Tag Archives: whole wheat

October 22, 2015 · 9:37 pm

Pumpkin French Toast

I know I complained about all the pumpkin recipes on the internet a couple weeks ago. And I still stand by my statement that the food world should not revolve around pumpkin in the fall, even though it does. Most of them call for only part of a can of pumpkin, which is high on my list of pet peeves. If I’m opening something perishable, I better use all of it. And at the end, I often find myself saying, “This item isn’t better because of the pumpkin.” Pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin cheesecake brownie, pumpkin snickerdoodels…meh.

Breakfast food (minus the cinnamon rolls) is the one area I make an exception for. We ate this French toast before heading out the door to a fall festival last weekend, and it totally started our day off on the right foot. Super easy and super delicious. I know it only calls for a partial can of pumpkin, which I do hate. But this is the perfect way to use up remainder pumpkin from other recipes.

Pumpkin French Toast (Makes about 13 slices)

Pumpkin French Toast

3 large eggs
¾ cup skim milk
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
13 slices thick-sliced whole wheat bread

1. Preheat griddle or skillet to medium to medium-high heat.

2. Combine all ingredients except bread in a shallow dish.

3. Spray griddle with cooking spray. Dip bread in mixture until lightly coated on each side, scraping off any excess. Cook on griddle for 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information (Amount per slice):

Calories: 130
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: less than .5 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 192 mg

Recipe Notes: I used whole wheat French bread for most of mine. I didn’t have quite enough, so I used sandwich bread as well. I liked the thicker bread better, but all of it was delicious and got eaten. I served this with buttermilk syrup, which made it an extra special treat.

Source: Slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

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May 29, 2015 · 2:19 pm

Citrus Berry Pancakes

Sometimes I surprise myself at how big of a mess I can make of a recipe. The first time I made these pancakes, I more than doubled the flour because I was trying to go from memory rather than look at my phone again. To make them work, I added unknown amounts of milk, yogurt, and eggs. The good news was they were delicious. The bad news was I had no idea how I made them.

Obviously I had to make them again. I managed to follow the recipe a little more closely this time. And they still turned out amazingly delicious. So good, I didn’t mind that I made them for myself for Mother’s Day.

Enjoy!

Citrus Berry Pancakes (Makes about 12 pancakes)

Citrus Berry Pancakes

2 large eggs
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup skim milk, divided (you may not need all of it)
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ teaspoon lemon or orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup berries, rinsed and dried

1. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, ¼ cup milk, canola oil, zest, and vanilla in a medium/large bowl.

2. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir together until just combined. Add remaining milk as needed to get batter to desired thickness. Gently fold in berries.

3. Heat skillet to medium to medium-high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray. Pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto skillet. Cook until bubbles begin to form, about 4 minutes. Flip. Cook until golden underneath, another 3-4 minutes. These are thick pancakes, so they take a little longer to cook than regular pancakes. You may need to lower the heat to prevent burning.

Nutritional Information (Amount per pancake):

Calories: 120
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 32 mg
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 239 mg

Recipe Notes: I have to add all the milk. I have made this tried blueberries, blackberries, lemon zest, and orange zest in these pancakes. All are delicious. Tomorrow I’m contemplating strawberry banana. The world is your oyster. Experiment and enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

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May 7, 2015 · 2:12 pm

Molasses Bread

I’m posting yet another recipe that requires the oven and another bread recipe. I know. But I’m hoping that as not sweltering pregnant ladies, you will be open to actually turning yours on. And we all love carbs, let’s be real.

Obviously, my family really liked this recipe, or I wouldn’t be posting it here. However, the site I originally got this from claimed it is like the bread at Outback or other steakhouse chains. Admittedly, it’s been more than a year since I went to one of those. But this bread is different from that to me. Very delicious, but not that specific bread. And if you have some calories to splurge on some honey butter, they would be well spent.

Enjoy!

Molasses Bread (Makes 3 loaves, serves about 15-16)

Molasses Bread

2 ½ cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
⅓ cup molasses
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons canola oil
⅓ cup honey
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
6-7 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted, optional
Old-fashioned oats for sprinkling, optional

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, yeast, molasses, cocoa powder, oil, honey, salt, gluten, and 2 cups flour. Mix until combined.

