For Sherman Robinson, the Lehi Roller Mills are about more than wheat. They're about tradition.

Robinson is the grandson of George G. Robinson, who founded Lehi Roller Mills in 1906. Sherman Robinson now owns the company and has continued the 100-year tradition of hand picking the wheat for use in the mill, which has been a beloved Utah County landmark and business for a century.

"We're involved in the selection of the wheat from day one," Robinson said. "One of the big things we've emphasized here is going out into the field and hand selecting the wheat."

But there's more to the mill than grains. The business, which marked its 100th anniversary Aug. 26, also has a product line of bagged mixes (pancakes, muffins, cookies) and two retail locations.

The mill is expanding to include a 20,000-square-foot soy processing plant, a new flagship store and a bakery in its Lehi location, just off of Interstate 15.

The company even teaches cooking classes at its Orem store, on topics that include bread making, pies, cinnamon rolls and cookies. This month, employees will be teaching a class on cereals.

All of the classes use the Lehi Roller Mills flour, which is sold in several varieties. These include white flour, turkey flour and whole wheat flour.

Ruth Chatterley, a sales associate at the Orem store, teaches some of the classes using Lehi Roller Mills wheat flour.

While there are many health benefits to whole wheat flour, it can add a certain heaviness to baked goods. Typically, recipes will call for a mixture of both whole wheat and white flour.

Lehi Roller Mills sells more white flour than wheat, said Penny Moir, retail manager for the company.

"I think people think white flour is easier," Moir said. "People haven't used it so they think it's really different. I think it's about comfort level really -- even though the whole wheat is much better for your health."

Whole wheat flour is less refined than its white flours, so it has more naturally occurring nutrients and more fiber. However, it can also cost more and will not keep as long as white flour will.

Still, many wanting to enjoy the natural goodness of whole wheat -- particularly those who store wheat in case of an emergency -- have found many ways to use it. Often, it just takes a bit of experimenting in the kitchen.

Moir said because flours are different, it is not always easy to replace whole-wheat flour in a recipe that calls for all-purpose flour.

"The equivalents aren't going to be the same," Moir said. "Whenever you're going to substitute wheat flour, you're going to want to stay half and half. Then, if that turns out well, you can experiment with more and more."

Converting recipes to whole wheat often requires a few tries to find the right consistency. The one time you will definitely want to find a whole wheat recipe, rather than experimenting with substitutions, is when making bread.

"With bread it's different," Moir said. "If you have a white flour recipe it will be different if you use the whole wheat. I found I couldn't just substitute the whole wheat with the white with breads."

If you'd like to begin cooking with whole wheat, here are a few recipes from the Lehi Roller Mills and the Web site allrecipes.com.

Whole Wheat Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

3 cups Lehi Roller Mills Whole Wheat Flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon molasses

1 tablespoon oil

Combine in mixer bowl 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon active dry yeast. Add <00A4> cup honey, 1 tablespoon molasses, and 1 tablespoon oil.

Stir dry ingredients together in a small bowl, then add to liquids in mixer.

Attach kneading hook to mixer. Mix on low speed for 15 minutes or until dough is developed.

Turn into a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes or until double in size.

Form into loaf. Place in greased bread pan. Cover and let rise until top of dough is 2 inches above the top of the pan.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Turn onto a rack to cool.

-- CourRoller Mills

Whole Wheat Pancakes

2 egg whites

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup Lehi Roller Mills whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon soda

Blend together 2 egg whites, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 cup milk and 2 tablespoons canola oil.

Stir together 1 cup Lehi Roller Mills whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon soda.

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Bake pancakes on prepared hot griddle and enjoy your favorite syrup or jam.

-- Courtesy Lehi Roller Mills

Whole Wheat Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease and flour muffin tins, or use paper liners. Sift flour. Add soda, salt and sugar, then sift again. Add sour cream. Stir only enough to mix ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls into muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

-- Courtesy allrecipes.com

Easy Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, honey, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Combine the whole wheat flour and baking powder; stir into the batter until blended. Roll into small balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly using a fork. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cookies are slightly toasted at the edges.

-- Courtesy allrecipe

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.