5 Healthy Make Ahead Mixes
The 5 make ahead mixes to store in your pantry are: (1) Pancake Mix, (2) Cornbread Mix, (3) Brownie Mix, (4) Biscuit Mix, and (5) All Purpose Baking Mix (Bisquick Copycat).
Servings: 20 potential batches
Equipment
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring spoons
- Five 64-ounce jars with lids
- Five food-grade silica gel packs, optional
Ingredients
Pancake Mix
- 3 1/2 cups Whole grain flour I used whole wheat, but other options would be white whole wheat, spelt, einkorn, or other whole grain flour.
- 1 cup All-purpose flour ("Plain" flour)
- 2 1/2 tbsp. Baking powder
- 1/2 tbsp. Salt
- 1/4 cup Whole sugar such as Sucanat Other options are coconut sugar, date sugar, maple sugar, etc. White sugar can be substituted.
Cornbread Mix
- 4 cups Cornmeal
- 3 cups Whole grain flour I used whole wheat, but other options would be white whole wheat, spelt, einkorn, or other whole grain flour.
- 1 cup All-purpose flour ("Plain" Flour)
- 1/4 cup Baking powder
- 2 tsp. Salt
Brownie Mix
- 2 cups Whole grain flour I used whole wheat, but other options would be white whole wheat, spelt, einkorn, or other whole grain flour.
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. Baking powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 4 cups Whole sugar such as Sucanat Other options are coconut sugar, date sugar, maple sugar, etc. White sugar can be substituted.
- 8 ounces Unsweetened cocoa powder This is approximately 2 cups.
Biscuit Mix
- 4 cups Whole grain flour I used whole wheat, but other options would be white whole wheat, spelt, einkorn, or other whole grain flour. Whole wheat pastry flour works especially well in this recipe.
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Baking powder
- 1/3 cup Whole sugar such as Sucanat Other options are coconut sugar, date sugar, maple sugar, etc. White sugar can be substituted.
- 1 tsp. Salt
All-Purpose Baking Mix (Healthy Bisquick Copycat)
- 5 cups Whole grain flour I used whole wheat, but other options would be white whole wheat, spelt, einkorn, or other whole grain flour. Whole wheat pastry flour works especially well in this recipe.
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp. Baking powder
- 1 cup Powdered milk You can use non-fat powdered milk or full-fat powdered milk. Note that full-fat powdered milk will shorten the shelf life by about 3 months.
- 1/4 cup Whole sugar such as Sucanat Other options are coconut sugar, date sugar, maple sugar, etc. White sugar can be substituted.
Instructions
Pancakes
- To make pancakes, in a large bowl combine 1 cup of the dry pancake mix with 3/4 cup milk, one large egg, and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Blend until dry ingredients are just moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Melt a tablespoon of butter on a griddle or in a frying pan on medium heat. Once butter is melted and bubbling, add 1/4 cup of pancake batter to the griddle or frying pan. When you see bubbles on top of the pancake, flip it over and cook a few more minutes. Both sides should be golden brown. Transfer to a serving plate and keep warm in an oven that is set to its lowest setting. Proceed with the next pancake until the batter is finished.
Cornbread
- To make cornbread, first preheat your oven to 400°F. Place one tablespoon of butter in the bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and place the skillet in the oven to allow butter to melt and become bubbly. Next, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the Cornbread Mix, 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled, 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature, 1 beaten egg, and 1/4 cup honey. Mix until all dry ingredients are moistened but do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy. Using a pot holder, carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a heat-proof surface. Pour the batter into the skillet, and return the skillet to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes until top is golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven to a heat-proof surface. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Brownies
- To make brownies, first preheat your oven to 350°F, and then grease and flour an 8x8 pan. Next, in a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 beaten eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and whisk until well combined. To the bowl, add 2 1/4 cups of the Brownie Mix and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Once the mixture is smooth, you may add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and/or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. If you add these optional ingredients, stir into the mixture until completely incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake from 30 to 35 minutes.
Biscuits
- To make biscuits, first preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the Biscuit Mix with 6 tablespoons of cold butter that has been cut into cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or clean hands, quickly incorporate the butter into the mix so that it looks like sand with small pebbles scattered throughout. To the bowl, add a 3/4 cup of buttermilk (or more if the mixture seems dry). Gently stir the mixture together just until it forms into a ball. Place the dough on a floured surface and pat it out with your hands until it is 1/2 thick. Fold the dough in thirds, and re-pat it out with your hands until it is 1/2 thick. Use a biscuit cutter of your choice to cut out biscuits. Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops of each biscuit with some melted butter using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the biscuits with a bit of fine ground sea salt, if desired. Transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the preheated oven, and bake for approximately 10 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
Ideas for using All-Purpose Baking Mix
- This All-Purpose Baking Mix is similar to store-bought Bisquick, but there are two main differences. One is that this mix is healthier because it contains whole grains and a whole sugar. The other difference is that this mix does not include any fat, and this lack of fat extends its shelf life. Bisquick is generally used to make biscuits, pancakes, waffles, coffee cakes, and muffins. This All-Purpose Baking Mix can be used in the same way. Just remember you'll need to add some fat, such as a tablespoon of melted butter when using 1 cup of this mix to make pancakes or 6 tablespoons of butter when using 2 cups of this mix to make biscuits.
Video
Notes
To prepare each mix, blend the ingredients for each mixture together and store the resulting Make Ahead Mix in its own container. (See the video to see how to blend each ingredient mixture together.)
The instructions provide you with steps to make the recipe that corresponds with each Make Ahead Mix.
The recipe directions for each mix are condensed into one paragraph so you can print them out and attached a copy of the directions to the appropriate storage jar for each mixture. Alternatively, you can post the directions in your pantry where you store these mixes.
When using whole grains, the shelf life of these mixes is approximately 6 months.
Find this recipe and video at https://marysnest.com/how-to-make-5-healthy-make-ahead-mixes/
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