2. With the mixer running, slowly add the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 7-10 minutes. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.

3. Grease the sides of bowl. Cover bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

4. Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal pieces. Form into tight loaves and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until puffy and doubled in size.

5. Preheat oven to 375. Bake the loaves for 25 minute-30 minutes. If sprinkling with oats, remove loaves after 25 minutes, lightly brush with butter and sprinkle on oats before baking for remaining 5-7 minutes.

Nutritional Information (Amount per serving):

Calories: 258
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 50 g
Fiber: 6 g
Sodium: 83 mg

Recipe Notes: The butter and oats at the end are only for presentation. Feel free to skip it. As I mentioned above, honey butter on this is amazing.

Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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April 29, 2015 · 2:31 pm

Whole Grain Muffins

Do you go in food phases?  Or am I just a crazy pregnant lady?  Maybe don’t answer that second one.  I am in a total muffin craze the last few months.  I am either making muffins, planning to make muffins, or thinking out what ingredients I have to make them.  The only good thing is that I do try to pick healthy muffins.

These were originally called “Bran Muffins” but my grocery store didn’t have any bran.  I think the oats are a great substitute that I always have on hand.  These make a great breakfast or snack.  And they freeze well for later, so make a big batch!  Enjoy!

Whole Grain Muffins (Makes about 12 muffins)

Whole Grain Muffin

1 cup whole pitted dates (about 6 ounces)
¾ cup orange juice
1 cup fat-free buttermilk
1 medium banana, mashed
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 ¾ cups old fashioned oats
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with paper liners (optional). Coat liners or pan with cooking spray

2. Combine dates and orange juice in a pan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover and let stand 5 minutes. Process until smooth in a food processor or blender. Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; process until smooth.

3. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add date mixture, stirring just until moist. Add eggs, stirring just until combined. Do not over mix. Spoon batter into muffin cups with cups ½-⅔ full.

4. Bake for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information (Amount per muffin):

Calories: 197
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 32 mg
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sodium: 214 mg

Recipe Notes: If you use paper liners and have any intention of eating these muffins while warm, you MUST spray them. Once completely at room temperature, they come out of the liner fine. But if they are at all warm (say warmed up in the microwave after freezing), they will stick to the liner and you lose half your muffin. I like a lot of cinnamon flavor in my muffin, so I upped the cinnamon. If you aren’t a big cinnamon fan, keep it to ½ teaspoon. The original recipe says these are good for mixing in other ingredients, such as berries, carrots, nuts, etc. I haven’t tried it myself, since there are already 2 fruits in the batter. But I could especially see shredded carrot and nuts as a carrot cake version being delicious.

Source: adapted from Cooking Light

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April 22, 2015 · 2:25 pm

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Two startling realizations popped into my head last night.  First, I don’t remember the last time I purchased a pre-made bread product (sandwich, bagel, bun, etc).  This made me feel almost Amish and weird.  I used to read blogs about women who made all their own bread and think, “Don’t they have anything better to do? Go buy a loaf of bread!”  I find baking bread soothing, what can I say.   Second, April is almost over.  May means Memorial Day which means grilling season which means summer in my mind.  Summer.  It’s almost here!

Those thoughts collide with today’s recipe:  homemade hamburger buns.  If any of you are skeptical, I was right there with you when I saw this recipe online almost a year ago.  Why would I make hamburger buns?  Plain ones are $1 a pack at the store.  Whole wheat can be a bit pricey, but it’s got to be worth the money, right?

These buns were pretty awesome, though.  Light and fluffy, but can stand up to a burger.  And for a raised bread product, these are very fast and easy to make.  While I’d probably go the store bought route if feeding a large crowd, these are perfect for feeding a small group.  And they freeze really well, which is always a bonus.

Enjoy!

Homemade Hamburger Buns (Makes about 10 buns)

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2 tablespoons yeast
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups white whole wheat flour
1 ½ tablespoons vital wheat gluten
garlic powder (optional)
sesame seeds (optional)
poppy seeds (optional)
dried minced onion (optional

1. In a mixing bowl, combine yeast, water, oil, and sugar. Stir in the egg and salt. Add 2 cups of flour and the vital wheat gluten. Mix. Gradually add the last cup of flour while mixing until a soft dough forms (you may not need all of it).

