Mesquite Gruel & Mesquite Muffins - Recipes

These mesquite recipes are from FOODS OF THE SUPERSTITIONS by Don Wells and Jean Groen. Permission to print granted by Wells and Groen, Apache Junction, AZ.



MESQUITE GRUEL
4-1/2 cups WATER
1 cup finely ground & sifted MESQUITE FLOUR
1/2 cup of some other FLOUR or GROUND GRAIN
1/2 teaspoon SALT

Combine water, salt, mesquite meal and other ground grain (such as whole wheat flour or oat flour) and cook for about 30 minutes. If using another flour, cook mesquite mixture for 10 minutes, then add flour, and cook another 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently.

MESQUITE MUFFINS
1-1/3 cup regular FLOUR
2/3 cup MESQUITE FLOUR
2 teaspoons BAKING POWDER
1/2 teaspoon SALT
1 beaten EGG
1/4 cup SALAD OIL
3/4 cup MILK

In small bowl combine dry ingredients. In another, combine egg, oil, and milk. Beat together until well mixed. Combine the dry ingredients with the liquid mixture. Stir just until moistened. (Over-mixing causes peaks and tunnels in muffins.) Spoon into 12 muffin cups, which have been well greased. They should be 2/3 full. Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool slightly before removing. Optional: Add cinnamon or nutmeg. These are wonderful with mesquite jelly.

Mesquite as Medicine

One final word about mesquite---its uses as medicine.

The roots, bark & leaves are cold and dry in nature. They are antifungal, antimicrobial, astringent, antiseptic, & antispasmodic. A powder or tea can be made from any of the above materials for athlete's foot & general fungal infections. This disinfecting wash or powder can be used for mild infections, stings, bites, sores & scrapes.

Leaves & pods can be made into an eye wash for inflammations of all kinds including pink eye.

Diarrhea, dysentery, stomach ulcers, dyspepsia & most GI tract inflammations are soothed by the leaves, roots & bark. The powdered leaves at one time were sprinkled on a newborn's umbilical stump to prevent infections. Poulticed, the leaves were used topically for headaches. The young shoots, ground & toasted, were used to dissolve kidney stones.

The white inner bark is used as an intestinal antispasmodic. The bark is also helpful in stopping excessive menstrual bleeding & reducing fevers.

The mesquite gum or resin is soothing & provides much of its healing qualities through its natural mucilage content. Dissolved in water it is used as a GI tonic to rehabilitate impaired & abused intestines.

It assists intestinal healing after surgery. After bouts of dysentery, diarrhea, stomach/intestinal distress, and food poisoning, it is used as a restorative. It is used as a soother for stomach/intestinal pain, ulcers, colitis, hemorrhoids, sore throats, painful teeth & gums, and mouth sores. Externally it is equally effective on burned, chapped & raw skin. Like the other parts of mesquite the resin is also an eye soother and at one time was used internally for respiratory problems.

Mesquite CornBread Muffins - Recipe

This mesquite meal for cornbread muffins is from www.cocinadevega.com. Permission to print granted by Chef Jim.

MESQUITE CORNBREAD MUFFINS

• ¾ cup WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
  
• ½ cup MESQUITE MEAL
  
• ¾ cup YELLOW CORN MEAL
  
• 2 teaspoons BAKING POWDER
  
• ½ teaspoon SALT
  
• 1 teaspoon CUMIN
  
• 1 teaspoon GARLIC POWDER
  
• 1 teaspoon CHILE POWDER
  
• ¼ cup OLIVE OIL, extra virgin
  
• 2 EGGS
  
• 1 cup MILK
  
• 1 fresh JALAPENO, diced
  
• SPANISH ONION, medium, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend first 8 dry ingredients (flour, mesquite meal, corn meal, baking powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder & chili powder ) in large bowl. In a separate medium sized bowl blend olive oil, eggs & milk. Combine wet & dry ingredients until well blended. Blend in jalapenos & onions. Fill in muffin tins about 2/3rds and bake about 20 minutes. Makes 10 to 12 cornbread muffins.

Mesquite Meal Drinks - Recipes

You can make some delectable non-alcoholic drinks with mesquite meal! Following are three recipes:

• Hunger Quencher:Try adding one tablespoon of mesquite meal to your morning smoothie/meal replacement drink. Hunger won't return for 4 to 6 hours.
  
• Summer Mesquite Drink: Add 2 tablespoons finely ground mesquite flour to 1 cup cold water. Stir & let sit for a couple of minutes, then strain, add honey to taste & serve.
  
• Mesquite Tea: Use your drip coffee maker to make a great pot of mesquite tea! Put a coffee filter in the basket. Fill the filter with ½ tablespoon of mesquite meal for each cup of water that you plan to "brew". Fill the coffee maker with water and turn on. Enjoy!

Mesquite Meal 101

The mesquite tree grows in the desert regions throughout the world, areas not suitable for most agriculture. Mesquite forms fruit of bean-like pods in the fall that have long been a nutritious food source to humans, wildlife & livestock.

Mesquite meal, made by grinding the ripened pods into a high protein flour, can be used as either a flour or a spice. Mesquite meal is 100% natural, low in carbohydrates & fat, high in dietary fiber, and naturally sweet. You can sprinkle, shake, or mix mesquite meal into all of your everyday foods to create healthier and tastier dishes with very little effort.

When used in baking, mesquite meal is generally used in combination with other flours using about 30% mesquite to 70% grain or rice flour. Try mesquite in your pancakes, muffins, cakes, corn bread or cookies.

As a spice, sprinkle generously then grill, fry or broil almost anything for a great mesquite flavor. Mesquite meal is great for flavoring steaks, chicken, pork & fish. Sprinkle it on vegetables before grilling; add it to your breading for meat & fish. It can be added to vegetable stir-fries, scrambled eggs, biscuits, breads, soups, even ice cream.