Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Here is another great recipe from Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day. I still love making bread in this method. It is just so easy and saves so much time. It really takes the work out of making fresh bread.

This bread is true to it's name. It is soft and tender and great for sandwiches or for toast. I have started to half the recipe just because we just don't need to eat that much bread and as all homemade breads, it just does not last that long.

Ingredients

5 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

2 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 cup honey

5 large eggs

2/3 cup neutral-flavored oil or unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Whisk together the fours, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Combine the liquid ingredients and mix them with the dry ingredients without kneading, using a strong spoon.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after its initial rise, but is easier to work with when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. The flavor will be best if you wait for at least 24 hours of refrigeration.

5. On baking day, lightly grease an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch nonstick loaf pan. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape in into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

6. Elongate the ball into an oval and place it into the loaf pan; your goal is to fill the pan about three-quarters full. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the loaf to rest for 90 minutes (40 if you are using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).

7. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the over to 350*F.

8. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown.

9. Remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool before slicing.

Recipe from the book Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day.

Krystal's Berry Bran Flax Muffins

This is a very healthy muffin recipe that I came up with. They are a good source of B Vitamins, Vitamin E, potassium, magnesium and Omega-3 fatty acids. They are great for breakfast or as a snack. Apple sauce is used instead of oil or butter and they are so moist that you may not want to store them in a air-tight container because they can get a little soggy. I usually add a mix of frozen berries to these muffins but any fresh, frozen or dried fruit would do. Cranberries with orange zest would be fantastic.

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup organic cold-milled ground flax seed

1/2 cup unprocessed what bran

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup almond milk (can use cow's milk)

1 large egg

2 cups frozen mixed berries

few teaspoons of sugar in the raw (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350* and line a muffin 12 pan with paper liners (muffins will stick if not using liners).

Sift together the flour, flax, what bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Discard any course chunks of flax or bran.

In a separate bowl mix the applesauce, honey, egg, milk and lemon juice together.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry. Mix only enough to wet the dry ingredients. Don't over mix.

Fold in the frozen berries and mix lightly to blend.

Put equal amounts of batter in the muffin cups and sprinkle with sugar in raw if desired. Bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't over bake. Enjoy!

Recipe by me.

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Chocolate ice cream is one of my favorite things on Earth. I have been making my own ice cream since Ryan and I received an ice cream maker for a wedding gift. Usually it takes a little time to make homemade ice cream but not with this amazingly delicious and easy recipe. This rich ice cream is made from coconut milk so perfect for those avoiding diary. The simple list of ingredients are always in my pantry so it is a perfect recipe to have as a quick "go to". I think the ice cream is best when it has firmed up for a hour or two after churning. It does get pretty hard when left in the freezer but if put out to thaw for a a bit, the texture once again becomes creamy and not at all icy. You can successfully make a half batch of this recipe as well. The taste and texture of this ice cream is very nice and is just as good if not better than the expensive Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream that I have tried (Sells for about $4.99/pint).

Ingredients

3 cups of unsweetened coconut milk (about two cans)
2/3 cup of cocoa powder
6 tablespoons agave syrup (I often use honey instead of agave)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Whisk cocoa powder in a small amount of coconut milk, until smooth. Then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until well combined. Or dump all ingredients together and blend with a stick blender (this is the method I prefer). Make according to your machines instructions.

Recipe from The Nourishing Gourmet

Tabasco & Asparagus Quinoa

It had been a long times since I used some of the quinoa that is sitting in my pantry, so I decided to look around for a new recipe. I came across this one and mixed it up a bit. The dish has good flavor and the tabasco is really subtle. I think I prefer the dish warm but enjoyed it for lunch today cold. I have made a few quinoa dishes that I was not really happy with but this one I really do like and will make again. I think the tabasco butter makes a big difference and adds the right flavors and creaminess. Quinoa when not seasoned enough in my opinion can have a slight bitter taste. I will continue to experiment with quinoa because it is such a healthy grain but I'm glad I found this to start off with.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons jalapeño mustard or Dijon mustard
17 drops Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments

4 cups cooked quinoa
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup, sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained

10-15 medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on if desired

more Tabasco sauce to taste

Directions

To cook quinoa: Combine 2 cups of well-rinsed dried quinoa with 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until quinoa is tender.

