One Hour Bread Recipes and Snack Bites for You and the Kids

So, I know sour dough is suppose to be the big thing right now.  A couple years ago I tried it.  It was yummy, but a lot of work.  Not just to keep it alive, but also just having to make so much bread, or pancakes, or waffles.  I felt like I needed to make bread all the time because I couldn't bear throwing any out.  Not that it was super complicated once you got the hang of it, but it required extra time I often felt I didn't have. 

But just regular good old homemade bread also required lots of time for the raising, punching down, and raising again.  My mom would make some of the best rolls.  They were delicious and she made it look so simple, but it still took time.  Add into it that I was searching for a 100% whole wheat bread recipe that actually tasted yummy, and wasn't overly dense (whole wheat bread will always be denser, but it doesn't need to be a rock)  it almost seemed like homemade bread and rolls were out of my future.  Then I came across this homemade 1 hr bread recipe... a 100% whole wheat bread recipe that truly only takes an hour (maybe an hour and a half until you get the hang of it) and my outlook had changed. 

I shared this recipe with one of my sister-in-laws who in turn shared with me her one hour dinner roll recipe!  Haha!  Just like that I could see the homemade bread in my future.  The roll recipe isn't  100% whole wheat, but you can do half whole wheat and half white and get some of that goodness back in.  Instead of typing out the recipes, I'll leave you the links, so I can get these to you faster.  (Potty training with another child in the house has been hard and time consuming... especially since my daughter has been very difficult in comparison to my son who took to it in basically three days.)

Another thing... being a registered dietitian I try to eat as many grains whole as possible.  My kids have only had white bread for random recipes or when they go somewhere else, and they eat whole wheat breads just fine.  But the nutrition in whole wheat bread and the fiber are important to me, so I have whole grain pastas and breads.  Confession though... I don't do whole wheat cake for birthdays or desserts, but we don't have them all the time. Whole wheat desserts are on my list of things to search out later... I'm still getting into baking desserts from scratch.  It's a whole new world.

Now I also mentioned snack bites for you and the kids.  I got a power-ball recipe from my mother-in-law that I have made many times over and adapted for our needs I'll share with you below.  You will also find recipes for something out of a magazine called Cali-Fruit Energy Bites and Dried Plum Poppers.  I will also include a link to old-fashioned peanut butter balls that I add things to to make a "kid friendly" power-ball for those that may be a little less inclined to try something like the "adult" power-ball.  My kids eat both, but for toddlers the kid-friendly one is easier to chew and they are not as worried about what all the other stuff is in there they can't recognize, but they still get added fiber, protein, omega-3's, and calcium. 

Okay first things first... bread. Then the snack bites.  I have written things I've learned for each recipe with them... mostly on the snack bites.

Best Homemade One Hour Whole Wheat Bread recipe from Modern Honey's website:
https://www.modernhoney.com/best-homemade-one-hour-whole-wheat-bread/

One Hour Dinner Rolls from Kleinworth & Co: 
https://www.kleinworthco.com/one-hour-dinner-rolls/
You have to scroll a ways down for the recipe... but it's worth it. 

"Kid Friendly" Power Balls:
Start with the recipe from this website - All Things Mamma:
https://www.allthingsmamma.com/old-fashioned-peanut-butter-balls/
Then add to it:

• Oatmeal (I put 1/2 cup to 1 cup)
• Chia Seed ( I put 1/16-1/8 cup)
• Ground Flax Seed (I put 1/16-1/8 cup)

Start with the lesser amounts and see how you like it.  Adjust from there.  If I'm going for something more fun and more of a sweet treat (though these are already pretty sweet), I may hide a mini marshmallow or a chocolate chip in some of them as surprises. 

Also, I do not roll them in anything afterwards and I make the balls smaller so I get a whole lot more of them.  These are easy to store in a sealed container in the fridge and just put a couple in a snack container before you head out the door.  The protein and fiber will be filling. Pair it with a fruit or a vegetable and you have a great snack for your kids. 

If you can't have dairy, my mom and I thought running oatmeal through a food processor may help and you can always add a little vegan protein powder if you want the extra protein.  As this has not been an issue with me or my family, I have not tried this, but if you do, tell me how it works.  I may try it in the future just to see, but as of right now, I have not done it. 

