Slow is Good - A Primer on Baking Bread

I'm at work today, earning my daily bread so I will leave you with a little lesson in making your own.  The tasty variety.  While picking up a loaf of bread one day I paid attention to the price. It has gone up significantly in the last year, as have most other foods.

I use up to a loaf a week, sandwiches for lunch, french toast, a base for stew, toasted and smeared with roasted garlic alongside roasted veggies or pasta.  I eat primal a few days a week to keep my overall sugar and carbs down, but I still have some bread days.  I tried to do the low carb thing once and was ready to take hostages at a Dunkin Donut by day 3.  I'm fine with salads and roasted veggies with my meat, but I missed toast with my bacon and eggs.

But everything in moderation.  Still, thinking as to the cost, I wondered - ow much does it cost to bake a loaf versus buy. Using the best quality flour (I love King Arthur for breads, White Lily for biscuits, pancakes and waffles) and getting your yeast in bulk you can bake a loaf of bread (baking two at a time in the oven to reduce fuel cost) for a little more than a dollar.   If you buy cheaper an/or bulk flours, you'll save even more. Artisan breads in the store cost up to  $4-5. For myself, baking two loafs (freezing one) rather than buying a loaf of the fancy bread saves me over a couple hundred dollars a year).  That's just one person.  When I married a "sandwich guy" that doubled my savings and it was SO much better.

But if you won't eat it you won't save anything. My bread was good, but my best friend who is also my book editor makes the best bread in the world, a sweet white bread that makes up awesome sandwiches and toast. One day, she showed me how to make it and unlike her "I love you but if you share this they will never find the body" brownie cookie recipe, this one I can share. (late day low light didn't make for the best pictures but you get the idea).

Anyway - to get started. . .

You will need:
6 cups flour
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)
2 teaspoons salt.
A big bowl, a board for kneading and a little extra flour to coat the board and your hands.

Instructions:

Measure out six cups of flour. (King Arthur bread flour was used).  Flours are different, and some brands may require less or more than the recipe calls for, some, for products like biscuits,  give a taller, more tender product (using soft wheats). I am just telling you what I've had good luck with, but you may have excellent luck with another brand that is less expensive. It's something you just learn over time. I'm also allergic to malt and malted barley flour is added to a lot of cheap grocery store flours.  For my whole grain breads, as I do both, I use Bob's Red Mill.

Anyway - to get started. . .

You will need:
6 cups flour
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)
2 teaspoons salt.
A big bowl, a board for kneading and a little extra flour to coat the board and your hands.

Instructions:

In a very big bowl dissolve 2/3 cup white sugar in 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F. or 45 C.).  If you don't have a thermometer, test it on the inside of your wrist like you would baby formula.  If it's too HOT it will kill the yeast and your bread won't rise (door stop anyone?).  If it's too COLD you have the equivalent of yeast "shrinkage".

Stir in 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast and allow to proof until the yeast resembles a creamy foam.  (8 minutes normally)

While the 8 minutes winds down, melt 1 and 1/2 Tablespoon butter in the microwave and set aside.  When the yeast is ready, mix 2 teaspoons salt and that butter into the yeast.

Add flour, a cup at a time,  stirring with a wooden spoon.  When almost all of the flour is added the batter will look stringy like thick elastic, and want to slide off the spoon. Add the rest of the flour (but gradually, so you use only what you need) until it's too thick to stir.

Remove the dough to a clean floured board or surface and knead it by pushing with the palm of clean, dry hands.  After each push, bring the dough back towards you, gather up the sides and push again watching that you don't poke holes in it with your fingers.

 Add flour to the board to keep it from sticking but not too much, or the dough will be dry.

The more you knead, the finer texture your bread will have, but you also don't want to over work it.

Knead it til it's becoming silky smooth and doesn't stick to your hands.  If it's "shaggy" looking, doesn't hold a shape or tears,  it's NOT ready.

Almost there.

If you're not sure, shape it into a ball, and let it sit 15 minutes.  If it holds it's shape without starting to spread out like a pancake it's probably ready.

Place in a well oiled BIG bowl and turn to coat both sides.  Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place free from drafts until doubled, about an hour. You want a temperature of about 75 degrees F.  If the house is chilled, I'll turn the oven on for just a few seconds, then turn it off, to get it a little warm and put the bread inside. watching though that it's not too hot or your bread will be course textured. In the summer, just put your oven light on and put it in there.

