White Whole Wheat Bread (Bread Machine)

Would you believe me if I told you that you could make a sandwich bread at home that's 100% whole grain, simple as can be, and is light and fluffy?  If you took my advice and have a bread machine, you can try this recipe for yourself and see if you agree!  As I have told you over and over, white whole wheat flour is a whole grain baker's best friend, especially if you don't always want your baked goods to be heavy and dense.  I am a huge fan of a traditional whole wheat bread, but sometimes I just want something lighter, and that's where this recipe comes in.  It's great for sandwiches, as a side for soup, as the basis for croutons, or even to make delicious french toast.  And if you are cooking for others who are not whole grain converts, or are trying to ease your family into a more wholesome lifestyle, I promise you won't get any complaints!

White Whole Wheat Bread
adapted from The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook

1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup agave, honey, or maple syrup
2 tablespoons oil

3 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast (2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast)

Add all ingredients to bread machine as directed for your model.  Set for whole wheat cycle (on my machine with SAF yeast I use quick wheat).  When bread is done, remove from pan immediately and allow to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Makes a 1.5 lb loaf

Salmon Burgers

Here we go with another late-summer burger recipe, this time featuring salmon!  Throughout my life I have not been a huge fan of food that "lived under water", but with all of the talk about salmon being such a healthy food, I felt I owed it to myself and my family to get it into the rotation.  I'm proud to say I've found quite a few variations that I really love - Maple Glazed Salmon, Salmon Cakes, and even some canned salmon mixed with mayo for an easy lunch.  Earlier this summer, I was shopping in Whole Foods and saw that salmon burgers were on special, only $2.50 instead of $5.00 each for a burger made with wild salmon, so I had to try them.  They grilled up beautifully and were delicious, but the regular price just seemed excessive for something I should be able to make at home!

Of course I decided to try to make them one afternoon when my fridge and pantry were sparse (we were even out of soy sauce!) and no time to go to the store, so when I went searching for recipes I was very limited on what I'd be able to try.  I came across a somewhat odd sounding Rachael Ray recipe for "Everything Salmon Burgers" which seemed to be trying to replicate the flavor profile of an everything bagel with lox and cream cheese.  That was a little much for me, but I liked the stripped down idea for the burger (well, it sounded good enough and I could make it quickly with what I had on hand!).

The result was perfect for me...with all of the seasoning and grilling, the salmon taste is not overly strong, but the burgers are flavorful, easy to throw together, and such a great way to eat more fish.  Note that I would NOT recommend going out and spending $20/lb for fresh wild salmon for this recipe - it is perfect for when you can get wild salmon at a bargain price.  My favorite is frozen wild salmon from Trader Joe's, which comes already skinned for $7.99/lb!  The previously frozen kind doesn't have the best texture when cooked as a filet, but is the perfect solution in a recipe like this :)

Salmon Burgers
adapted from Food Network

2 6-ounce skinless wild salmon fillets, cut into large chunks

1 tablespoon grill seasoning

1 tablespoon sesame and/or poppy seeds (I used all sesame)

1 rounded teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped)

Olive oil for drizzling

Preheat outdoor grill if using to medium high. Prepare hot grill with cooking spray. 

Place salmon in food processor and pulse a few times to coarse grind meat to form burgers (do not puree!). Transfer fish to a mixing bowl and season with grill seasoning, seeds, and dill. Mix and form 3 patties. Drizzle the burgers with extra-virgin olive oil.

Cook burgers 3 minutes on each side.

Serve on toasted 100% Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns with Lemon Dill Sauce and your favorite toppings (we love beefsteak tomato and avocado slices!).

Serves 3

Yogurt Veggie Dip

As a kid (and young adult!) I used to look forward to family get-togethers, where there would almost always be a bowl of onion dip made from sour cream and dried soup mix, which I would load onto potato chips.  Healthy, right?  This is a snack I wouldn't dream of serving now that I focus more on real foods, but that doesn't mean I don't want to ever have dip again!  Last year I blogged about this recipe for Spinach Leek Dip which is simple enough, but does require a cooking step I probably wouldn't be willing to do all of the time just for a dip.

I recently decided to invest in Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything, since those of you who follow me on Facebook might have noticed I'm a big fan of his!  I figured if I'm going to read his blog and share his articles, the least I could do is support him by buying his highly rated cookbook.  Well, as it turns out, this book really does have a recipe for everything, including simple-as-can-be dip.  This was great timing, as I've been trying to snack on raw veggies, and have been dipping them in organic store-bought ranch dressing for convenience - a decent compromise, but not as wholesome as I'd like.  An easy dip that I can make regularly would be perfect!