Cali-Fruit Energy Bites from EatingWell, March 2019:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/270496/fruit-energy-balls/

The link is to the same looking snack bite I found in the magazine, BUT it looks a little different, so I'll type the instructions from the magazine below for what I've been using.   

Also, UNSWEETENED coconut can be difficult to find some places, but I've always seemed to find it at our little Neighborhood Wal-Mart... surprisingly enough not at the Super Wal-Mart.  I'm sure other whole food stores might have it.  But typically it is not to be found at my local Food-Lion or Lidl.  I hope that in the future more stores keep in stock.  I much prefer being able to use unsweetened for my snack bites.  I usually find it sitting beside the sweetened coconut. 

Again, something I've encountered when making these.  The coconut flakes are still pretty long and can make it difficult to stick to the ball.  You might try putting it in a food processor to get smaller flakes and see if that helps.  I will be trying that today if I get to make these.  

Another tip... if you don't have a really fancy food processor or heavy duty or big one, you will need to do this in small batches AND don't try to process the dried fruit all in one push.  You will burn out your motor. 

So here's what the magazine recipe says:  "Pulse equal parts dried figs and dried apricots in a food processor with half as many hopped almonds until finely chopped.  Roll into balls and dredge in shredded coconut."  

A personal touch... I thought these were really sweet (which is strange coming from me because I can handle sweet... normally).  I added about 3 tsp of cocoa powder and it made it less sweet and palatable for me and my husband.  

Dried Plum Poppers from EatingWell, March 2019: 
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/270498/dried-plum-poppers/

This link's recipe also looks different from the actual magazine's recipe.  I will write the difference.  I always put 2-3 almonds in one dried plum (apparently it's taboo to call it a prune anymore... oops).

I love this recipe as well.  Adds variety to my snacks.  My son and husband and 2 year old daughter are not fans, but that just means more for me.  I love the sweetness of the dried plum, the crunch of the almond, and the saltiness of the ham that really just mesh well together in my mind. 

Here's what the actual recipe in the magazine says:  "Stuff prunes with whole almonds or walnut halves; roll up in strips of thinly sliced ham." 

Note: This is a lot easier to roll if you have the rectangular ham slices, but I get creative with the cheaper thin round ones.  Or sometimes I just don't care about how it look and just set it beside and toss both in when I eat it.

The "Adults" Power Balls (Though kids can enjoy them too.):

I honestly don't know where this originated.  My mother-in-law I believe told me she got this at a church activity with other recipes.  The copy of those doesn't list an author, though there seem to be a million similar ones online. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all natural almond or peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder
1/8 cup ground flax or wheat germ
1 cup mix-ins (dried fruit or mini chocolate chips)
2/3 cup raw local honey
2 Tbsp chia seeds

Process:
1) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
2) Roll out mixture into ping pong sized balls.  (This contributor had written they refrigerate the mixture for an hour or so before rolling into balls because it makes it easier.  I've always just gone for it and rolled them without refrigerating.  So try it whichever way and do what you like best.)
3) Place in airtight container and refrigerate.

Notes:

• I don't use all-natural peanut butter, I use regular.  I don't use protein powder, but I do use 1/2-3/4 cup of powdered milk, as I usually have that on hand.  I use dried craisins, dried cherries, and mini chocolate chips in mine.  I use regular honey, not raw. 
• I place a piece of wax paper between the layers of the power balls to help them not stick to one another.  
• If you are worried about milk protein you can use vegan protein powder.  

Warm and Citrus Infused Greek Dish

This dish is another I have cooked and loved from my cookbook The Complete Book of Greek Cooking by Rena Salaman and Jan Cutler.  If you like Mediterranean food or want to try your hand at it, I would encourage you to get this book.  Right now it's on Amazon for $11.99.  I've had this book for over 10 years, so there may be others out there equally as good or better.  You may shop around.  I found this in a bookstore's section where they had clearance items.  I think I bought it for $5.

