whole grain chocolate chippers

31 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, cookies, whole grains

Tags

chocolate chip cookies, cookies, healthy cookies, spelt flour, sunflower seeds, whole grain

This recipe comes from my Chocolate Lover’s Cookies & Brownies cookbook. I’ve had this book for at least two decades and have only tried a few recipes in it so far. Now with the holiday season over, I needed a ‘healthier’ cookie to ease me through Christmas cookie withdrawal symptoms. Of course, eating five of these in one sitting doesn’t count as ‘healthy behaviour’ no matter how many raw seeds they contain!

Whole Grain Chippers

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used raw cane sugar)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used spelt flour)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups uncooked rolled oats

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup sunflower seeds (I used raw, untoasted seeds)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Cream butter with sugars and eggs in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in baking soda, vanilla and salt. Blend in flours and oats to make a stiff dough. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in sunflower seeds.

Place 2 inches apart on cookie prepared sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm and golden brown on the bottom. Do not over bake. Cool a few minutes on cookie sheet then transfer to wire racks to cook completely. Enjoy!

One thing I like about ‘rolled in a ball cookie recipes’ is that you can refrigerate (or freeze) half the recipe and bake them a few days (or weeks) later. This is perfect for when you have a lot of baking to do all at once or as a stash in the freezer for unexpected company. I wold freeze the cookie dough balls on a sheet. Once frozen they could be put in a plastic container or large ziplock bag.

Resource:

Weber, L. (1990). Chocolate lovers cookies and brownies. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Ltd.

adventures with whole grains: blue cornmeal muffins with chili

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, whole grains

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Tags

blue cornmeal, chili, cornbread, cornmeal, muffins, pumpkin seeds, stoneground cornmeal, wheat-free baking, wheat-free muffins, whole grain

I realize that at first glance these muffins may not look very appetizing but they are actually quite delicious! Baking with blue cornmeal was a bit of a novelty for me as I had never eaten either blue or stone ground cornmeal before. I found mine at my local health food store. The blue color reminds me of eating blue potatoes and when I cooked some up as hot cereal for breakfast I was pleasantly surprised at how much they tasted like fresh corn (unlike the granulated cornmeal we are used to which has its own unique taste). These muffins are light and cake-like but also very ‘grainy’, a texture that I like in breads and muffins. If you like corn bread, I would highly recommend trying these!

Blue Cornmeal Muffins with Chili

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup blue cornmeal

2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (F). Grease 12 standard muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the spelt flour and cornmeal, baking powders, baking soda, chili powder, oregano and salt. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Blend in the buttermilk, oil and honey.

Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, just until most of the flour is absorbed. Do not over-mix. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds over each muffin. (Note: I also sprinkled a bit of parmesan cheese this time around.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the muffin tin on a cooling rack. Let cool for a few minutes, then twist the muffins to release them or run a knife around the edges to pop them out. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Note: If not eating the same day, freeze in a zipper-topped freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in a warm oven.

Resource:

Sass, L. (2006). Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers.

adventures with whole grains: French bread using spelt flour

22 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, whole grains

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Tags

bread, French bread, freshly milled spelt flour, spelt, spelt bread, spelt flour, sprouts, whole grain, whole grain bread

I took another one of my ‘tried and true recipes’: French Bread and wondered what would happen if I substituted freshly milled spelt flour for the all-purpose white flour? I found that the bread did not rise quite as high, making for a bit of a heavier bread (which I prefer) and the flavor was wonderful! In the future, if I need a lighter bread, I can try blending the spelt with other lighter flours. I’ll keep you informed on my continuing experiments and explorations with whole grains!

French Bread with Spelt Flour

1 oz (or 1 tablespoon) dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon honey (or natural sweetener of your choice)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups organic spelt flour

1 egg white, beaten (to glaze the loaves)

Place yeast and water in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. If yeast has begun to bubble or foam a little, add the honey, olive oil and salt and mix together. (If yeast isn’t bubbling, discard as this means that your yeast is dead and your bread will not rise.)

Add 2 cups of the spelt flour, mixing in with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed for a smooth, elastic dough.

Place dough into a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to sit in a warm place for an hour and a half (or for one hour in the oven on the ‘proof’ setting).

Punch down dough. Cut in half. Roll out each half on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick, then roll up the dough into a long loaf. Make three diagonal cuts in the top of the loaf and place on a baguette or loaf pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Place loaf pan(s) in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until double in size. Brush beaten egg white over the loaf just before baking.

Bake in a 375 degree (F) oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!