2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. Divide the dough into about 10 equal pieces. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, spacing so buns will not touch as they raise. If desired, lightly spray the top of the rolls with cooking spray and sprinkle any or all of the optional toppings on top of the buns. LIGHTLY press onto each bun.

3. Cover and let rise for 15-20 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 425. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Information (Amount per bun):

Calories: 195
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 19 mg
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sodium: 68 mg

Recipe Notes: I actually do knead this by hand.  You could do it in a mixer, too.  I find I can control the amount of flour I add more when kneading by hand, oddly enough.  I admit I am not the best at making equal size rolls. This don’t double during the raising period like many bread products. I’d say they maybe get 1.5 times as big as they were. I really like the flavor the topping adds. Especially if you use the onion and garlic, this isn’t just for show. It adds a great little flavor punch to your meal.

Source: adapted from Let’s Dish Recipes

Low iodine adjustment: Use non-iodized salt.  Omit the vital wheat gluten.

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January 16, 2015 · 2:29 pm

Quick, Chewy Breadsticks

I have a cookbook of recipes my mom collected over the years, which includes a recipe for “chewy breadsticks”.  I was hosting a spaghetti dinner party once, and my mom suggested I make those.  I don’t know if I did something wrong, but the end result was definitely chewy, borderline like eating cardboard. They didn’t have any of the fluffy, bready goodness we associate with breadsticks, most likely thanks to pizza delivery places and Olive Garden.  It was a disaster

These breadsticks are a much better balance.  They are not the airy, fluffy breadsticks many of us are accustomed to eating.  They definitely are slightly crispy and chewy, but they still are soft enough to soak up any delicious saucy remains on your plate after a pasta meal.  And even better, they are really quick to make.  You can make these in the same amount of time it takes to whip up a quick pizza or pasta dinner at home.  No planning ahead for hours of rising time.  Hooray!

Enjoy!

Quick, Chewy Breadsticks (Makes about 16 breadsticks)

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1 ½ cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ – 4 cups white whole wheat flour
¼ cup olive oil
½ – 1 teaspoon garlic powder, per taste preference
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, sugar, yeast, olive oil, and salt. Gradually mix in flour until a soft dough forms. Let dough rest and raise for 10 minutes.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle/square, about 16×16 inches. (See note below). Lightly brush dough with olive oil. You may not need all of it. Sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese.

3. Cut dough into 1 inch strips. Fold each strip in half (making the strip shorter, not skinnier). Gently twist each strip a few times to make it look pretty. Place on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Let raise for 15-20 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 400. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nutritional Information (Amount per breadstick):

Calories: 155
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sodium: 102 mg

Recipe notes: I frequently cut this recipe in half with great results. You can use as much whole wheat flour as you want. I’ve done all whole wheat and half. Both taste good. I definitely let this be a softer dough than if I’m making loaves of bread. You can always knead in a little extra flour when you are rolling it out. My dough is usually a little more of a rectangle shape.  I like to get as many breadsticks as I can out of this.  To compensate, I kind of stretch the breadsticks as I twist to make them a little longer.  Go easy on the olive oil. A little really can go a long way. At most you will use ¼ cup, but you could probably get away with only 2 tablespoons. We like garlicky bread, so I generously sprinkle the garlic powder. It can be a little strong, so be warned.

Source: adapted from Let’s Dish Recipes

Low iodine adjustment: Use non-iodized salt.  Skip sprinkling with parmesan cheese.

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January 8, 2015 · 2:19 pm

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Did you make a resolution to eat breakfast this year? Or to eat a healthier breakfast? I can easily get in a rut with breakfast. We often eat oatmeal about five days a week. For variety, I usually throw in pancakes or waffles. But I am trying to find other options that liven up our morning routine but also are healthy.

Enter smoothies. I like smoothies, but I hate the idea of drinking all of my calories. Also, I don’t find them filling for a long time. My solution: muffins. These muffins hit the spot. They were filling, tasty, and the perfect side for a cold, slushy smoothie.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins (Makes about 18 muffins)

IMG_6171label

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 450. Grease or line muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Cream together butter, sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in egg, scraping side of bowl to incorporate well. Gently mix in buttermilk, stopping before mixture begins to curdle.

