Just me, trying to live a healthy and happy life
I am so happy. My request for a copy of the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients came through from my local library today. I have the book in my hot little hands!
It comes at no better time too, as I think my old Breadman Bread Machine is on its last legs. It’s making a terrible clanging noise like marbles are floating around the bucket.
Okay, after the semi-fiasco last weekend, I am determined to try to bake bread again, and succeed!
I chose the Walnut Whole Wheat Bread recipe (with my own modifications) on page 188 of the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking book for my experiment this weekend.
I had to forgo the nuts (since I didn’t have any pecans nor walnuts in the house) but I replaced with just under a tablespoon of dried rosemary – it was all I had left in my jar. After all was said and done, it was probably the perfect amount, because we eat a lot of nutbutter and jelly sandwiches, and any more rosemary might have been too overpowering.
Today I baked bread! Hmm it was about 90 ° and I decided to bake! Ha! But I’m glad I did!
It was both positive and problematic, but I remembered “no failures, only lessons” – and I know I will get better next time with the lessons learned from this time.
I couldn’t decide which recipe to follow in all the books borrowed from the library, but I settled on “The Easiest 100% Whole Wheat Bread Ever” recipe on page 180 of the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book.
Since the King Arthur Flour staff praises the use of a bread machine, I was excited to try the “dough” setting on my Breadman Bread machine.
The recipe looked so easy, and I had all the ingredients, except for the orange juice, but it stated that water could be substituted. I took my time, making sure I weighed the flour and measured the water and molasses correctly.
Whoo hoo. Made my very first no-knead whole grain bread today. Started it yesterday afternoon around 1pm. Decided to follow the recipe over at GinaDepalma.net – I liked that it wasn’t just whole wheat flour, but also included rye, white, ground flax, & wheat bran (I used wheat germ). I didn’t have any vital wheat gluten but I will get it for next time.
Here is my recipe:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup white flour
3 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 Tablespoons honey (dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water)
1 3/4 cups water (total of 2 cups including the 1/4 cup mixed with honey)
Even though I consider myself a healthy clean eater, we all need comforting cheat foods.
For example, I like pizza. So, instead of getting a take out thick crust pizza from a nearby restaurant, I make pizza at home. I can satisfy my pizza craving once in awhile, and still try to stay within my daily calorie intake.
Initially, I bought a good quality frozen pizza from the grocery store, like Newman’s Own 4 Cheese or Kashi Mediterranean. Half a pizza is about 450 calories.
Then one week, I purchased a Rustic Crust thin pizza shell, loaded it with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, spinach, & cheese and baked it myself. Still low in calories -approximately 500. It’s easy to create, and so much better tasting than frozen.
