Wheat germ, a granular product found in supermarket baking aisles or health food stores, adds a nutty, nutritious crunch to everything from yogurt parfaits to brownies. The Mayo Clinic notes that wheat germ's health benefits come from the "highly concentrated" nutrients which are packed into even a small amount of the additive. Wheat germ contains fiber, protein, vitamin E, folic acid, iron, zinc, potassium, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, magnesium and phosphorus. Wheat germ works well in baking as either a crunchy additive or a topping.
Bread
For extra texture and nutrition, include wheat germ in homemade bread and roll recipes. The Mayo Clinic's Irish brown recipe calls for wheat germ at a ratio of seven parts flour to one part wheat germ, but proportions vary. For some yeast breads and non-yeast breads, known as quick breads, you might opt to use a few spoonfuls of wheat germ just for light texture. In other versions, wheat germ forms a more significant part of the bread. A recipe for savory mushroom bread, for example, uses wheat germ at a ratio of three parts flour to one part wheat germ.
Bars
The classic oatmeal-nut bar or fruit and nut bar is versatile and sturdy enough to eat for breakfast, tuck into a lunch box or bring on a challenging hike. Include about ½ cup wheat germ when making crunch granola or oatmeal bars, which might also include nuts, raisins, honey, dry milk and peanut butter. Recipes vary, but the basic method calls for heating the ingredients in a saucepan, spreading the mixture onto a baking pan, cooking and cutting into bars once it cools.
Granola
To cut costs, make your own granola cereal, which requires baking to bring all the ingredients to the proper texture and give them a light, moist coating before storage. Ingredients vary, but consider including ½ cup wheat germ to about 8 cups other crunchy or chewy ingredients like barley, rolled oats, nuts, dried fruit, rye berries and sunflower seeds. The crunchy ingredients are generally toasted in the oven, combined with sweet mixture of honey and vegetable oil, baked again and tossed with dried fruit for storage.
Casseroles and Baked Dinners
To add fiber, vitamins and minerals to dinner, The University of Connecticut's Cooperative Extension Service recommends ditching the unhealthy potato chips crumbs or fried onions that often top casseroles in favor of a nutritious sprinkle of wheat germ. Wheat germ may also be used in savory baked dishes that commonly rely on oatmeal or bread cubes to supplement the more expensive meat, as with meatloaf or meaty casseroles. Add an equivalent amount of wheat germ when the recipe calls for flour, oatmeal, bread pieces or bread crumbs.
Desserts
Use wheat germ in place of other crunchy ingredients when the recipe calls for nuts or seeds, or a crispy topping in cobbler-like recipes. Wheat germ stands in for other texturizing ingredients for brownies, cookies, muffins and tea breads. It also works well when tossed with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkled over fruit tarts or used in baked apple fillings. Use about 1 tbsp. to add texture to fillings or toppings.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Wheat Germ: Nutrition in a Crunch; Staff; Feb. 26, 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Irish Brown Bread; Staff; March 3, 2006
- FoodReference.com: Mushroom Bread Recipe
- FoodReference.com: Three Grain and More Good Stuff Granola
- University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System: Fiber
- Mayo Clinic: Muesli Breakfast Bars
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