Italian Raisin Walnut Bread

Italian Whole-Wheat Bread - Adapted with slight changes for making in Bosch Universal Plus Mixer from: The Bread Bible: Beth Hensperger's 300 Favorite Recipes

If you do not have a Bosch, use the same ingredients and follow the procedure that you usually follow when making bread.

plumped raisins

dough ready to rise

dough after 30 minutes of rising

ready to eat!

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups warm water (105 - 115 degrees F.)

3 Tb SAF instant yeast

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup honey

2 Tb molasses

1 Tb Soy Lecithin

1 Tb salt

about 6 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup raisins, plumped

2 cups of walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1.  Pour warm water, honey, olive oil, soy lethicin and yeast into the Bosch mixing bowl.

2.  Pour 3 cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour over wet ingredients. (Nutrimill Home Grain Mill is an excellent grain mill if you are interested in grinding your own grain.)

3.  Cover and mix on level 1 in the Bosch mixer for 1 minute

4.  Add salt and continue mixing on level 1

5. Add flour about 1/2 cup at a time until the dough does not stick to the sides of the bowl and looks like the right texture

6. Once the right amount of flour has been added, cover and turn the Bosch mixer to level 2 and mix for 6 minutes

7. When the 6 minutes is up, pour a small puddle of canola or olive oil on your work surface, remove the dough from the mixer and knead dough 3-4 times on the oiled surface. Add raisins and walnuts while kneading.  Do not add additional flour when kneading.

8.  Then separate the dough into three round loaves. Pound them each on the table a few times to remove air bubbles. 

9.  Allow loaves to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during this time.

10.  Once dough has risen, mark with a knife and dust with flour if desire. Bake for about 30 minutes, till golden brown and a hollow sound when you knock on the top of each loaf. 

Black Bean and Quinoa Wraps

I was recently inspired by a meal that was prepared for us by a good friend in Boston. She made the most delicious Black Bean and Quinoa Burritos.

Last night we had some leftover Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Soup, but not enough for a meal. So, here is what I did:

I spread a thin layer of the soup over a piece of whole wheat flat bread or tortilla, then spread a layer of Quinoa, freshly chopped green onions, cilantro, fresh spinach, grated pepper jack cheese and some salsa.

You could easily used plain black beans and roasted sweet potatoes instead of the leftover soup that I used.

Layering process

Finished...ready for eating!

Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups red lentils (soak for 30 minutes before cooking, then drain)
1 yellow onion, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 to 2 tomatoes, diced (or a can of diced tomatoes, drained)
1/2 cup rice
8 - 10 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 t. cumin
1 t. allspice
1/2 - 1 t. red pepper flakes
(cumin, allspice and red pepper flake amount can be adjusted to your taste preference!)
Seasonings: salt, black pepper, allspice, cumin, and crushed red pepper
Fresh lemons for squeezing over soup


Directions:
1.  Rinse and drain the lentils after soaking for 30 minutes. Put lentils into a pan, cover with about 4 cups water. Bring lentils to a boil, as the lentils boil, scoop away foam that forms. Let boil about 5 minutes till lentils start breaking apart.
2. (Use a larger pot) Saute onion in olive oil till onions are soft (5-10 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add spices and diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
3.  Add lentils with the water to the onion and spice mixture. Add uncooked rice, one can of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer ingredients together till rice is cooked and lentils have begun to break apart.
4.  Season to taste with: salt and black pepper
5.  (Optional) Blend in a blender for smooth texture. (I always blend it!)

Serve with freshly squeezed lemon

Chick Pea Fritters

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chick pea/ garbanzo bean flour (Something like Bob's Red Mill)
• 3 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tb olive oil
• Coconut Oil for frying

Directions:

• Oil a baking sheet with sides
• Put the flour in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in the water. Then whisk in salt, pepper and olive oil. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, and then cook, stirring until mixture is thick and smooth, about 5 min.
• Pour the hot mixture into the prepared baking sheet. It should form a layer no more than 1/2 inch thick. Let cool completely. It will be quite firm.
• Invert the pan onto a cutting surface. Cut the chick pea sheet into strips about 1/2 inch by 2-3 inches.
• Poor Peanut Oil into a deep saucepan to a depth of about 2 inches. When oil is hot, add strips, a few at a time; do not crowd the pan. Fry til golden brown, 2-3 min. Be careful....I burned my fingers!
• Using a slotted spoon remove fritters to paper towels to drain and continue with remaining fritters. Arrange on a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper, serve warm.

Oatmeal, Flaxseed, Banana Waffles

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 T. ground flaxseed
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 water
6 T. canola oil
2 T. brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat waffle iron. Whisk together dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and stir just til mixed together. You may need to add a little more water or milk to make the batter the right consistency. Cook the batter to desired darkness in the waffle iron. 
Enjoy....They are dense, but delish!

Whole Wheat Hummus Pizza

Whole Wheat Crust

ingredients:
1 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 tsp active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
2.5 to 3 c. whole wheat flour
2 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
cornmeal for sprinkling


directions:1. Pour warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast, sugar, and 1 Tb flour over surface of water. Stir til dissolved and let stand at room temp. until foamy, about 15 min.
2. Mix: In a large bowl, place oil, salt, 1 c. flour, and yeast mixture whisk hard until smooth, about 2 min. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time, stirring with wooden spoon until soft, sticky dough forms that just clears the side of the bowl.
3. Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a springy ball, dusting with flour when needed, about 3 min. The dough should be soft and springy. Form the dough into a flattened ball. (Optional - add seasonings to dough at this time...basil, rosemary, ect)
4. Place dough in a greased deep container. Turn once to coat the top and then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temp. until tripled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (The dough may be refrigerated overnight at this point. Let stand 45 min at room temp. before proceeding if you refrigerated the dough.)
5. Prepare toppings while dough rises. Preheat oven to 500 degrees at least 20 min. before baking. Put pizza stone in oven while preheating if using one.
6. After dough has risen, shape dough onto pizza pan (sprinkle both sides of dough with cornmeal if desired), pizza stone or cookie sheet.
7. Bake crust 5 min. at 500 degrees. Remove from oven, top the pizza and then return to over for 5-10 more minutes til dough is crisp and pizza toppings are warm and melted.

Hummus
Blend together in a blender or food processor:
1 - 16 oz can garbanzo beans, 1/2 c. tahini, 1/4 c lemon juice, 1/4 c. water, 3/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp cumin, and 2 cloves of garlic crushed
Optional: add kalmata olives or red bell peppers

Hummus Pizza
1. After crust has baked 5 min. Remove from the oven.
2. Spread a layer of hummus over crust
3. Top with a variety of Mediterranean toppings, suggestions: red peppers, red onions, kalmata olives, feta cheese, spinach, egg plant (The red peppers, onion and egg plant can be roasted first for 5 min or so to ensure that they are tender)
4. Top with mozzarella or feta cheese, return to oven for 5-10 minutes
5. ENJOY!

Tabbouleh Salad

Soy Free, Dairy Free, Egg FreeIngredients:
1 1/2 cups pre-soaked bulgar wheat
1 1/2 cups parsley, chopped
2 T fresh mint, chopped or 2 tsp dried mint
2 scallions, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tomato, cubed
1 cucumber cubed
2 T lemon juice
1 T olive oil

Directions:
Gently mix all ingredients (except lemon juice and oil) in a large bowl. Once ingredients are mixed, add lemon juice. Chill 1 hour to blend flavors, toss again and add olive oil. Serve in a mound of lettuce.