You can also let it raise in the sun, on the counter. but don't let it get more than 80 degrees.

Now go find something to do. It's quiet, you've got an hour. Go commune with nature. .

Or check on your emergency supplies. . .

When it is doubled in size, remove dough from its resting place,  perfect

Now, punch down the dough with a fist andshape and place into 2 well oiled loaf pans. We actually got a third, smaller loaf out of these out of this batch , but remember, it will rise during baking so don't overstuff your bread pan. You definitely should get two well sized loaves out of this recipe..

Time for some fun with that third loaf.

We added some crushed red pepper, cracked black pepper and Parmesan and slightly kneaded it in. You also could do fresh or dried herbs or garlic. Then, a little bit more fresh shaved Parmesan was sprinkled on top after we brushed all of the tops with another Tablespoon (or as needed) of melted butter before that final raise.

Allow to rise for 1 hour, until double and about an inch above the pans. (OK, these weren't all exactly the same size, Yeungling may have been involved).

Bake  at 350 degrees  F. (175  C. for my Canadian friends) for 30 minutes.  For the most part, the crust should be dry, very firm, and a deep golden brown. If the crust is  pale, give it a few more minutes. You can also  use a thermometer. Bread is done baking at 190°F. Just stick a cooking thermometer in the bottom of the loaf to gets its temperature.

Remove from oven and remove from the pans as soon as possible.  (Letting it cool in the pan may result in the bottom of the bread being a bit soggy).

The pepper Parmesan bread was perfect  with dinner that night.

The remainder, as I said, world's best sandwich bread and toast (especially with Amish Bacon from Beef Mart)

Thanks, Stephanie, for the recipe and baking lesson at your lovely country home. I hope you all try it, the kneading takes a little practice but it's fun, relaxing, and the bigger your family, the more money you will save over 20 ingredient store bought bread. If the room or the water are too cold or hot and it doesn't rise like expected bake it anyway, it will make great bread pudding or croutons. If it doesn't rise AT ALL, well, there's not much you can do but launch it at a hippie with a trebuchet or bury it.  But with these hints, hopefully, that won't happen.

Some other household tips:  This has no preservatives.  If you're not going to use it in three days, keep it in the fridge.  For small households, the bread itself freezes well in a plastic bag sealed tight .  When you remove it to thaw,  let it thaw in the bag without opening. Opening the bag while it thaws adds moisture to the bread you do not want.

Enjoy - and happy baking!

Farmer's Fridge - Healthy and Handmade Just for You

Finding a healthy meal on the go in the city can sometimes be hard, even with many restaurants around. But during a work day, I often don't have time for a sit-down meal after ordering and waiting for my food.  Sure there's the drive-through at a fast food place - but I'm a firm believer that the only creatures that should eat food tossed to them from a window are seagulls.

And what if you work somewhere, where you don't have TIME to eat anywhere other than the employee cafeteria, such as at the airport, or in an office building somewhere?  Selections are often worse with a lot of high fat, high sodium offerings and the leftover burger today might be the chili tomorrow.

I've worked at places like that. I remember one work cafeteria wherein the first time I tried it I told my coworker "wow, this is really bad" to which he replied (opening his bagged lunch) "yes, but the nice thing is there's not much of it!"

I won't even get into some of the pre-packaged food at airport retailers.  When I was an airline pilot we used to hold one of those up and go "gee, carbon-dated for freshness".  (Sorry, I was a science geek even before changing careers.)

Then one day in Chicagoland I saw a machine - a bright green and white vending machine full of what looked to be freshly made salads, sandwiches, and snacks. My meal was SO fresh and yummy so  I contacted Farmer's Fresh and asked if I could do a review of them and use some of their photos and they said "sure!"

• Farmer's Fridge

is taking Chicago (and Milwaukee) by storm.  The creators of this company have, using amazing innovation and creativity, removed those roadblocks to eating wholesome, delicious food while on the job or out and about.  They work around the clock to keep their jars full of fresh ingredients every single day.  Anything left unpurchased at night is donated to community members in need.  How is that for a business model with heart?

It's REAL food, no shortcuts.  The meals and snacks are handcrafted, using local partners and seasonal ingredients whenever possible, delivered fresh every single morning.

