Whole Wheat Parmesan Herb Bread

Melted butter, fresh parsley, minced garlic and shaved Parmesan cheese complete this savory whole wheat loaf. Using my favorite Whole Wheat Bread Recipe as the base this herb bread variation is divine! This bread is the perfect vehicle for your next cold cut sandwich, chicken salad or red sauce Italian pasta dish. 

Yield 2 Loaves 

Bread
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dough enhancer (optional, extends the shelf-life of your bread)
1/4 cup gluten
1 tablespoons instant yeast (I like using the Saf Instant Yeast brand, inexpensive and bread rises fast)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups whole wheat flour

Filling - for one loaf of bread
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded or shaved) 
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Using your mixer with the dough hook and on low speed, combine the water, oil, dough enhancer (if using), gluten, yeast, honey and half of the flour, Mix for 2 minutes and then add the salt. Continue mixing and add just enough flour so the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the mixer. Increase your speed, speed 3 if using a Bosch and mix for 5 minutes. Place dough in a oiled bowl covered with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size. If your flour is still warm this may only take 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled counter-top and knead a few times to release the air pockets. Divide dough in half. Roll out dough into a 9 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter and top with Parmesan cheese, minced garlic and fresh parsley. Tightly roll beginning with the short side, tuck ends under and place in a oiled bread pan, cover with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap. Repeat for second loaf if making a second herb bread, if not, form the dough into a 9 x 9 inch square and roll, tucking the ends under and placing in a oiled pan. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until bread has risen 1 inch over the tops of the pans. Place bread in oven and Immediately reduce temperature to 350 degrees.  Bake for 25-30 minutes. My bread is done after 29 minutes. Bread should be golden brown. Remove bread from pans and place on a cooling rack. If you are planning on slicing the loaf it is best to wait 2 hours before cutting. 

Healthier Chicken Teriyaki Pasta Salad

Just recently I was having lunch with a couple girlfriends and one of the girls made this amazing salad! Marinated chicken breasts in a sweet dressing, pasta, cranberries, mandarin oranges, roasted peanuts and fresh baby spinach. This salad is perfect for your next weeknight dinner, picnic in the park, work potluck, or the next time you're asked to bring "a side dish to pass". I loved the sweet and tangy dressing she used and wanted to see if could I lighten it up a bit. The results were phenomenal! Still sweet, tangy and every bit delicious as before. The leftovers we had the next day were fantastic.

Serves 4 as the main dish

Healthier Chicken Teriyaki Pasta Salad
3 chicken breasts cut into bit sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce ( I used the Kikkoman brand with garlic and green onions)
12 oz tri-colored penne pasta
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 teaspoon honey
2 1/2 cups packed fresh spinach
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Mandarin oranges (optional)


Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken. Saute chicken just until cooked through. Combine cooked chicken and teriyaki sauce in a large bowl and refrigerate. *Note, this step can be done the day before you serve the salad* Cook pasta according to directions on package, drain, rinse and set aside. Meanwhile in a small skillet over medium heat combine the pecan pieces and honey. Stir continually for 5 minutes. Remove pecans to a piece of parchment paper to cool. To assemble salad, add the cooked pasta, spinach and cranberries to the refrigerated chicken. Toss until combined. Garnish with honeyed-pecan pieces.

Extreme self control was necessary not to eat ALL of the honeyed pecans before the salad was finished.

Coconut Milk Raspberry Ice Cream

Did you know that you can use coconut milk as a dairy substitute for ice cream? Perhaps I'm just the late one joining this bandwagon. I was first introduced to coconut ice cream through Charity and her Facebook page A Vibrant Life. She has tons of healthy, dairy-free and delicious recipes on her page. This decedent dessert is incredibly creamy, rich and yet refreshing at the same time. Who knew dairy-free could be so delicious! Frozen bananas add the perfect touch of natural sweetness that you won't even need to use refined sugar. With the coconut milk, bananas and vanilla as your ice cream base the flavoring options are endless!

Coconut Milk Raspberry Ice Cream
1 13.5oz can coconut milk (full fat or coconut cream)
2 large or 3 medium frozen bananas
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Honey (optional)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries(thawed)

Combine the coconut milk, bananas and vanilla extract in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and add honey if desired. Add mixture to ice cream/yogurt maker and process for about 20 minutes. Add raspberries and continue mixing for 5-10 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Best served immediately.

Cranberry Lemon Scones

Delicious and easy to make scones. Moist, airy and with a burst of lemony citrus these are perfect with your favorite cup of coffee, tea or even a large glass of creamy milk. If you want to go one step further serve these with a little honey butter! Scones are best on the day you bake them, but considering how amazing these are I doubt you'll even have leftovers the next day. If you do, however, have any left wrap them in foil and heat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.

Recipe Adapted from Fannetastic Food

Cranberry Lemon Scones
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour***
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 of a lemon zested
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. Stir in the yogurt, cranberries and lemon juice just until combined. Be careful not to over mix your batter. Gently form a ball with the dough and pat down to about 1/2 inches thick on a lightly greased baking sheet. If using a pizza stone, you do not need to grease your stone. Cut into 8 wedges and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

***To those grinding their own wheat, a Soft white wheat ground on the pastry setting is best. If not available a Hard white wheat or even regular all-purpose flour can be used.

Crock-Pot Pork Carnitas

On busy days I love the ease and convenience of my crock-pot. Let me re-phrase that, I don't think there is a day where I don't love my crock-pot. As the temperatures rise outside it's great to have a meal that doesn't involve the oven and heating up the entire house. Carnitas meat was on sale so that's what I used, however, a pork loin would also work well with this recipe. The meat is incredibly tender, juicy and well seasoned; everything you want in a great sandwich. I served this with lightly toasted whole wheat bread from my Cinnamon Swirl Bread post and our absolute FAVORITE bbq sauce Stubbs Original (carried in many grocery stores).

