The Bread of Life…
Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash
Most people consume lots of starchy “carbs” everyday despite the low-carb trend which is prevalent in today’s society. So, why do I have “carbs” in parenthesis? Well, what people typically think of as “carbs” are more sugar and fat when you investigate the nutritional information. Take a doughnut for example. While most people think of this as a carb, it’s really a fat. It is a ball of dough which has been fried in oil, and dipped in all sorts of confectioners to give it flavor.
“Okay,” you’re saying. “I know doughnuts are bad for me. But, I’m talking about bread and rolls, rice and potatoes that are my “starch nemesis”. They are what makes me pack on the pounds!”
So let’s look into it! For this blog, we will be addressing bread.
All breads are NOT created equal. Bread is typically made from the wheat kernel (some can be made from non-wheat related products). In order to help preserve it’s shelf stability and make the bread softer and some say sweeter, manufacturers (beginning in the 1800’s), began to remove the germ and bran from wheat in order to produce a “white bread” product which can last on supermarket shelves for an extended period of time. But, in order to produce this type of bread, they take the wheat in it’s natural state and strip away much needed vitamins, minerals, and fiber which are essential to a healthy, nutritious diet. They take the natural wheat kernel which is a complex carb (some refer to as good carbs which break down slower thus giving a slow release of glucose into the blood stream), and turn it into a simple carb (some refer to as “bad” carbs which break down quickly and cause a burst of glucose in the blood stream), which while able to stay stable longer, leaves little to no nutritional value to be consumed. Though this white flour now undergoes an enriching process in an attempt to recuperate some of the lost nutrition, only 5 of the 30+ vitamins and minerals originally present are returned to the new white flour.
In order to eat for your health, it would be best to choose a simply prepared, whole-wheat or grain alternative bread such as quinoa, oats, or another whole grain. Some people are allergic or sensitive to wheat or gluten, like myself, so avoiding wheat and gluten is a must. I make quinoa bread or a gluten free oat bread that tastes great. Wheat can be inflammatory due to its adulterated processing, so some folks are better just to avoid it. Be cautious in the breads you choose off the supermarket shelf, as even some of the breads which are advertised as “healthy", can really be a darker version of the non-nutritious white bread because of the way it has been manufactured. It’s best to choose a bread that its main ingredient is 100% organic whole grain flour on the ingredient label with few other ingredients listed.
But why pay $5 to $8 for a loaf of bread when you can make your own at home? Making bread is fun and simple! Just check out these recipes and tell us what you think! I love breads with seeds in them as they give extra punches of nutrition with each bite. Remember if you can crush the bread easily with your hand, it is like a paste - flour and water; you want it to be seedy and wholesome. This recipe contains flax seeds, but could easily be substituted for a different seed of your choice.
Health Bread (Whole -Wheat Bread Recipe)
Ingredients:
2 T (2 pkg) Active Dry Yeast
1/2 c Warm Water
2 3/4 c Boiling Water
3/4 c Molasses or Honey
1 T Salt
2 T Olive Oil
1/4 c Ground Flaxseed
1 c Wheat Germ
1 c Quick Oats
1 c Bran
1 c Barley Flour
1/2 c Millet Flour
3 c Whole-Wheat Flour
1 - 2 c Unbleached Enriched Flour
Instructions:
Mix active yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. In a second bowl, combine boiling water, molasses, salt, olive oil, flaxseed, wheat germ, oats, bran, barley flour, and millet flour. Stir in yeast. Beat well. Ass whole-wheat flour to make moderately stiff dough. Add unbleached enriched flour gradually. Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and satiny. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch down. Cut into 2 portions (for smaller loaves, cut into 3 portions). Shape into loaves. Let rise until double (about 1 hour). Bake 30-35 minutes at 350* F.
Here is a gluten-free bread to try: (recipe link here)
Gluten Free Millet Bread
Ingredients:
300 gm millet flour 2 1/2 cups
120 gm tapioca flour 1 cup
80 gm flaxseed meal 1/2 cup
30 gm chia seed meal 3 tablespoons
22 gm psyllium husk powder 5 tablespoons
45 gm organic white sugar 3 tablespoons
6 gm salt 1 teaspoon
10 gm rapid yeast 4 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 cup thin unsweetened applesauce
500 mL water 110-115 degrees
Instructions:
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, whisking after each is added (this adds air to the mix which also helps with rising).
Add applesauce and water quickly. It will be soupy but don’t add more flour. It will thicken to cake-like consistency in about 30 seconds.
Set aside 10-15 minutes in a warm place.I set my bread pans on the oven while it is preheating. This step will thicken the bread dough.
Gently knead 30-60 seconds—this is mainly for shaping purposes. You don’t need to knead the dough to develop the gluten like you do in making wheat bread since the flours in this recipe have no gluten. The dough should have a nice texture—not too sticky and easily moldable. If it’s sticky, add a couple of teaspoons of gluten-free all purpose flour.
Put into Pullman pans; let rise on top of the stove while it’s preheating (400 degrees)—about 15 to 25 minutes til it has doubled. Most of the bread rising happens during this part.
Put the bread pans into the oven. Throw a cup of hot water onto the bottom of the oven and close the oven door quickly. This step adds steam to the oven which will aid your bread in rising.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 60 minutes. Cool thoroughly before storing.
Blessings,
Resource: Natural Lifestyle Cooking Workbook by Ernestine Finley (for more information and additional bread recipes) and New-start Health Bites.