Bittman give the option of making this basic dip with sour cream or yogurt, so I started with the yogurt option to maximize the wholesomeness, adding just a little bit of mayo for additional texture and richness.  And guess what - while not as thick as a sour cream dip, this version was delicious!  I served it to some friends who could not get enough, and it made me so excited to pull some veggie sticks out of the fridge for the rest of the week :)

Yogurt Veggie Dip
adapted from How to Cook Everything

1 3/4 cups yogurt*
1/4 cup mayo
3 scallions or 1/2 small red onion cut into chunks
1 cup mixed raw vegetables cut into chunks (e.g., carrots, seeded cucumber, bell pepper)
1 rounded teaspoon dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add the yogurt and mayo to a bowl.  In a mini-chopper, mince the raw veggies so that they are in tiny pieces but not pureed, and add to bowl with yogurt (you don't want the veggies, especially the onion, to get watery - if you go too far, just drain before adding to yogurt).  Add dill and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and mix to combine well.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Makes 3 cups of dip

*Greek yogurt is best here due to its texture.  Regular yogurt will taste great, but the dip will be on the runny side, so you could also consider straining a bit before using.  Alternatively, add more mayo or mix with sour cream for a stiffer dip.

Basic Cole Slaw

For a long time I thought I didn't like cole slaw.  I am generally not a huge fan of mayo, and also assumed that I didn't like cabbage for no particular reason (I am slowly working my way through all of the foods I still have residual fears of from being a really picky kid!).  A few years ago I made a slaw that didn't contain mayo, just a vinegar based dressing, and realized that I actually really like cabbage.  And then more recently I figured out that my aversion to mayo-based salads is that most of them use WAY too much mayo, making them heavy and "goppy", as my mother would say.  As a result, I started experimenting with homemade slaw, and have been pleasantly surprised.  Crisp, freshly shredded cabbage tossed lightly with some sweet and vinegary dressing is really enjoyable, either as a topping for something like Barbecue Turkey Burgers or as an all-purpose side dish for any grilling event.  This recipe is classic, easy to put together, and really delicious.  

Basic Cole Slaw

adapted from Epicurious

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups finely shredded cabbage

1 large carrot

1/2 red onion

In a large bowl whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and mustard.  Add the shredded cabbage, and grate the carrot and onion on top.  Season with salt and pepper and toss together, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.  Cole slaw may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.  Serve as a topping for Barbecue Turkey Burgers or as a side for any summer meal.

Barbecue Turkey Burgers

Sorry it's taken me until mid-August to post this recipe, but at least it's in time for your Labor Day barbecue!  I am a big fan of a traditional hamburger made with grass fed ground beef, but every once in a while I like to switch things up and use turkey.  I've found, however, that a lot of turkey burger recipes require a ton of ingredients, presumably because otherwise it's hard to keep the turkey moist and flavorful?  So when I came across this recipe I was really excited - this homemade barbecue sauce is so simple, contains only ingredients that you could easily have on hand all the time, and is delicious on its own.  But the beauty of this recipe is that the sauce is also used to add flavor to the burgers and keep them moist at the same time!

I made some changes to the original recipe to simplify things (and increase the amount of sauce mixed in with the meat) and am very happy with the results.  They were also paired with a cole slaw recipe which came out great, but is totally optional as a topping - these burgers are great just with some sliced tomato or whatever else you like on your burgers.

Barbecue Turkey Burgers

adapted from Epicurious

Barbecue Sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Turkey Burgers
1 pound ground turkey (I like a combination of white and dark meat; all white meat will be more likely to stick to the grill and dry out)

1/4 cup bread crumbs (fresh or dried)
1 small onion, minced (optional)

In a small bowl stir together Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, chili powder, and cumin until sauce is smooth.

In a large bowl stir together turkey, bread crumbs, onion (if using), and 1/4 cup sauce until combined well and form into 4 patties. Burgers may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Divide remaining sauce in half and put in separate bowls, half for brushing burgers on the grill and half for drizzling on cooked burgers. Chill sauce, covered.

Preheat grill to high heat.  Spray rack and grill burgers, brushing frequently with barbecue sauce, 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Serve on 100% Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns (or your favorite rolls or buns!), and top with additional barbecue sauce, Basic Cole Slaw, and/or your favorite burger toppings.

