One Simple Bread Recipe. Multiple Possibilities!

Ah this bread. It's so delicious, simple and versatile. 

You can make it with white or wheat flour. You can add in herbs to the dough. You can make a couple Italian loaves. You can make individual flat breads. You can roll the dough flat, spread marinara sauce and cheese over it and then roll it up to make pizza bread. Endless possibilities I tell ya!

Basically this recipe is must have and use often kind of recipe.

Simple Bread Recipe 

I didn't know what else to call it!

(Makes 2 loaves or 8 flatbreads)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon salt*
• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sugar*
• Approximately 3 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

*Use whatever amount of salt and sugar between 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon that you desire. Just make sure the amount of salt and sugar are equal. For example, I usually use 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and sugar.

Directions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor or mixer with the dough hook attachment.
2. Turn on the appliance and gradually add enough water in a fine stream to make a ball of dough. Make sure to add the water slowly, because you don't want to put too much water in so the dough gets too wet and sticky. Once the dough forms, stop pouring the water, but let the machine continue to run for a minute or so to knead the dough.
3. Place the dough in a greased bowl or plastic container, cover it loosely with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
4. For Italian Loaves: After the dough has rested 20 minutes, divide it into two sections. Roll each section into a rectangle and then starting at the long end, roll up the dough into a loaf. Seal the long edge together and pinch together the ends. Place the loaves on greased cookie sheets and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let them rest for 1 hour. Bake the loaves at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn the loaves and bake 10 minutes more or until golden brown.
5. For Pizza Bread: Follow the directions for the italian loaves, but spread pizza sauce, cheese and toppings on the rectangles of dough before you up the dough into loaves. Make sure you leave a couple inches of space around the edges so the sauce doesn't ooze out when you roll up the dough. Let the dough rise for one hour under plastic wrap and a towel and bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees, rotating halfway through.
6. For Flatbread: After the dough has rested 20 minutes, divide the dough into 8 equal section and roll the sections into balls. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out each section to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a greased grill or skillet, cook each piece of flatbread separately for a few minutes on each side. 

Place all of the dry ingredients into a food processor or mixer fitted with the dough attachment.

Pulse a few times to make sure everything is well mixed.

While the machine is running, slowly pour in the warm water in a steady stream.

Pour just enough water until a ball of dough forms.

Once the dough forms stop pouring water into the mixer, but let 

the machine run for a minute to knead the dough.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rest for 20 minutes.

The dough will rise while it's resting.

Divide the dough into sections. The number will depend on whether you making loaves or flatbread.

The remaining pictures show the process for making flatbread:

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans...A New Family Tradition!

These cinnamon rolls are finger lickin' good. I made them for Brett and my one year anniversary last weekend and we were both in heaven as we ate them. It's not everyday that Brett gives me a high five after something I've created myself! Don't let the name fool you either. They may sound complicated, but they really aren't hard to make. I hope you try them and if you do, I'd love to hear how they turn out!

To be honest, experimenting with cooking and baking when I first went vegan wasn't easy. I didn't have enough basic knowledge of the science behind cooking and baking in general, so trying to create my own recipes without using any meat, eggs or milk wasn't easy! There were definitely nights of cooking that left me discouraged and wanting to give up on my new dairy and meat free life. 

I'm so glad I stuck with it and kept researching and practicing, because it's starting to pay off. I don't botch as many meals as I used to and lately the recipes I've created myself have turned out pretty good. "Pretty good" being the key phrase. I still have a lot of learning to do, but I must say that these cinnamon rolls turned out better than pretty good. They are now officially going to show up at special VanderMolen events, holidays and celebrations. 

Well, enough talking. Let's get to the recipe!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans

(Makes 8 rolls)

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons earth balance
• 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (scoop and sweep)
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 1 tablespoon earth balance
• 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the Candied Pecans:

• 1/4 heaping cup pecans, chopped
• 1 teaspoon earth balance
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the Sugar Glaze:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2-4 teaspoons almond milk

Instructions:

