Bread

I’ve never attempted to make pita bread.  No, not once.  Those little pockets are pretty intimidating!  Especially for a girl that is a little afraid of bread since it is so temperamental.  Learning the new steps, and asking “how many times does this have to rise?” only made the experience more fun and rewarding.  These were a stretch for me but I enjoyed them immensely as piping hot pita dipped in homemade Tzatziki sauce. 

These are a bit time consuming so whip them up on the weekend to take to work during the week. 

WHOLE WHEAT PITAS – original recipe taken from Confections of a Foodie Bride and copied here.  

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (105–115°F)
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour or high-gluten flour, plus additional for kneading
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• cornmeal for sprinkling baking sheets

Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

While yeast mixture stands, stir together flours in another bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup flour mixture into yeast mixture until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Stir in oil, salt, remaining 3/4 cup warm water, and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour mixture until a dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, working in just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Set oven rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 500°F.

Punch down dough and cut into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten 1 ball, then roll out into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer round a baking sheet lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 7 more rounds in same manner, arranging them on baking sheets. Loosely cover pitas with a clean kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, directly onto oven rack. Bake until just puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake 1 minute more. Cool pitas on a cooling rack 2 minutes, then stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel to keep pitas warm. Bake remaining pitas in same manner. Serve warm.

They are as delicious as they are pretty!

We can always use a moist, delicious, and oooohhhh so easy banana bread recipe, and here it is!  If you don’t have the blueberries you could easily substitute blackberries, raspberries, or just skip the berries altogether.  This would make an especially lovely French toast too.  Just sayin’. 

These are Kyle’s final days before Ironman Louisville next weekend and I’m happy to make some treats to keep him going.  Good luck #540 we’ll be cheering you on!! 

This recipe is an adaptation of my friend (and fellow TriWidow) Jorien’s post from triwidows.com.  Her recipe certainly didn’t need any messing with, but I couldn’t resist the urge to throw in some blueberries.  It turned out beautifully thanks to Jorien who originally used dates and walnuts which sounds fantastic, but alas I had neither of those items on hand.  Perhaps she’s a future food blogger in the making? 

Triwidows.com is a social networking site for triathlete supporters that I started recently.  I’d love if you stopped by to check it out! 

BANANA BLUEBERRY BREAD

• 3 large ripe bananas
• 2 pastured eggs - beaten
• 1/3 cup honey - go local keep the bee population employed!
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 325°.  Mash the bananas and mix them with the beaten eggs. Stir in the honey, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, then delicately fold in the blueberries. Put the mixture in a buttered baking tin (ideally a glass one).

Put the baking tin in the oven for about 35 minutes in a 325° preheated oven, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bread rest for 5 minutes before removing it to cool further.  Enjoy with copious amounts of local honey (to ward off allergies of course). 

I have been making variations of this recipe for several years.  This is an adaptation of the May Clinic's Cookbook, Three-Grain Raspberry Muffins.  They are sooo wonderful.  It is a fabulous cookbook that I enjoy and turn to often. 

Just tell your family this recipe only made 8 muffins.  I won't tell them otherwise.  If you really want a sinful treat, slather them with honey butter when they are still warm.

A few months back I posted a recipe for Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Muffins if you would like to see another related recipe. 

THREE GRAIN MIXED BERRY MUFFINS (12 MUFFINS)

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk or plain soy milk
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• ¼ cup wheat bran
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup dark honey
• 3 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 1 pastured egg, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup raspberries - I used ½ frozen raspberries, ½ frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners (foil removes easier).

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the oats and milk. Microwave on high until the oats are creamy and tender, about 3 minutes.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, bran, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk to blend.  Add the honey, canola oil, lime zest, oats mixture, and egg.  Beat just until moistened but still slightly lumpy.  Gently fold in the raspberries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full.  Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 16-18 minutes.  Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely. 

WHOLE WHEAT OATMEAL RAISIN MUFFINS (MAKES 12)

On a recent trip to the local library I found a quaint recipe book from 1975.  I just knew the pages would be filled with simple dishes made with love.  I was right!  There are no colored photos here, no fancy, un-pronounceable ingredients, not a single celebrity chef.  JUST what I was looking for.  These muffins are a variation of Lorraine Boyce's submission for "Gram's Oatmeal Muffins".  I took the liberty of modifying the recipe a bit.  Hopefully Lorraine won't mind.  These turned out so moist and not too sweet.  If you are a nut fan I suggest throwing in a handful.  There are already variations of these developing in my head.

• 1 ½ cup water
• 1 ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ pound pastured butter
•  2 pastured eggs, well beaten
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325°.  Boil water.  Turn off heat and add oats.  Stir in and melt butter and let cool.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  Bake in greased muffin tin for 20 minutes at 325°.  Easy enough?!