Recipes for Healthy Carbing!

High Protein Brown Bread

3 cups flour (1.5c unbleached bread, 1c heritage wheat, .5c teff flour)
.125 cup pecan meal
.125 cup almond meal
2 tbs benefiber
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
.125 cup powdered milk
.25 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbs active yeast
1 cup warm water
.25 cup rolled oats
.125 cup oil/butter
1 egg

Put dry ingredients from flour to salt into large food processor (have dough blade installed). Run processor for a few turns to mix the dry ingredients.

Wisp yeast, rolled oats and a spoon full of the mixed dry ingredients into the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes to proof.

Add oil/butter, egg and liquid mix to dry ingredients.

Run processor at dough speed until mixture forms sticky ball. If after 30 seconds ball doesn't form and dough is too sticky, add flour in 1/8 cup amounts until ball forms. Let dough circle the bowl 10 times after ball forms. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then run processor again so dough circles bowl 5 times. Let rest for 5 minutes, run processor again for 5 more circles of the bowl.

Oil a large mixing bowl. Remove dough from processor and shape into ball by hand. Roll the ball about the greased bowl surface to coat dough. Cover and set in a warm space. Leave for first rise.

When dough is about double size (45 min - 2 hrs), fold a few times and reshape into ball. Leave in bowl again for second rise.

When dough is about double size again (about an hour), fold and shape dough. Put into oiled bread pan(s). Leave in warm place to rise.

When loaf has risen sufficiently (depends upon size/shape of pan, but about 1 hr) preheat oven to 450F. Place a roasting pan or iron skillet on lower rack during preheat.

Put loaf into oven, toss half a cup of water into pan/skillet and close oven to trap in steam. Let bake for 5 minutes then turn oven down to 375F. Bake for 25 more minutes, then cover top of loaf with tin foil to prevent over browning. Bake another 15 minutes.

Finished bread should have a hollow sound when tapped.

Flax and Wheat Sandwich Bread

3 cups flour (1c unbleached bread, 1c heritage wheat, .5c oat flour, .5c barley flour)
.25 cup flax meal
1 tsp salt
1 tbs active yeast
.25 cup maple syrup
.75 cup warm milk
.125 cup oil/butter
1 egg

Put dry ingredients from flour to salt into large food processor (have dough blade installed). Run processor for a few turns to mix the dry ingredients.

Wisp yeast, maple syrup and a spoon full of the mixed dry ingredients into the warm milk and let sit for 5 minutes to proof.

Add oil/butter, egg and liquid mix to dry ingredients.

Run processor at dough speed until mixture forms sticky ball. If after 30 seconds ball doesn't form and dough is too sticky, add flour in 1/8 cup amounts until ball forms. Let dough circle the bowl 10 times after ball forms. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then run processor again so dough circles bowl 5 times. Let rest for 5 minutes, run processor again for 5 more circles of the bowl.

Oil a large mixing bowl. Remove dough from processor and shape into ball by hand. Roll the ball about the greased bowl surface to coat dough. Cover and set in a warm space. Leave for first rise.

When dough is about double size (45 min - 2 hrs), fold a few times and reshape into ball. Leave in bowl again for second rise.

When dough is about double size again (about an hour), fold and shape dough. Put into oiled bread pan(s). Leave in warm place to rise.

When loaf has risen sufficiently (depends upon size/shape of pan, but about 1 hr) preheat oven to 450F. Place a roasting pan or iron skillet on lower rack during preheat.

Put loaf into oven, toss half a cup of water into pan/skillet and close oven to trap in steam. Let bake for 5 minutes then turn oven down to 375F. Bake for 25 more minutes, then cover top of loaf with tin foil to prevent over browning. Bake another 15 minutes.

Finished bread should have a hollow sound when tapped.

The most Colorful Plate!

I have come to believe that the majority of one's food should not be comprised of foods that are white, tan, or brown. Grains and starches have been a staple food for ages because it was the easiest to refine into calorie dense materials that can be stored for long periods of time; ale and beer was once a nutrient rich staple food, not simply a libation as it is today. Before the days of canning and freezing, not to mention of preservation and transportation technologies, finding ways to make calorie dense foods which could be kept good for months was essential to survival. Not the healthiest ways to eat; but when faced with starvation, any food is "healthy".

That habit of turning to grain & root based meals is so ingrained (snerk) into us that breaking that habit is extremely hard. I often find myself reaching for a slice of bread, or a granola bar, when I should grab an apple or banana or something a bit fresher and less processed. Even worse, when I do decide to reach for a fruit or vegitable I find myself automatically hunting up something to put it on, in, or to put upon it (yogurt, cheese, a dressing, ice cream, whipping cream). Now, one reason for this is that the average grocery store fruit or vegitable is produced for appearance and spoilage-resistance, not for flavor. When an item has little flavor, one HAS to improve it or eating becomes a drudgery.

This week I bought honeydew melon and tomatos from the local Student Organic Farm. These items did not look "perfect" as one sees in the store, but were exploding with flavor. I picked up heirloom tomatos from our local farmer's stand today, which looked just ghastly, but the meat was nearly burgandy red and made you swoon with flavor. We also got some "donut peaches", which look very funny but are a delicious treat and actually easier and less messy to consume than a standard peach.  I also bought cucumbers and squash, three varieties of sweet peppers, blackberries, blue berries, and eggplant. I plan to spend the weekend enjoying a veritable rainbow of flavors!

I won't enter into the argument about whether the organic and heirloom varieties are "more nutritious" than the mass produced/farmed versions that we have in the super markets... that is an argument for the zealots, not for me. However, I will challenge anyone to provide me with a mass-market fruit or vegitable that TASTES as good as the organic/heirloom varieties!