1. To form the dough, start by combining the 1/4 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of butter in a heat-safe bowl and microwave it for about 40 seconds until the butter is completely melted. Set aside to cool a little.
2. While the milk/butter mixture is cooling, combine 2 tablespoons of milk with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and mix. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir. Set it aside until the mixture is foamy (about 10-15 minutes).
3. After the yeast mixture has gotten foamy, stir in the milk/butter mixture, followed by the applesauce, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Then add in the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients and stir until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to knead everything together into a moist dough.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding up to 1/4 of the remaining all-purpose flour as needed. Only add in as much as is needed to keep the dough from sticking to the kneading surface anymore.
6. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large, greased bowl. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until doubled in size. (I turned my oven on to 200 degrees for a couple minutes and then turned it off. I covered my bowl with aluminum foil and placed it in the turned-off oven.
7. As the dough rises make your cinnamon and brown sugar filling by stirring together the 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon with the 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Set aside.
8. Prepare a 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside
9. After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Lightly flour a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Have the long edge be parallel to you.
10. After you've rolled out the dough, rub 1 tablespoon of earth balance across the surface and then sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture all over the earth balance spread.
11. Roll up the dough starting at the long end nearest you until you get a log. Seal the long edges together by pinching the dough. 
12. Use a serrated knife to cut the log into 8 sections. Place the rolls into your prepared baking dish.
13. At this point you can over the pan with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until ready to bake. If you do this, let the dough sit out for about 1/2 hour until the dough is at room temperature and the rolls have risen some.
14. If you are baking your rolls right away, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and as your oven heats, allow your rolls to rise a little by placing them in a warm place.
15. Bake the rolls uncovered for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 
16. Prepare the sugar glaze and candied pecans as they bake.
17. For the sugar glaze, start by mixing 1/4 cups of powdered sugar with 2 teaspoons of almond milk. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
18. For the candied pecans, heat the teaspoon of butter in a small skillet. Once it melts add in the sugar and nuts and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. You don't want them to burn! Pour the nuts out onto a plate with parchment paper and allow the carmel coating the harden.
19. Remove the rolls from the oven after they have finished baking and drizzle the sugar glaze on top. Sprinkle with candied nuts.
20. Serve warm!

Notes: You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for a few days. Reheat the rolls for about 20 seconds in the microwave.

Adapted from The Bright-Eyed Baker.

Let your dough rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours in a warm place.

Roll the dough into a rectangle on a floured surface.

Cover with earth balance and sprinkle with the cinnamon and brown sugar filling.

Roll it up into a log and seal.

Cut the dough into 8 sections and place in a greased baking dish.

Let the rolls sit for a few minutes while you pre-heat your oven.

Prepare the sugar glaze and the candied pecans while the rolls are baking to perfection.

Remove the rolls from the oven and drizzle with the sugar glaze.

Top with the candied pecans and dig in!

I promise they won't last long.

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Homemade Wheat Hamburger Buns

I'm back from Africa after what feels like forever! Overall it was a good trip, but I got really sick on the return journey home. I've basically been laying on the couch this week, except for the one day I went into work for a meeting.

For the first few days that I was home, food and I were in a rocky relationship. Right before I left Africa, all I could think about was all the fresh fruits and veggies I'd get to eat when I got back to America, but after getting sick, those were the last things I wanted to eat. The only things that sounded somewhat appealing were almond milk, cereal, chocolate, caramel popcorn, pizza and ketchup. Let's just say my diet has been less than ideal.

Today was a fresh day though and I woke up feeling great. I got to go on a run for the first time in a month and I even had a big ol' salad for lunch. Things are looking normal again.

Even though I just got back from being gone for a month, Brett and I are yet again leaving for another trip this afternoon. Since we were only going to be in town a few days, and since I wasn't feeling 100%, I only cooked one meal this week: black bean burgers and homemade hamburger buns.

Right before I left for Africa I really wanted to make homemade bread but never got around to it, so I took advantage of the one afternoon I was feeling decent and tried out these buns. They turned out wonderfully dense and delicious. It was a nice treat to eat some homemade bread with our burgers and corn on the cob. The buns weren't hard to make either, but just required some time to rise. Give 'um a try!

Wheat Hamburger Buns

(Makes 6-8 buns)

 Ingredients:

· 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1 1/2 cups warm water, divided

· 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

· 2 teaspoons sugar

· 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  

Directions:

1. In a small bowl mix together the sugar, yeast  and 1/2 cup of warm water,  Set aside for ten minutes until the mixture become frothy.

2. In a larger bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt.

3. Once the yeast mixture is frothy pour it into the flour mixture along with the vegetable oil and the rest of the warm water. (You may not have to use all of the warm water so add it in a little at a time.) Mix until combined and a sticky dough forms.

4. Knead the dough for about five minutes.

5. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place it in a warm place to rise until double its size, which should take about two hours.

6. Punch down the dough and divide it into six sections. Shape the sections into balls and place them on a lightly greased baking sheet dusted with flour.

7. Let the balls rise some more until almost double in size.

8. Bake the buns at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

9. Let cool. Enjoy!

Notes: These came out pretty dense so Brett and I cut them into fourths and got two "buns" out of one. Next time I might make 8 buns and flatten then out a little before baking. They're delicious either way!

Recipe from KurryLeaves.

The dough before rising.

The dough after rising.

Eat Consciously,

     Faith