2 1/2 lbs pork carnitas
4 garlic cloves, peeled
Crushed bay leaves (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Thyme
Sea salt
Pepper
1 cup of water

Place carnitas meat in crock-pot and add garlic cloves, crushed bay leaves, a few dashes of thyme and a couple shakes of salt and pepper. Pour 1 cup of water over meat and cook covered on low for 8 hours. Shred meat with a fork and serve.

Cinnamon Swirl Whole Wheat Bread

I recently attended a class at my local cooking store on how to use your Bosch Mixer. If you aren't familiar with the Bosch Mixers they are an incredible machine with a 15+ year life expectancy, can easily mix 15 lbs of dough and have a 800 watt motor. (I sound like the guy talking about the specs on his new car).

 I've grown up making whole grain breads just about my entire life. I recall being about 5 or 6 years old in the grocery store with my Mom and begging her to let us buy the white fluffy totally not whole grain bread like she used to buy. She said "No" and that was just the beginning of my family's transition from white to whole grain. A few years later my Mom got her Bosch (still going strong) and we began baking a variety of whole grain breads. Now with a family of my own, I'm excited to pass on my love for bread making.

 The base for this Cinnamon Swirl Bread is very close to JaDene Denniston's Whole Wheat Bread recipe. If you are ever in the Northern Utah area you have to check out one of her classes at the Love to Cook store.

A few things I've learned from experimenting with bread...

1. Grind your own grain if possible. Freshly ground grain contains more nutritional value than the wheat flour you would purchase from your local grocery store. Check out this great link on freshly ground wheat 5 Days with Whole Wheat

2. You don't need to measure your flour. Depending on the moisture level of your grain/flour and the humidity in your house the flour amount will vary.

3. Your dough will be sticky! A softer dough produces a lighter loaf of bread. If you try to handle the dough with non-oiled hands you will have a sticky mess. With oiled hands your dough will be pliable.

4. Hard White winter wheat is best. Flour from hard Red wheat tends to make a heavier, denser bread compared to hard White wheat.

Dough has just begun to pull away from the sides of the mixer

Let rise until almost doubled in size

Just give it a few kneads

Yummy butter and cinnamon-sugar goodness

Cover and let it rise

When the bread has risen 1 inch over the top it's ready to bake

Let it cool

Did I mention this also makes insanely fabulous french toast?!?!!!!

Yield 2 Loaves 

Bread
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 T oil ( my favorite is a refined coconut oil)
1 1/2 T dough enhancer (optional, extends the shelf life of your bread)
1/3 cup gluten
1 T instant yeast (I like using the Saf Instant Yeast brand, inexpensive and bread rises fast)
2 T honey (Coconut sugar is also a good substitute)
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups whole wheat flour

Filling - for one loaf of bread
1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar
1 T butter, softened

Glaze- for one loaf of bread
3 oz cream cheese softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
2-3 T milk

Using your mixer with the dough hook and on low speed add water, yeast and honey, let site for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy. Add oil, dough enhancer (if using), gluten and half of the flour, Mix for 2 minutes and then add the salt. Continue mixing and add just enough flour so the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the mixer. Increase your speed, speed 3 if using a Bosch and mix for 5 minutes. Place dough in a oiled bowl covered with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size. If your flour is still warm this may only take 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled counter-top and knead a few times to release the air pockets. Divide dough in half. If making one loaf of each, begin with the cinnamon bread and roll out dough into a 9 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter and top with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Tightly roll beginning with the short side, tuck ends under and place in a oiled bread pan, cover with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap. Repeat for second loaf if making 2 cinnamon breads, if not, form the dough into a 9 x 9 inch square and roll, tucking the ends under and placing in a oiled pan. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until bread has risen 1 inch over the tops of the pans. Place bread in oven and then immediately reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes. My bread is done after 28 minutes. Bread should be golden brown. Remove bread from pans and place on cooling rack

In a small bowl with a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and slowly add milk until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over warm cinnamon bread.

Enjoy!

Coconut Curry with Shrimp, Mushrooms and Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas have always reminded me of Spring, they're fresh, sweet, crisp and have that delightful little crunch as you bite into them! Combine those fresh peas with a savory coconut milk sauce seasoned with yellow curry, fresh ginger, garlic, mushrooms and sauteed shrimp and you have one AMAZING meal! If seafood isn't your cup of tea try chicken, tofu or chickpeas as a substitute. Serve with Basmati rice and warm Nann bread. If you have the time this Allrecipes.com Nann bread is fantastic! I've also heard that Costco sells some pretty good Nann.

This recipe uses a mixture of spices called sumbar powder. It's a combination of about nine different spices. You can find it at an Indian market or make your own Here. The sumbar powder gives the dish a great robust flavor. If you like more heat just increase the sumbar powder to your desired taste.

Recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Coconut Curry with Shrimp. Mushrooms and Sugar Snap Peas

Olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger minced
3 garlic cloves minced
4 oz white mushrooms thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
1- 13.5 oz can coconut milk (full fat is best)
3/4 teaspoon yellow curry powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sumbar powder
1 lb shrimp, tails removed ( I used frozen cooked shrimp and thawed my shrimp before use)
1 green onion chopped as garnish

In a skillet over medium heat add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil sizzles, add the onion, ginger, garlic and mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes or until the onions have begun to soften. Add sugar snap peas and continue sauteing for a couple of minutes. The peas should be warm and just a little tender. Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk, curry, cumin and sumbar powder. Check seasonings. In a separate skillet on medium heat add shrimp with a dash of olive oil and saute just until heated through. Stir warm shrimp into sauce mixture and serve over basmati rice. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top right before serving.