Wheat Do Ya Know--A Giveaway!

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Orowheat

I'm a bread snob.

I can admit it.

And when I say that I'm a bread snob, I don't just mean in an “I really like bread” kind of way.

I mean in a Little Red Hen kind of way.

For years, I ground my organic wheat, which I purchased in big five gallon drums. I then would mix my freshly ground wheat into other organic ingredients and a mere two hours later would bring fresh whole grain bread to the table.

I actually was a subscriber to a yeast newsletter that let me order different kinds of yeast that would impart different flavors to my bread based on the region from which the yeast was cultivated.

Bread. Snob.

I warned you.

But after the twins were born, my bread making mania slid a little.

As in, a lot.

Along with healthy sleep patterns.

My other six kiddos were understandably bread snobs themselves and the absence of freshly made bread from their diet was met with keen longing.

I knew that I needed to come up with a reasonable replacement for what they were used to, not just from a taste standpoint, but also from a nutritional standpoint. I tried various brands, to no avail. And then I found Orowheat 100% Whole Wheat Bread.

Oh my.

It was actually made with whole wheat, not just flour that, yes, originally was whole wheat but then was bludgeoned into gluten submission. The kids liked it, I liked it. And it's been our brand for a couple of years now.

I was interested to sample other flavors of Orowheat for the purpose of this review. Two large boxes arrived at our doorstep and nestled inside were loaves of wheat goodness, all for the tasting.

We started with the new Smooth Texture 100% Whole Wheat. Because we have eaten homemade whole grain bread for a number of years, we don't crave a smooth texture bread; it's not really high up on the scale on our palate. But I know some folks, while trying to eat more unrefined grains, find the coarser texture of such foods a little much to take. The kids enjoyed the softer crumb of the Smooth Texture and I like the fact that corn syrup is left out of the mix. In all my years of baking bread, I never found it necessary to add high fructose corn syrup and I'm pleased to see that Orowheat doesn't either.

My tasters then moved on to the Smooth Texture Premium Potato Bread. While this bread does use 'regular' flour, it is unbleached, which does leave more of the original vitamins and minerals intact. While I have seen recipes for potato bread, I myself had not ventured into those concoctions, so it's nice to see this option is available in the local bread aisle. The carbohydrate count remains about the same as the whole wheat version and also boasts three grams of protein. This bread tasted a bit sweeter to my kids and would be my bread of choice for French toast or cinnamon toast.

And then we come to my personal favorite, Smooth Texture Extra Fiber. I'm a runner and eat according to Bill Phillip's book, Body For Life, along with recipes listed in his subsequent book, Eating For Life. This type of 'eating lifestyle' incorporates equal portions of protein and unrefined carbs. The Extra Fiber loaf rings in at a lower effective carb number with four grams of protein. I found that I could toast a slice with a little butter spray for a really satisfying crunch. Topped with herb smoked turkey, a fat tomato slice, low fat pepper jack cheese and a generous slice of avocado, it's the perfect lunch after one of my long runs. I also love to toast it in a skillet in a teaspoon of olive oil, then top it with sauteed shrimp in garlic, sprinkled with low fat Parmesan and baby greens.

I still have high aspirations of returning to my Little Red Hen ways. Along with believing that I will one day master having eight kids in the house and clean grout. But until that day comes, I'm glad to have an Orowheat source that meets my bread snob standards.

Now on Octamom Review wouldn't feel complete if I couldn't share the joy with you, so let's do a little giveaway, shall we? The winner will receive, compliments of Orowheat, an Orowheat bread gift pack. So leave a comment here, tweet it, FB it, and blog about it and receive a chance for each mention! The contest runs from October 26 to November 26 and then we'll announce our Wheat Winner! Good luck!

And here's another little feature you'll want to check out! Just click here to see the details on winning the $500 Grand Prize!