Prepper recipes: How to make pinole, a tasty survival superfood

Learning how to make prepper foods like pinole ensures that you can keep up your energy if you need to bug-in at home or bug-out when SHTF. Pinole contains nutritious ingredients like chia seeds, flaxseeds and almonds, and it can be used to make delicious cookies. You can even bake pinole to make a tasty snack. (h/t to SurvivalSullivan.com)

Pinole, a versatile prepper food

As pioneers traveled across America, they encountered some local tribes that made and consumed pinole. Mexicans also ate pinole, and to date these cultures continue to consume this nutritious and delicious food which is also a must-have for modern preppers.

The basic recipe for pinole includes chia seeds that come from the plant Salvia hispanica. Chia seeds are tiny, but they’re rich in nutrients like calcium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. Additionally, they contain trace amounts of potassium, vitamins B1 and B2 and zinc.

Chia seeds have a mild, nutty flavor and they’re used to make pinole because they’re full of carbs, fiber and protein yet low in calories. (Related: How to make matzoh, a survival food from biblical times.)

Pinole also contains flaxseeds that are full of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid. Flaxseeds are also a fiber-rich superfood and they can help boost your digestive health. Studies suggest that flaxseeds can help lower your risk of developing cancer and diabetes, reduce bad cholesterol and maintain your blood pressure.

You can also add chopped almonds to pinole. Almonds are a healthy nut full of fat, fiber and protein. Finally, almonds can help you feel full longer!

Basic pinole recipe

This recipe for pinole takes seven minutes to prep.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup flaxseeds
• 1/4 cup almonds (optional)
• 2 Tbsp brown cane sugar or organic honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

Preparation:

1. Heat a cast-iron or stainless steel pan over moderate heat, but don’t add oil.
2. Add the cornmeal. Stir at intervals so the cornmeal toasts evenly and doesn’t burn on the bottom. Do this for 10 minutes or until it starts changing from white to a soft, golden color.
3. Add the sugar, powdered cinnamon and chia seeds. Stir the ingredients into the warm cornmeal while the pan is still on the heat. When the mixture is toasted evenly, remove the pan from the heat.
4. If you used honey instead of brown sugar, combine the corn, chia seed and cinnamon. Add the honey when you’re ready to eat the pinole.
5. Set the pinole aside until it cools down, then store it in an airtight container.

Use pinole as is, bake it or use it to make pinole cookies.

Baked pinole recipe

You can use the pinole recipe above to make 20 baked pinole cookies. They’re grittier than regular cookies but baked pinole is still tasty.

Preparation:

1. Place tablespoonfuls of pinole on a baking sheet, then bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.
2. Set aside to cool. Baked pinole will have a crumbly texture, but they’ll taste like some homemade granola bars or muesli clumps.

Pinole cookie recipe

This recipe makes 12 servings (24 cookies). You’ll need to prepare the pinole before you bake the cookies.

Ingredients for 12 servings:

• 1 cup wheat flour (use almond flour for gluten-free cookies)
• 1 cup pinole with almonds and flaxseed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 tsp baking powder

Preparation:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. If using a skillet to fry the cookies, you need a moderately hot skillet with some coconut oil.
2. Mix the dry ingredients, baking powder, flour, pinole and brown sugar in one bowl.
3. In a small bowl, melt the butter then whisk in the egg.
4. Add the butter and egg mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until you have a soft paste. Add milk to moisten the mixture as needed.
5. Put tablespoonfuls of the mixture on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.
6. When frying the cookies over an open fire, turn them carefully to avoid breaking them.
7. Serve the pinole cookies plain, or add a dollop of cream and a drizzle of honey.

Prepare pinole at home and make tasty prepper cookies for the whole family.

Sources include:

SurvivalSullivan.com

Healthline.com