3. Gently mix in flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix just until combined. Fold in apples.

4. Divide evenly into muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with remaining brown sugar.

5. Bake for 10 minutes. Then turn oven down to 400 and bake 5-10 minutes more, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Information (Amount per muffin):

Calories: 148
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 24 mg
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 134 mg

Recipe notes: It isn’t the end of the world if the mixture curdles a little after you add the buttermilk. Mine did. You can cut the apples to the size of chunks you prefer in your muffin. I was lazy and kept mine a little on the big side. I liked it, but it did mean large areas of muffin without any apple.

Source: slightly adapted from smitten kitchen

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November 17, 2014 · 2:30 pm

Pumpkin Pancakes

This blog has turned orange lately.  Most of my recent recipe posts have somehow involved sweet potato and pumpkin.  While it seems repetitive, there are so many delicious uses for these seasonal veggies that are extra delicious and extra affordable right now.  Why not eat up?

I first tried these pumpkin pancakes out on my niece and nephews.  I was babysitting them for several days in a row.  One night a few days in, we were ALL missing their mom and dad.  These pancakes for dinner helped us all find a happier place.  And then I proceeded to make them over and over for my own family when I got home.  They are very simple and definitely take pancakes up several notches.  Drop by my house on Thanksgiving morning, and you’ll find these on the breakfast table.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes (Makes about 14 pancakes)

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1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 ¼ cups skim milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ¼ cups white whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1. Combine pumpkin, milk, oil, egg, and brown sugar in a bowl. Whisk until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

3. Spoon/pour about ¼ cup at a time on a lightly greased griddle over medium heat. Cook until golden brown on each side. Serve with syrup and fresh fruit.

Nutritional Information (Amount per Pancake):

Calories: 94
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: less than .5 g
Cholesterol: 14 mg
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 69 mg

Recipe Notes: I encourage you to actually mix wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls and then combine. But I would be dishonest if I didn’t admit that I generally measure the dry ingredients straight into the wet. I hate the thought of pancakes taking more than one bowl. And they turn out just fine. BUT, I do think I then have to mix the batter a little bit more. Just keeping it real. This is a bit wetter than regular pancake batter, so they take a little longer to cook. The end result is more moist than traditional pancakes, and it may seem like you undercooked them. I would estimate you cook the first side about twice as long as a regular pancake before flipping.

Also, if you hate only using part of a can of pumpkin, you do 1.5 times everything using a whole can of pumpkin, which leads to some odd amounts. Here is what I did:

1 can pumpkin
1 ⅞ cups skim milk (go about halfway between the 1 ¾ and 2 cup marks on the measuring cup)
¼ cup canola oil
2 eggs
¼ cup brown sugar (slightly heaping)
1 ⅞ cups white whole wheat flour (measure out 2 cups and then take out 2 tablespoons)
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
heaping ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
heaping ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Source: slightly adapted from online

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July 17, 2014 · 9:27 pm

White Chicken Pizza Plus Homemade Pizza Dough

Does Friday night feel like pizza night to anyone else?  Whenever I plan my menu for the week, I’m always tempted by pizza on Friday night.  It just feels right.  While getting takeout or delivery is inticing, homemade pizza can actually be very simple.  As always, I like being able to control the ingredients and add a lot more veggies.

I’m sharing two recipes with you, both of which I use all the time.  This pizza dough is fairly foolproof, and I love the short rising time.  The white sauce on the pizza adds a cheesy element, so you don’t need a ton for the topping, which cuts down on calories and sodium.  Enjoy!

White Chicken Pizza (Serves 3-4)

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½ batch of pizza dough (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces
1 bell pepper, sliced
½ red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
¾ cup skim milk
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1. Prepare pizza dough per recipe. While dough is par-baking, prepare toppings and sauce.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add bell pepper and onion to pan; sauté until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add to plate with chicken.

3. Heat butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper when melted; cook 1 minute. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is thickened and begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Stir in ½ cup parmesan until melted.

