Breakfast Bread or Biscuits

   Homemade bread is wonderful, but yeast breads can be exhausting to make and bread machines are kind of expensive. I developed this recipe to be a quick bread with the taste and texture (soft inside, crunchy outside) of good homemade bread. It is ideal as a breakfast bread as it is a little too sweet and crumbly for sandwich bread. The consistency of the dough also makes it great for biscuits. Plus, it has a boost of healthy whole wheat flour.

Breakfast Bread

   I have baked with whole wheat flour in the past and had products that turned out bitter. I wasn't sure if it was just the taste of the flour or if there was something wrong with the bread, so I googled bitter whole wheat bread and found the answer. The top search results, including a post by Cooking Light magazine, said that whole wheat flour spoils faster than white flour because the oils in it go rancid quickly. The fact that grocery stores often don't sell as much whole wheat flour can also mean that it has been setting on the shelf longer. 

   There are a few things you can do to remedy this problem. First, always check the expiration dates on the flour. Don't buy anything that is close to its expiration date and throw away any flour you may have at home that has reached its date. Second, if you can, buy whole wheat flour from a store that keeps it in a cooler, and store it in the refrigerator once you get it home. These tips should ensure that you have fresh, good tasting flour to work with. 

   Another noteworthy thing about this dough is that it contains sorghum molasses. The main difference between sorghum and regular molasses is that sorghum is the delicious stuff that you buy from farmers at roadside stands. It’s viscous like honey. You can eat it on toast or use it in baking. Molasses is the runny, slightly bitter stuff that you buy in major chain grocery stores. If you can't find real sorghum molasses, honey is an acceptable substitute.

Sorghum Molasses

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups self-rising white flour (White Lily is the best)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sorghum molasses

1 cup skim or 1% milk

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, leaving out 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil to use to coat the pan. 

Knead dough until mixed well. 

-For bread, add 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil to a loaf pan. Shape the dough into a loaf shape, roll it in the oil in the pan, and bake for 20-30 minutes. 

-For biscuits, lightly coat a baking sheet with oil, drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Tomato and Okra Vegetable Soup

  It's cold outside today, and this healthy soup is the perfect meal for warming up. The base of the soup is corn and tomatoes. I used a combination of no added salt and regular canned vegetables, simply because the grocery store didn't have everything I needed in the no added salt variety. This soup contains primarily canned and frozen vegetables, with the exception of a fresh onion and a green pepper, making it ideal for late fall and winter. A little bit of sugar and white vinegar add a boost of flavor.

 

Ingredients: 

2 cans no added salt whole kernel corn

2 cans no added salt diced tomatoes

1 can shellie beans

1 can sliced carrots

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 12 oz. bag frozen okra

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

  Serve soup with hot, fresh cornbread.

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

I love pumpkin in the Fall. The smell, taste, and lovely orange color really make the season. Pumpkin for breakfast in the Fall! Now that's a great start to the day. 

This recipe comes from Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During & After Pregnancy by American Dietetic Association. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1-2/3 cups AP flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup skim or 1% milk

2 Tbsp. tub margarine, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Directions: 

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with 1/4 cup of sugar. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine 1 Tbsp. sugar with the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, egg, pumpkin, and yogurt-sugar mixture, stirring well. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Stir until it is moist and free of lumps. 

Lightly coat a griddle or skillet with non-stick cooking spray, and heat to low-medium heat. 

Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour the batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until the bubbles begin to burst, then flip and cook until golden brown. 

Makes 6 servings, one serving is 3 pancakes. 

Nutrition Facts per serving: 282 calories, 0 g. trans fat, 45 g. carbohydrates, 6 g. fat, 42 mg. cholesterol, 3 g. fiber, 3 g. saturated fat, 198 mg. sodium, 12 g. protein

MyPlate Complete Meals

  Since this blog is about healthy eating, I want to start featuring more full meals that match up with the MyPlate model and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The MyPlate model is a quick and easy way to think about meal planning. Just fill half of the plate with vegetables or fruits, one quarter with grains (preferably whole grains), and the last quarter with a lean protein (animal or plant). Top it off with low-fat milk, yogurt, or soy milk. 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov

A well balanced meal.

  Four of my recent posts are featured in this photo. Lean meatloaf, cornbread with a heart healthy fat source, a few slices of fried green tomatoes, and fresh, sliced heirloom tomatoes make a healthy, delicious, and filling meal. Have an 8 oz. glass of milk, or some yogurt or sugar-free pudding for daily calcium.

