CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- While you still have your hands in the whole-wheat flour for the muffins in my last column, I thought you might be able to use this biscuit recipe.

A biscuit, hot from the oven with butter melting over the sides, or under a light gravy or all fruit jam spread or apple butter may be enough to awaken taste buds in your household.

Yes, it's possible to have biscuits and sausage gravy and still retain bragging rights that you eat in a healthy manner.

Of course, standard gravy can always be enjoyed on occasion and in moderation. However, if you want to lighten the load, sauté a quarter-pound turkey breakfast sausage until no longer pink -- no need to drain. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute; stir in 1 cup skim milk; cook and stir until mixture thickens. Be sure to season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.

After trying a couple of whole-wheat biscuit recipes and even giving one here in an earlier day, I recently found this one in my tattered and splattered old red plaid Better Homes & Gardens cookbook from the late 1960s and gave it a spin.

Just like most treasures, it had been there all the time, overlooked, waiting patiently to be discovered.

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes 10 (2-inch) biscuits.

     1/2  cup whole-wheat flour

     1/2  cup all purpose flour

     2     teaspoons baking powder

     1/4  plus 1/8 teaspoons salt

     1/8     teaspoon soda

     2 1/2     tablespoons solid vegetable shortening or buttery spread for baking

     1/2  cup low-fat buttermilk

WHISK dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until evenly crumbly. Stir in buttermilk, forming dough.

KNEAD lightly 10 strokes. Roll or pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch round cutter.

BAKE at 450° for 11 minutes.

Nutrition information: Per 1 biscuit: 80 calories, 30 calories from fat, 3.5 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, zero milligrams cholesterol, 115 milligrams sodium, 10 grams carbohydrates, less than 1 gram fiber, 2 grams protein.

Reach Judy Grigoraci at ...@suddenlink.net.