Back in the summer when I wasn’t working full time and was actively looking for ways to fill my time, I applied to join the Grain Mill Wagon challenge. Basically, the WonderMill Grain Mill company sends you a grain mill (for free!) and in return you write three recipe posts for their blog within two months, and the grain mill is yours to keep. This is a pretty sweet deal and I was definitely interested in getting my hands on a grain mill ever since reading about Kate of Venison for Dinner milling her own flour. Talk about “from scratch”!
I didn’t hear back from the company for a few months and figured that I didn’t get chosen – but after I’d gone back to work in September, I got an email inviting me to the challenge. I was no longer in the market for a new hobby, but I also wasn’t going to turn down a free appliance! I got the grain mill at the beginning of October, and since then it’s been sitting in its box in a corner of the dining room, waiting for me to get around to reading the instructions. Seeing as it’s now November and I’m half-way to my two-month deadline, I figured I should get my butt in gear. So I made cookies. Whole wheat chocolate chip cookies made with freshly milled flour, to be exact. Head over to my post on the Grain Mill Wagon blog to hear all about them. 🙂
Full disclosure: I was compensated for my time and provided with a WonderMill Grain Mill free of charge in exchange for this post, but my thoughts and opinions are my own. 🙂
I can’t believe they sent you a free grain mill!! I suggest making: cornbread, buckwheat/wholewheat cottage cheese (blueberries too!) pancakes or waffles and spelt biscuits. Community farm store in Duncan has whole grains for great prices!
I know, I kind of couldn’t believe it either! Thanks for the ideas – I’ll definitely check out the Community Farm Store, and I’m thinking True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay might sell whole grains too.
I sent them a request about just writing guest posts on baking with whole grain flours 🙂 I have a mill already so I don’t need one…
Free! That’s nice! What an awesome tool and the cookies look great.
Yeah, that’s what I thought too!
Those cookies look like they would be really good for you. Hand ground flour must make a difference right? That is such a cool machine, even though the cat doesn’t think so.
Haha, yes, the hand ground whole wheat flour cancels out the butter, sugar, and chocolate completely.
Those cookies, from Good to the Grain blew my mind the first time I baked them! I figured they’d be just like any old chocolate chip. Boy was I wrong! As you no doubt understand.. Gooey, nutty and caramel-y from the brown sugar… I can only imagine them with freshly milled wholewheat… yum!!
Ohmigosh, yes. SO good!
It is such a good idea, I just feel so miserable to buy some gluten-free buckwheat flour for my diet, but they’re such so expensive that I can afford compare to buy the buckwheat itself. I think I can save money if I own one of this WonderMill for long term.
But what is the first step I need to do if I want to join the Challenge? Do I need to buy one of the mill first? I’m so appreciate if you can guild me to join this challenge. 🙂
You just need to go to their website and fill out the application form to join the challenge. If they accept your application into the challenge (I’m sure there are some criteria that your blog must meet but I’m not sure what they are) they send you a free grain mill! Here’s the application page: http://www.grainmillwagon.com/join-the-wagon/
Thanks for your help, accept it or not, better have a try. 🙂
That sounds so cool!! I have always thought milling grain would be a fun activity! Wish I could try one of these delicious looking cookies!