Whole Wheat Banana Bread

June 22, 2020 by

I love my old banana bread recipe. But I wanted to give it a healthy boost. It took some tweaking but this one is a keeper!
I replaced some of the sugar with applesauce. I tried making it with no sugar and played around with honey and applesauce but the texture and flavor just isn’t right. And I wanted it to actually be eaten as well, so I settled with reducing the sugar in the end. Adding yogurt helps make a more tender loaf as well. Plus with the added yogurt and applesauce I could reduce the butter by half.
The other change is using whole grain flour. You could use regular whole wheat flour and even though I grind my own white whole wheat flour when making quick breads or any non yeasted recipes using a whole wheat pastry flour is your best choice. It is still whole grain but has a finer grind and is lower in gluten (which you don’t need for quick breads, pancakes, etc.) I keep a few bags in my freezer at all times.
I added some spices which you could leave out if desired but I really liked the addition.
All in all, this has replaced my old recipe to be a new favorite! And if your kids are bored right now banana bread is a great beginner recipe to teach them how to cook!

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Whole Grain Tagged With: , , ,

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

May 15, 2020 by

This is the bread my family lives on. It is soft, tender, slices well, and my favorite soft sandwich loaf bread to make. As much as I love making artisan bread loaves and experimenting with different add ins this is the bread I use for toast at breakfast, grilled cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, or my daughters favorite- smeared with my favorite lime marmalade (can’t keep that hidden well enough!)
While this does contain yeast it is a fairly small amount. The sourdough flavor is mild and great for kids who don’t like the stronger sourdough flavor. I have chilled the bread overnight for the second rise but usually I bake the same day. I adapted this recipe from King Arthur Flour and after tweaking it I love it even more.
I usually make at least 3 loaves of bread at a time, just triple all ingredients.
What won’t get eaten within a couple of days I thinly slice and freeze. To defrost I just put in the toaster.
A note on whole wheat: White whole wheat is my go to choice. I have a wheat grinder and keep a stock of white wheat berries on hand fortunately so I don’t worry about running out. White wheat has all the nutritional benefits of red wheat but is lighter in color and softer in texture and will make a lighter loaf. If you only have red wheat you could even use a third all purpose flour to keep it from being too heavy.

Filed Under: Bread, Yeast, Sourdough Tagged With: , , , ,

Whole Wheat Potato Rolls

March 30, 2020 by

These rolls are 100% whole grain and 100% delicious. As tender and fluffy as white bread but with all the benefits of whole grains!
I’m including lots of adaptions in case you’re out of ingredients. As far as whole wheat goes I grind my own white wheat, I don’t use red wheat anymore. Red and white wheat are both whole grain but white wheat is lighter in flavor and also makes a lighter bread but still has all the health benefits. Don’t confuse this with whole wheat pastry flour as that is a finer ground flour meant for things like cookies and biscuits that don’t have yeast.

Filed Under: Bread, Yeast, Whole Grain Tagged With: , , ,

100% WHOLE GRAIN PANCAKES

February 3, 2020 by

Sometimes I post a recipe because I think it will go well with a season or upcoming holiday. And sometimes I post a recipe because I am TERRIFIED that I will loose the piece of paper it is scribbled on in my shorthand. This is one of those. I actually DID loose it and tried to recreate it to no avail.
Luckily I found it on the backside of my daughters artwork! phew!
I love the challenge of making comfort foods more healthy and whole grains is at the top of that list.
I’ve fiddled with many a whole grain pancake recipe but had yet to be satisfied with the results. And I didn’t want it be just part whole grain.
Oat flour (easily made by pulsing rolled oats in your blender!) adds some nuttiness, applesauce and a touch of honey for sweetness, and yogurt makes them tender and fluffy.
Using yogurt when working with whole wheat works amazingly well. And by using whole wheat pastry flour they won’t be heavy. It’s still 100% whole grain, just a finer grind. When using yeast I use white whole wheat, but anytime I make something non-yeast, like biscuits or pancakes, use the pastry whole wheat flour. I keep a bag in my freezer at all times, it keeps really well there.

These pair really well with berry syrup and fresh berries but maple syrup is good too… or hot off the griddle with nothing. I won’t judge.

100% WHOLE GRAIN PANCAKES

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat flour (just process old fashioned oats in a blender)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon flax seed powder, optional
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup milk (fat free is fine, or whatever you have)
3 eggs
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon honey

Whisk together the flour, oat flour, baking powder, flax powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, applesauce, milk, eggs, melted butter and honey.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. As the batter sits it will thicken up as the grains absorb the moisture. If too thick add milk as needed to thin.
Heat a griddle to medium heat and lightly butter. Drop ladle fulls of batter and flip when bubbles form and begin to pop. Cook on second side until cooked through and golden.

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Whole Grain Tagged With: ,