Make Your Own Bread Again

So you might have seen this recipe already. I found it somewhere online; not sure if it was a facebook post, Greatist or MSN. Then after making the bread and telling a friend about it, I saw it highlighted again as a top story on MSN.

If you missed it, then you're getting another chance. If you like bread but don't love to make it, this link is for you!

My Mother's Peasant Bread: The Easiest No-Knead Bread 

You Will Ever Make

Two different batches. The color of the bread came out the same, it's just the lighting in the kitchen that was different.

That link, from www.alexandracooks.com, takes you through every step with details and advice. I've made this bread twice and we love it. Why? You ask. 

1. It's simple
2. It's delicious
3. It only has 6 ingredients: flour, salt, water, sugar, yeast, butter. And very little of everything except flour.
4. I used whole-wheat flour and it worked!

The second batch I made, I added pepitas in the buttered bowl. Next time I plan to try the recipe with some oat flour replacing some of the whole-wheat flour. The website offers a gluten-free option as well.

My bread did not rise as well as Alexandra's, but I'm working on that. Guessing it might be the whole-wheat flour, or perhaps with bread I need to adjust it a little for living at 5300 ft, or I realized that I did not mix my yeast/sugar/water before dumping it in the flour. No matter - still delicious. And I did not have Pyrex bowls, so I used two of my Polish pottery bowls that worked perfectly.

Action Item: Come on, try this bread. It still takes a little time, because you do have to let the dough rise for 1.5 - 2 hours at first, then 30ish minutes the second time. 

For Further Reading: I was going to list some articles about the benefits of making your own bread. Instead I'll ask you to go to your search engine and type in "why you should make your own bread" and the results give you a good overview: save money, healthier for you, to stop feeling bloated, you know what's in it, etc. Bread is time consuming and I know you can't make all your bread at home without skipping workouts or taking time off work, but you can make it often. And when you can't, be sure to buy bread with whole grains and very few ingredients. 

1. 
   

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

 

I tested another recipe, with a few changes, and it is delicious. We had a few bananas turning brown on the counter, so choosing this recipe was easy. The chocolate chips helped sway my decision too!

Ingredients:

• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 light brown sugar or raw sugar (I used 1/4 c. honey)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 1/3 c. unsweetened crunchy peanut butter (I used creamy, natural peanut butter)
• 1/4 c. plain fat-free yogurt (I used plain whole yogurt)
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbs. canola oil (I used coconut oil)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (choose these carefully - dark chocolate is best)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat standard loaf pan with oil. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. (If you use honey, you'll of course add it to the wet ingredients).

2. Whisk together mashed bananas, peanut butter, yogurt, egg and oil. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.

3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before unmolding. Cool completely then slice and serve. (It took less than 40 minutes to cook in my oven... and we of course tasted it before it cooled completely!)

This recipe came from an Optimum Wellness publication that I probably picked up at a grocery store in Colorado. 

Action Item: Try this recipe using my changes or make some of your own suited to your tastes and requirements!

For Further Reading: How to Choose the Healthier Oil: Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil (good reminder that you need to choose what's best for your lifestyle and keep it varied)

Sodium

Another topic I will probably mention a lot. Just as sugar is prevalent in so many processed foods, you're going to find sodium there too! For years I thought I was doing a great job of keeping our sodium levels right on target (or lower), Ron came home from a nutrition class one day and mentioned the amount of sodium in bread. Yes, my "healthy" whole wheat bread. So that started me on a new quest... to find bread with very few ingredients and low sodium. They are out there, but you have to look. Obviously if you make your bread, you can control the sodium content. Our grocery store in Boston sold "no salt added" bread and it was yummy. Pepperidge Farms - for the big brands - seems to offer the lowest amounts of sodium in their breads. We shop at Sprouts now and their store-brand brand is delicious, has very few ingredients, and very little sodium. 


Bread is just an example, read the labels and start cutting out processed foods!

Guidelines recommend no more than 1,500mg per day. Here are ways to reduce sodium intake (thank you Harvard HEALTHbeat):

Eat mostly fresh foods. Most of the sodium we eat comes from restaurant meals and processed foods, including canned vegetables and soups, pasta sauces, frozen entrees, luncheon meats, and snack foods. If you start with unsalted, fresh foods and prepare them yourself, you can exercise better control over your sodium intake.

Take care with condiments. Sodium is found in many condiments besides ordinary table salt — including soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salad dressings, ketchup, seasoned salts, pickles, and olives. Baking soda, baking powder, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) also contain sodium.

Read labels. The Nutrition Facts label on packaged food lists milligrams of sodium per serving, so note how many servings the container holds. The percent daily value ("% Daily Value" or "% DV") is based on 2,400 mg, so if your own daily sodium limit is lower, the amount of sodium in a serving is actually a higher percentage than the label indicates. Read the labels on over-the-counter drugs, too; some of them contain sodium.

Speak up. When dining out, ask to have your food prepared with less salt. You can also ask for a lemon or lime wedge to add more flavor to your food.

Spice it up. Cut back on salt by making your own blends of spices and herbs and using them along with lemon or lime juice or flavored vinegars. (Ready-made blends are also available in grocery stores.) Some kosher and gourmet salts contain less sodium than standard iodized table salt; check the Nutrition Facts label to make sure.

Action Item: Check the sodium content of items in your refrigerator/cupboards!

For further reading: Check out Harvard HEALTHbeat. It's a free weekly email newsletter. I just discovered it myself.