Serves 4

Pumpkin Muffins

A few weeks ago I ended up with some free time with the munchkin while the peanut was napping.  My freezer stock on muffins was getting low and we were having company that weekend, so I thought a baking project might be fun.  When I asked her what kind of muffins we should make, she chose pumpkin.  Hmmm...I have been trying to find a recipe for wholesome pumpkin muffins for a long time, since most traditional recipes are loaded with sugar and fat.  First I tried this one which was kind of yucky, and then I found this one which is delicious and so healthy, but not entirely pumpkin.  When scanning through my muffin recipes, though, I realized my Whole Wheat Apple Muffins might be the perfect one to modify!

My only issue with a straight substitution of the 1 cup of apple sauce for 1 cup of pumpkin, though, was that I would likely end up throwing away half a can of pumpkin puree (yes, I know, I should be able to find another use for the rest of that pumpkin but the reality is I'm not always that organized!).  So I wondered what would happen if I just threw the whole thing in the batter...and voila!  The extra veggie puree just seems to make the muffins more moist, but didn't weigh them down at all.  I love these muffins, and the munchkin LOVES these muffins - she has requested them three times since the original batch!  Unlike most heavy pumpkin baked goods, these are light and almost flaky, barely sweet, and have just enough cinnamon to highlight the pumpkin without being overpowering.  Even hubby, who is not much of a pumpkin fan, isn't opposed to eating these - I'll take that as the highest compliment of all :)

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
1 14 oz can pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare regular or mini-muffin cups by spraying with oil or lining with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and fold together until just combined.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes for regular muffins (20 minutes for mini-muffins) or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible, or freeze once cool and warm in microwave just before serving.

Makes 14 regular or 28 mini-muffins

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few days ago I told you about the Oatmeal Flax Cookie recipe I found on the King Arthur Flour website, and hinted at another great recipe to come.  Well, I am so excited to share this one.  Many of my other cookie recipes are delicious but hearty and more healthy tasting...the type of cookie I happily serve as a snack, but might be self-conscious calling them dessert to a not-so-health-conscious audience.

This cookie, however, tastes like a delicious, home made chocolate chip cookie, no qualification or apology necessary.  But the secret is they are 100% whole grain, and have about half the sugar of some traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes I found, with no sacrifice in taste.  In fact, I think these are better because they are not so cloyingly sweet.  And the texture is great, slightly crisp around the edges, with plenty of soft chew, which is helped by the addition of the oats.  I cut the amount of chocolate chips in half from the original recipe and I think they are plenty chocolatey, but you could up the chips if you want.  Another great feature of these cookies is that they hold up really well:  they maintain their chewiness after a few days sitting on the counter and are amazing if frozen right away and warmed through in the microwave.

So I challenge you to try this recipe and still insist that whole grains don't belong in dessert baking.  Personally, I will enjoy the fact that I can have my treats and know that I am at least getting some health benefits even from dessert!

Refrigerated Dough*

Room Temperature Dough

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from King Arthur Flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

3/4 cup quick rolled oats, ground in a food processor or blender if you prefer a smoother texture

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Beat together first 7 ingredients using a hand or stand mixer (if you are doubling the recipe, I'd recommend the stand mixer if you have one).  Add the egg, beating until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.  Add the flour and oats, mixing until combined, and finally mix in the chocolate chips.  

Refrigerate the dough for as long as you have the patience for, up to overnight.  The colder the dough, the less they will spread (*see note below).  Drop dough in 1 tablespoon balls on 2 lightly greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheets, allowing for spread (note if you only have 1 pan and are cycling multiple batches, the cookies will spread a lot more if the dough is placed on an already hot baking sheet).  Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-11 minutes for room temperature dough or up to 14 minutes if it's been thoroughly chilled, until cookies are just browning at the edges.

Let cookies cool completely on baking sheet, or if you want the sheet for another batch, give them at least a few minutes to set before transferring to a cooling rack.

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days (if they last that long!), or freeze and reheat in the microwave.

Makes 27 cookies

* I'd only recommend bothering with the refrigeration if you really prefer a thicker cookie.  I tried these both ways (as you can see in the pictures) and the room temperature dough yielded a very nicely shaped cookie as well, not too thin at all.  In fact, we preferred the thinner cookies since the appeared bigger so it felt like a better deal :).  Plus, refrigerated dough is very difficult to scoop (think about trying to scoop solid butter), so another option would be to scoop the dough FIRST and then refrigerate if you have the room.  Or better yet, scoop your dough and freeze on a cookie sheet, then transfer frozen balls to a zip-top bag to have fresh baked cookies whenever you want, no scary chemicals from grocery dough needed!

Coconut Variation: Replace half of the butter with coconut oil, reduce the oats to 1/2 cup and add in 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut.  YUM!!