offer.
I agree most healthy snacks are never as good as they promise to be. It is refreshing to find something that really is
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
The cumin-sesame flatbread sounds good to me. If they are sold in Connecticut perhaps they will make their way north to New Hampshire.
Jocelyn Love says
I’d love to try the pita 🙂
Julie says
The pita bread looks really tasty, I would love to try!
Sara P. says
I would love to try the flat bread!
Pati says
Close friends share and share alike. So…as soon as you raved about this incredible product, I knew my taste buds would benefit from our close, close relationship. Alas, I was wrong. Not a bite, taste, or even a crumb. Apparently I will have to win to taste. My choice would be the cumin-sesame flat-bread. 🙂
Judy Purcell says
Aren’t you a funny one! When the package I ordered arrives, you’ll be the first person I call. 😉
Pati says
I elect to change my mind. I would much prefer the pita bread. Not that the flatbread wasn’t delicious…;)
Wehaf says
I would love some delicious pita bread!
Hannah says
Those crackers especially look amazing! I just love anything with tons of seeds and grains in it… Too bad it’s not sold in more retail locations. If I won, I would absolutely go for the rye-caraway flatbreads, and cumin-sesame.