They are people oriented, treating employees, partners, vendors, and customers with respect knowing what connects us is a shared passion for nourishing food they can be proud to serve.

The food is not just healthy, it's delicious and what follows is just a few of the current chef's selections.

Smoked Cheddar Cobb Salad
• Hand-chopped romaine lettuce with fire-roasted corn, applewood smoked cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes, carrots, and cucumber topped with hardboiled eggs and smoky bbq sunflower seeds. Served with housemade creamy honey-dijon dressing.

AB&J Half Sandwich
• House-ground almond butter, local fruit preserves, and fresh sliced strawberries on multigrain 1979 bread from Publican Quality Bread.

Cauliflower Fried Rice Bowl
• Ginger-sesame cauliflower rice with edamame, bell pepper, egg, scallions, topped with housemade pickled carrots and toasted sesame seeds. This is my favorite for a plant heavy tasty meal.

Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap
• Housemade tarragon chicken salad made with seasoned free-range chicken breast, greek yogurt, Sir Kensington's mayonnaise, dried cherries, green apples, celery, and red onion with green leaf lettuce on a sprouted grains wrap from Angelic Bakehouse. Served with grapes.

Snacks such as:
Chips and Guac
Trail Mixes
Fresh Artisan Cheese
Acai Blueberry Tea-Infused Energy Squares

There are even selections for your morning that don't involve a drive through such as:

Almond Butter Oats Bowl
•Overnight gluten-free oats steeped in almond milk and a touch of maple syrup, topped with housemade almond butter, sliced banana, toasted coconut & cacao nibs.

Greek Yogurt & Granola Bowl
•Greek yogurt blended with vanilla bean and honey, topped with hand-cut apple, banana, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries & house-made granola using gluten-free oats.

McWho??

And beverages such as La Colombe Vanilla Draft Latte's (a frothy cold coffee drink in a can), fresh cold juices, and Brew Dr. Kombucha.

They are expanding regionally and their website has a location function that can tell you where the nearest Farmer's Fridge is from your location.  All food has the calorie counts done for you and allergen information is clearly posted.

So for my Chicagoland and Milwaukee readers, click on their name above to go check them out.  Wherever you are working or running errands, you should find one close to you.  

Your taste buds and your body will thank you.

Five Years -My pants are Half the Size Without a Diet

Pants five years ago on the left, pants on the right from today.  No formal dieting! I gave up diet soda and beer (I still have dry wine and single malt scotch on Friday nights). No fast food, nothing fried except for Saturday Morning breakfast burrito extravaganza, but made at home so the potatoes are sauteed, not deep fat fried.  I follow the tips and recipes in  Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 Diet (there are multiple books, all excellent) with whole grains instead of simple carbs, oils, and sugars on my meat free days.  I keep my meats very lean, and eat more wild caught salmon. I eat a LOT yet slowly and steadily the weight I couldn't get rid of for 20 years disappeared.

I use coconut oil and Avocado oil and avocado oil but in very limited quantities for sauteeing and stir fries or sandwiches. I eat at least 8 servings a day of veggies and non-starchy fruits and all bake my own bread with non genetically modified Einkorn flour so my bread isn't full of chemicals and additives.  I've replaced lunch meat with homemade veggie burgers and spreads (coming soon will be my recipe for mock tuna salad made out of chickpeas and veggies). And I do have dessert, the dark chocolate brownies from the E2 Plan being a house favorite even for my carnivore husband.

I work out twice a week for 90 minutes, which includes 20 minutes with a punching bag for cardio. On those days I will have a small piece of wild caught salmon that I have shipped to me from

• Wild Alaskan Company

I grew up near the mouth of the Columbia River in Washington State and grew up on fresh caught salmon.  Which is why I never bought salmon at the grocers.  Wild Alaskan Company salmon is as fresh and good as what I grew up on, and is pretty much the only animal protein I now eat.

I drink at a minimum of 3 quarts of water a day. I am never really "I'm starving" hungry, like when I lived on Slim Fast and diet frozen meals and fruit and still never lost a single pound.

Dieting sucks. Eating and living healthy does not.

Gluten Free Scones

I have a good friend with Celiac disease so when she visits I make sure I make something from scratch for her. These are so tender and nicely sweet and sugary, you'll never guess they start out with a baking mix. One of our choir members made them for after church coffee hour and so many ladies asked for the recipe she printed it out the following Sunday.