Cornbread

  This is a recipe for regular cornbread. It's adapted from a Martha White recipe, and, like my Jalapeno Cornbread, it can also be filed under "How to Make Cornbread Without Grease". 

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 1/3 cups skim milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups corn meal

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F.

Spray a 9-inch iron skillet with non-stick spray, and place it in the oven. 

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir well with a fork. 

Remove the skillet from the oven, and pour batter into skillet. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

Variations: 1 3/4 cups buttermilk may be substituted for the skim milk. 

Buttermilk adds a lot of sodium, though.

Did you know? Buttermilk is good in recipes because it is more acidic than regular milk. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 1 Tbsp. of white vinegar to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with plain milk. This is a much lower sodium version of buttermilk, too. Vinegar is also great as a seasoning on vegetables or meat because it adds flavor without adding sodium.

Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins

These yummy blueberry muffins are an even healthier variation on the blueberry muffin recipe I posted last month. Half of the flour in this recipe is 100% whole wheat. Using half whole wheat and half white flour adds fiber and other benefits of whole grain, but the muffins still have a good, light texture.

Ingredients: 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup 100% whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

3/4 cup sucralose sweetener for baking

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup skim milk

1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. 

Combine flours, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir together well. 

Add oil, sweetener, eggs, vanilla, and milk, and stir together well. 

Fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into muffin cups. 

Bake for 20 minutes.

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

This recipe for blueberry muffins uses heart healthy vegetable oil, sweetener in place of sugar, and lots of whole blueberries. The flour could even be substituted with whole wheat flour or a blend of whole wheat and white flour for a boost of fiber and whole grains.

 















Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sweetener for baking
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
1 pint fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray or line 12 muffin cups. 
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, sweetener, eggs, vanilla, and milk, stirring well with a mixing spoon. Fold in blueberries. 
Spoon batter into muffin cups. 
Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. 

Hot Mexican Cornbread

This recipe could also be filed under "How to Make Cornbread without Grease". It's a spicier variation on traditional cornbread, with some Jalapeno peppers and Cheddar cheese adding extra flavor. Heart healthy vegetable oil is the main fat source, and the regular sour cream could easily be substituted with reduced fat sour cream. Don't use fat-free sour cream, though, as it won't provide the right texture. Fat-free products also contain extra sugar, which is not any healthier than fat. 
If you make cornbread in an iron skillet, as any Southerner should, you also get the extra benefit of the iron that is absorbed into the food!
 
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cream style corn
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 (8 oz.) jar Jalapeno peppers
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. 
Drain Jalapeno peppers, wash, remove seeds, lay on paper towels to drain, and then chop. 
Mix eggs, corn, sour cream, oil, and cornmeal. 
Pour half of batter into a greased and heated 9 inch square pan or a hot large iron skillet. 
Sprinkle peppers and 1/2 cup cheese over batter. 
Pour in remaining batter. 
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. 
Bake for 1 hour. 


Luscious Jalapeno Cornbread

Biscuits Perfected!

My last biscuit recipe post was still a work in progress, but this one is so good. The dough holds together better, making it possible to roll out and cut. It also has less saturated fat, with just enough butter to be delicious. This recipe yields about 6 biscuits, but it can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising flour

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, cutting in the butter. 

Getnly knead the dough, and place on a floured surface. 

Roll out dough, and cut into biscuits. 

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

New Series on Biscuits

Biscuits

   This is the first recipe in a series I'm working on with biscuits. It could also be called "How to Make Biscuits Without Shortening". 

   As a Dietitian in the South, one of the questions I get a lot is how to make biscuits that are healthier. Traditionally, shortening is used as the fat source and to add texture and firmness. Shortening, however, contains those yucky artery clogging trans fats that we want to avoid. In this series, I will be exploring different ingredients and methods of preparation, and comparing the tastes of each one. 

   This first recipe for pinch biscuits is kind of a work in progress. The end product tastes amazing, but I may try to refine the preparation as the dough was thin and slightly difficult to work with. 

   These biscuits contain vegetable oil-a healthy fat, and butter, which has no trans fats like shortening. The butter does have cholesterol and saturated fat, though. Plus, there is a whole stick of butter in the recipe! While it is not the healthiest, anything with an entire stick of real butter has got to taste good.

Pinch Biscuits 

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 to 3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup butter

1 cup buttermilk

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Mix ingredients in a large bowl, gradually adding 2 cups flour, and cutting in the butter.

Place dough on a floured surface, and knead in the last 1/2 to 1 cup flour, until dough can be formed with hands.  

Form palm-size biscuits with your hands, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. 

Bake for 30 minutes.