Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Whole wheat rolls

I made some whole wheat rolls from a recipe at recipezaar (which I really like). It was a huge hit with my partner.

Link for the rolls here

It does use one egg. Came out soft. I just subbed whole wheat for the white flour and added a little vital wheat gluten. They rose beautifully.

Hope you all had a great Christmas!!

Barbara

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Christmas things

Haven't been doing much of late, beside cooking and cleaning and working out and rehabbing my shoulder. Made wonderful whole wheat bread today and I'm making rolls from scratch for Christmas. We're not having anything fancy, just staying at home. Looking forward to the New Year!

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by, commented and especially those who have really made my day with their wonderful comments about my soft, tasty whole wheat bread. :)

Happy Holidays!

Barbara

Friday, December 08, 2006

Need help with Biscuit recipe

I may be able to make whole wheat bread, but I have problems with biscuits. I've made this recipe about 4 times and while they are okay, they could be better. I've tried white flour and whole wheat, regular milk and soymilk. They never really rise or get fluffy at all.

Here's the recipe I'm using:

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine, cold
3/4 cup milk, cold

1. Preheat oven to 425 F Mix first 4 ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or a fork, or two knives, until crumbly.
3. Add milk.
4. Stir until it forms a ball.
5. Add a bit more milk if necessary to make a soft dough.
6. Roll or pat to 1 inch thick.
7. Cut into circles with a biscuit cutter or a floured glass.
8. Arrange on a greased baking sheet.
9. Bake in 425 F for about 10- 12 minutes or until risen and nicely browned. (in my oven it usually takes 15 minutes).

Any suggestions?

Barbara

Friday, December 01, 2006

Oatmeal comparison

I keep an eye on what we eat, not just how much it costs. I try to avoid certain ingredients. I decided to compare oatmeal. I used Quaker Oats since they have a variety of products and the info is easily available. I would buy oatmeal in bulk, to save money.

Starting with the heartiest oatmeal. Quaker Steel Cut Oatmeal. 1/4 cup dry (40g)

Calories 150, from fat 25. Fat 2.5g Sodium 0 mg Carb 27g Fiber 4g Protein 5g
Ingredients:100% WHOLE GRAIN STEEL CUT OATS

Next, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats 1/2 cup dry (40g)

Calories 150, from fat 25. Fat 3g Sodium 0 mg Carb 27g Fiber 4g Protein 5g
Ingredients: 100% NATURAL ROLLED OATS

Last, a new Quaker product, Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal. It comes in Cinnamon, Banana Bread and Maple/brown sugar flavors. These stats are for the Cinnamon version. 1 packet (45g)

Calories 160, from fat 25. Fat 3g Sodium 270 mg Carb 29g Fiber 6g Protein 7g
Ingredients: WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, MALTODEXTRIN, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, SALT, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS (CONTAINS BARLEY GLUTEN), OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, CINNAMON, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHEN, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, SUCRALOSE, NIACINAMIDE*, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, REDUCED IRON, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, FOLIC ACID*. *ONE OF THE B VITAMINS CONTAINS MILK AND SOY INGREDIENTS.

The calories and nutrient profiles are almost identical. However, the weight control oatmeal has several ingredients I try to stay away from. Whey protein doesn't bother me but it can cause mucus and congestion in a lot of people. I especially do not like Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose, both artificial sweeteners, which I do not trust.

I am sure even if you bought the Quaker brands instead of bulk, the Weight Control oatmeal would be more expensive, for oats which are perfectly fine by themselves, without all the added chemicals.

Barbara