4. Spread sauce over par-baked pizza crust. Top with chicken, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle mozzarella and 2 tablespoons parmesan evenly over the top. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes, until crust is browned and cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information: (Amount per Serving)

Calories: 327
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Cholesterol: 64 mg
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 511 mg

Recipe notes: You could easily use some leftover chicken or grill the chicken as well. Make sure to chop it into small enough pieces for the pizza; big chunks are hard to eat. You can mix up the vegetables however you like. Fresh tomatoes are also great on this pizza. You could skip cooking the vegetables before putting on the pizza, but they don’t get fully cooked on the pizza.

Homemade Pizza Dough (Makes 2 pizzas)

1 tablespoon yeast (instant or active dry)
1 ½ cups warm water (110-120 degrees F)
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting

1. Dissolve yeast in water. Stir in 2 cups of flour. While mixing, add in salt, olive oil, and enough of remaining flour that dough forms a ball that is tacky but not overly sticky. Knead for 5 minutes.

2. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into desired shape. Place onto baking pan that has been lightly greased (if desired) and dusted lightly with cornmeal.

3. Preheat oven to 400. Pizza dough will “rise” during this time.

4. Par-bake for about 7 minutes. You may need to prick the dough with a fork if it starts to bubble up too much.

5. Top with desired toppings and bake for 12-15 minutes more.

Recipe Notes: I usually use a mix of white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. It works equally well with all of one kind of flour, too. This does have to roll out fairly thin, but it isn’t a crispy, cracker-like thin crust. I have an “air-bake” pizza pan, but I still use the cornmeal. Along with par-baking, the cornmeal helps prevent the pizza from sticking to the pan.

Source: adapted from Cooking Light and a family recipe

Low-iodine adjustment: The pizza dough works for low-iodine. Red sauce with the chicken and vegetables would work. But no cheese, which may kind of defeat the point of pizza.

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June 9, 2014 · 1:37 pm

Whole Wheat Bread

My mom was horrible at making homemade bread. She was an excellent cook in many ways, but she really struggled making any bread product beyond cinnamon rolls. Because of that, I always assumed bread making was hard. Fast forward to college, I had two roommates who made homemade bread every week. They would make a batch of five or six loaves at a time, and it turned out perfectly every time.

Now, my bread doesn’t turn out perfectly every time. But, I have learned a few tricks from them and practice.

1) Don’t be afraid of getting your water too hot. I actually check the temperature on my water before I use it. My goal is 110-120 degrees F. That is hotter than you think. I generally have to microwave mine.

2) Don’t over flour your dough. You can always add more flour later, but you can’t take it out.

3) Let the dough rise long enough. Especially if your kitchen isn’t very warm, it can take longer than the hour that most recipes suggest.

4) I have found better success with instant yeast over active dry yeast.

5) If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Each time you make bread you will learn something that will make the next batch better.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread (Makes 1 loaf)

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2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 cups warm water
3/4 tablespoon instant yeast
3-4 cup white whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
cooking spray.

1. Combine the honey, water, yeast, and 1 cup flour in a bowl. Let this mixture “sponge” for 15 minutes.

2. Add the oil, salt, and gluten. While mixing, add in remaining flour one cup at a time until dough begins to clear the sides of the bowl. Dough should be smooth and elastic, but still a bit sticky. Knead by hand 7-10 minutes or by mixer for 6-10 minutes, until dough is smooth, elastic, and bubbles appear below the surface of the dough.

3. Lightly grease sides of bowl with cooking spray and roll dough in the “oil”. Lightly cover and let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1-2 hours.

4. Form into loaf and place in lightly greased loaf pan. Let rise again until almost doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes.

5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Dump bread out of pan and let it cool completely before slicing.

Nutritional Information (Amount per slice, about 12 slices per loaf):

Calories: 182
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: less than 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 33 g
Fiber: 4.5 g
Sodium: 197 mg

Recipe notes: I substituted sugar for some of the honey with good results. I use white wheat flour, but my friend who gave me the recipe uses the regular whole wheat flour with good results. The mixture will actually begin to look like a sponge in step one, due to the bubbles from the yeast.

Source: adapted from a friend’s recipe

Low-iodine adjustment: Use non-iodized salt. I don’t know the iodine content of vital wheat gluten, but none of the recipes in the low iodine cookbook use vital wheat gluten. To be safe, I substituted 2 egg whites and had good results. I used to use a bread machine on the low iodine diet, but this bread is worlds better than anything from a bread machine.

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