In a small bowl whip the butter until it is light and airy. Add the mustard, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice and salt.

When the quinoa is almost ready (about 20 minutes into cooking), put another saucepan on the stove filled with water to blanch the asparagus. When the water has come to a boil, toss the asparagus is a blanch for just a minute or two and drain right away.

While the asparagus is blanching, take of table spoon of the butter mixture put in a skillet of medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just opaque.

In a large serving bowl, take the 4 cups of hot cooked quinoa and toss with the rest of the tabasco butter. Stir in the asparagus, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes and shrimp. Serve with more Tabasco sauce on the side.

Serves 4-6 and is good warm or cold.

Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

I stumbled upon this recipe for chocolate cupcakes with peppermint cupcakes and I just knew I had to make them. They were the perfect thing to bring to our Christmas gathering for my husband's side of the family. I only followed the icing recipe because I love the chocolate cake recipe that I make so much that I just don't gamble with trying a new one that may not be as good.

Use Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe for the cupcakes. The recipe will me 24 cupcakes. Reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 C butter, softened
• 5-7 C powdered sugar, divided
• 3-4 T milk
• 4 t peppermint extract

6 peppermint candy canes (or a couples handfuls of small peppermint candies)

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and beat until fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until smooth. Add the milk and peppermint extract and beat on high until the frosting is very smooth.

Place 3 of the candy canes in a food processor and process until the candy becomes a fine powder. Fold the candy cane dust into the icing.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe large swirls of frosting on top of the cupcakes.

Take the 3 remaining candy canes and put them in a plastic baggy and crush into medium sized chunks. Finally sprinkle candy chunks on top of the frosted cupcakes.

Recipe adapted from Pip & Ebby.

Russian Tea Cakes

These are one of the easiest and tastiest cookies I make around the Holidays. They are buttery and just melt in your mouth. I love that there are very few ingredients and it really is a no fuss cookie. There is no chilling or shaping or frosting. The most difficult task asked in this recipe is sifting the powder sugar and flour but if I am using my awesome beater blade I honestly don't even bother with any sifting. So if you are in the mood to make some Holiday cookies but want something fast and easy, I highly recommended Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Weddings Cakes as they are also called. They also keep well so they are great to put in goody baskets.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (I like pecans)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla then gradually add the 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, measure, then sift again with the salt. Add gradually to the butter mixture. Add the pecans and mix well.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and roll in powdered sugar while still hot. Cool on wire racks and roll cookies again in powdered sugar before serving.

Once they are completely cooled, cookies may be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

Recipe by Emeril Lagasse of the Food Network

Roasted Lemon & Herb Chicken

Roasted chicken is one of my favorite things to do for a simple dinner party. Roasting a whole chicken is really easy but looks impressive. It also looks like you have spent a lot of time when in all actuality the oven is the only one that put in the time.

Ryan often puts the chicken on the rotisserie of the BBQ during the summer and we have that often for dinner. When it is just the two of us we can usually get a few meals out of one bird. After dinner I will strip the rest of the meat off and usually make some sort of chicken salad for lunch. I then take the picked-clean bird, add some vegetables and herbs and boil it to make some good stock for use in a future soup.

Ingredients

1 4-5 pound free-range chicken

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 handful fresh rosemary

1 handful fresh thyme

2 tables spoons butter

olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper.

Zest one of the lemons and reserve the zest. Pierce a couple of holes in the zested lemon and then stuff the lemon, garlic, and a half of the herbs inside. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan.

Finely chop the reaming rosemary and thyme (about 2-3 tables spoons each). In a small bowl, add the chopped herbs, reserved lemon zest, butter, salt and pepper. Mix together until well combined.

Gently separate the skin from the meat of the breast and top of drumsticks. Take the herb-butter mixture and smear it in the pocket made between the skin and meat.

Take the remaining lemon and cut 6, 1/4 slices. Place the 4 lemon slices in between the skin and the breast meat and 1 slice in the pocket of each drumstick where the herb-butter mixture was spread.

Fold the wings under and tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Season the whole thing with a fair amount of salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Roast the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer says 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving. You can deglaze the pan and make a sauce if you like but I usually just remove the lemon and squeeze it over the meat.

Recipe by me.