A Few Recipes

I've been asked to share some of the recipes I've been using since changing my family's diet to include more whole foods.

Many of the changes I've made lie simply in the quality of the ingredients I'm using. For example, spaghetti has always been on my menu plan; but now I make it with Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Pasta and a better quality sauce than what I was using before. Or, for another example, here's my new and improved recipe for Maid-Rites. (Don't know what Maid-Rites are? I didn't either until I moved to Iowa. :-) Think Sloppy Joes but less sloppy....)

Maid-Rite Sandwiches

Ground beef
Organic ketchup
Prepared mustard
Real maple syrup
Organic oats, uncooked
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Burger Buns OR homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Brown and drain ground beef and return to skillet. Add ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, and oats to desired taste and consistency. Warm and serve on lightly toasted buns or bread.

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Other dishes that were on my menu plan I have eliminated altogether. For example, I no longer make Jello-based salads or dishes that require condensed cream of chicken soup. I think there may be some healthy alternatives to these things out there, but I haven't done much looking yet. (Pointers, anyone?)

And, of course, there are some new recipes that have made their way into my kitchen! I am definitely not a master of some of these things yet, but I intend to keep practicing!

Whole Wheat Bread (This recipe originally comes from Bread Beckers, but I picked it up off A Matter of Eating and Drinking. I'm posting it according to how I do it.)

1 1/2 c less 2 T very hot water (I put it in the microwave and bring it just to the point of boiling.)
1 c cold almond milk (can use organic whole milk)
3 large eggs
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c honey
1 T sea salt
4 1/2 t instant yeast
6-7 1/4 c freshly-milled flour
1/4 c (heaping) wheat gluten

Combine water, milk, eggs, oil, honey, and salt. (Temperature should be just right for yeast.) Mix in yeast. Add gluten and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead until dough passes the windowpane test. Shape into loaves, cover with tea towel, and let rise until double. Place in 350 degree oven and bake 25-30 minutes. Makes 2-3 loaves.

A few notes from my experience with this recipe:
*Measure your honey in the same cup you used to measure your oil. This way the honey will slide right out.
*It takes about 20 minutes of kneading in my KitchenAid mixer before my dough passes the windowpane test.
*This tends to be a more sticky dough than you might be used to, so don't be tempted to add too much flour.
*I use 2 stoneware loaf pans which create bigger, more evenly browned loaves than the smaller aluminum loaf pans do.
*It takes my bread about 1 hour to rise at room temperature. (See UPDATE below.)
*I bake the two larger loaves for 28 minutes.
***UPDATE 02/04/10: I have always used organic whole milk in this recipe, but I just used almond milk for the first time and am far more pleased with the results. The dough had a much lighter, spongier feel to it, it smelled better (both before and after baking!), it rose faster (1 hour) and bigger, and it browned perfectly.

Whole Wheat Crackers (adapted from here. I've only made these once, but it seems like it will be an easy recipe to perfect.)

1 3/4 c freshly-milled hard wheat flour
1 1/2 c freshly-milled soft wheat flour
3/4 t sea salt
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1 c water
sea salt for sprinkling

Note:
*Crackers continued to crisp up after being removed from the oven.

Whole Wheat Pancakes (from Wholesome Sugarfree Cooking cookbook)

2 c freshly-milled (soft) whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1/2 t sea salt
2 T honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 c organic whole milk
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c vinegar

Add ingredients in order given. Don't beat too much. For waffles or fluffy pancakes, beat egg whites separately and add last.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (from Wholesome Sugarfree Cooking cookbook)

1 egg, beaten
2/3 c organic whole milk
1/2 c butter, melted
2 c freshly-milled (soft) whole wheat flour
1/2 t baking soda
2 t honey
1/2 t sea salt

Mix all together lightly. Press in a 12" x 14" pan. Top with your favorite pizza toppings. Bake 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Note:
*This makes an excellent bread-like crust. I am still looking for a recipe that makes a nice thin and crispy crust.

Breaded Chicken Breasts (from Nourishing Traditions)
Serves 4-6

8 skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 c unbleached flour
1 t pepper
4 eggs, beaten
2 c whole grain bread crumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
about 4 T butter
about 4 T extra virgin olive oil

This is a delicious substitute for fried chicken. Trim chicken breasts and pound lightly with the small prong side of a meat hammer. Mix flour and pepper together on a plate; have beaten eggs ready in a bowl; mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in another bowl. Using tongs dip each piece first in the flour mixture, then in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumb mixture. Saute a few at a time in butter and olive oil about 7 minutes per side, being careful not to burn. Transfer to a heated platter and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.