If you aren't gluten sensitive Bisquick can be substituted for the g.f. baking mix

Gluten Free Scones

2 cups King Arthur Flour gluten-free baking mix (this brand contains Xanthan gum already)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (or full-fat coconut milk)
1 egg or equivalent egg substitute (I regularly make "eggs" for baking from flax seed and water)
additional heavy cream or milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, raisins, or craisins
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

additional sugar for topping

Heat oven to 425 F.  Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.  Mix all ingredients just until combined into a soft dough,   Pat into an 8-inch circle (if fingers stick to dough sprinkle them with additional baking mix).  Brush with additional cream or milk and sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.  Cut into 8 wedges.

Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Carefully separate and serve warm.

Thai Carrot Ginger Soup

I love Thai food more than any other ethnic cuisine.  I'm not a big fan of Pad Thai, too many years of munching on airline peanuts as both pilot and frequent passenger, but I love everything else.  My favorite  - some of the soups as well as ginger anything.

But how about making my own.  This soup was easy, creamy and delish and spicy without being "hot" and was a great way to use up some extra carrots. The ginger and spices balanced the taste of the carrots quite nicely.

You also want to make this with the canned coconut milk and not the carton style that you would use on your cereal.  That's essential to get the creamy taste as well as making it extra filling while still being less than 300 calories a serving.

 It also freezes well.

Thai Carrot Soup 

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 large sweet onion chopped
2 pounds carrot, peeled and chopped (1 pound of carrots is about 5 medium sized ones, no wider than an inch and about six inches long)
4 teaspoons jarred minced Garlic
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground Cumin
1 teaspoon ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground Ginger
pinch of crushed red pepper
3 cups low-sodium veggie or chicken broth. (I used chicken bone broth for a Paleo version)
1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk, (the full-fat kind)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep saucepan or Dutch Oven.
Add the onion and carrots and sauté until they begin to soften and onions are browning up)10-15 minutes)
Add the garlic and remaining spices and sauté until fragrant (1 to 2 minutes).
Add the broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the carrots are completely cooked.
Let cool slightly and then place the soup into a blender and blend until soup is creamy. 
Return to stove and heat for couple more minutes on medium.
When reheated, add a 1/4 teaspoon coconut sugar and a squeeze of lime before serving. (Optional)
Serve with some chopped basil or cilantro  (Optional)

Chily Days - Chili Mac

We had an unusually cold day for June yesterday, requiring a sweater while out for a walk, so a warm dinner sounded good, warm as in "heat" as opposed to temperature.

This was an experiment started by tweaking an internet recipe and it turned out REALLY good.   I made it with ground sirloin and bone broth that really complimented the flavor.  It's really low in fat, high in protein and was very tasty served over either gluten free pasta or steamed finely chopped cauliflower if you want a low-carb meal.

Chili Mac is something I never had growing up and didn't see it until I moved to the Midwest in the mid 90's.  It's easy to make, some folks just make a box of Kraft dinner and add a can of regular chili or it can be made from Scratch. (trust me, do the "from scratch").  Traditionally the dish doesn't contain peppers but as I had a handful left from another meal I threw them in and they added a nice taste.

Chili Mac.

In a crockpot place:
1 28-ounce can of Italian seasoned crushed red tomatoes (I love organic  Muir Glen).
A handful of chopped onion and
About 1/3 cup of chopped red and green pepper (small bite-sized)
1 Tablespoon honey

Start heating on low while you cook the meat.

In a skillet cook 1-pound ground grass-fed sirloin until about 3/4 cooked through. You will be cooking without adding oil to the pan so make sure you move the meat around the pan as it cooks so it doesn't stick

Sprinkle with:

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons chopped minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (omit if you want a much milder version)
1/2 teaspoon mild smoky hot sauce (I used Scoville Brothers Singing Smoke which is available online and my absolute favorite brand of hot sauces)
add 1/2 cup bone broth (my favorite is Fire and Kettle which is simmered for 20 hours with various herbs and spices)
Cook until meat is cooked through and liquid is reduced by 1/2, stirring occasionally.

Stir meat mixture into tomato mixture and cook in the crockpot on low 4-8 hours.  You could also make this on the stove, just cook until the veggies are soft and the mixture is bubbly.

Top with shredded low-fat cheese and/or low-fat sour cream if you wish.