This recipe is warm, comforting, and has a refreshing feel all at the same time thanks to the orange. Not a lot of ingredients, and hands-on, is short, but cook-time is longer. I feel this might be a good one to try to cook in a crock-pot or instant pot if you have to step out to pick up kids or do something else.  There are no instructions for that.  I'd probably start in the morning though and set it to simmer throughout the day.

If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of lax with my ingredients...and sometimes the process.  Instead of fresh, I'll use dried or canned, or I'll substitute out ingredients.  Some of this is price, and others is ease and speed. I might cook something in a crock-pot even though it doesn't call for it.  Cooking changed for me when I had children.  I still experiment and I still go seek ingredients elsewhere, but it's less often, or I just modify the recipes enough for me to do it more easily. 

Speaking of speed.  The prep time for this isn't that long, unless you use the dried beans (I use canned if I forget to soak overnight, or if I'm just in a hurry).  Even with soaking dried beans the hands-on isn't that long. It mostly has to gently cook or simmer.  As for what to serve with, I always like to have a green vegetable with my dinners/suppers.  So I'd likely pair with a salad, though you could cook some broccoli or green beans to go with it as well. 

Here it is. I hope you enjoy this one.  I was pleasantly surprised my first time eating it.

Equipment: large bowl for soaking beans, large sauce pan, cutting board, chef knife, grater or zester, optional: pressure cooker

Pork with Chickpeas and Orange

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to cover (or use 2-3 cans dried chickpeas)
5-6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lb boneless leg of pork, cut into large cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
14 oz can chopped tomatoes (diced tomatoes)
grated rind of 1 orange
1 small dried red chilli (or crushed red pepper to taste)
salt and ground black pepper

Process:
1) (If you use canned chickpeas-aka garbanzo beans, skip steps 1 and 2.  Reserve the aquafaba, aka bean juice in the can.) Drain the chickpeas, rinse them under cold water and drain them again.  Place them in a large, heavy pan.  Pour in enough cold water to cover generously, put a lid on the pan and begin to boil.

2) Skim the surface, replace the lid and cook gently for 1-1 1/2 hours, depending on the age and pedigree of the chickpeas.  Alternatively, you could cook them in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes under full pressure.  When the chickpeas are soft, drain them, reserving the cooking liquid, and set them aside.

3)  Heat the olive oil in the clean pan and brown the meat cubes in batches.  As each cube browns, lift it out with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate.  When all the meat cubes have been browned, add the onion to the oil remaining in the pan and saute the slices until light golden.  Stir in the garlic, then as soon as it becomes aromatic, add the tomatoes and orange rind.

4)  Crumble in the chilli (or just add some crushed red pepper).  Return the chickpeas and meat to the pan and pour in enough reserved cooking liquid (or aquafaba and water if you used canned beans) to cover.  Add the black pepper, but not salt at this stage.

5)  Mix well, cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender.  Stir occasionally and add more of the reserved liquid if needed.  The result should be a moist casserole; not soupy, but not dry either.  Season with salt before serving.

Notes:
1)  I use whatever pork I can find.  Sometimes it's a loin, sometimes a roast.  Sometimes it's pork chops I cut up.  The less lean cuts I think tend to be juicier and tastier in my opinion, but the leaner cuts reduce fat and calories and are still yummy. But I am also a dark meat type of person... and dark meat tends to be cheaper than white. Just trim the excess fat off your meat. 

Easy and Delicious Greek Dish

I love food!  All kinds of food.  I have too many cookbooks.  Even after purging them, I still have too many cookbooks.  So it shouldn't really surprise anyone that I have a Greek cookbook.  The Complete Book of Greek Cooking, by Rena Salaman and Jan Cutler, is a keeper.  I love how it has information in the front about foods from the region and lots of pictures.  I'm a very visual person, so pictures are important. 

This cookbook does have a lot of fish recipes, which I don't use as much as I would like due to cost and availability at my usual gathering meadows (aka: grocery stores). BUT, it also has a lot of other recipes that are amazing. This is one that I substitute regular Italian sausages instead of a Greek sausage, and it is still a favorite of mine... Spicy Sausage and Pepper Stew.  I also use diced tomatoes instead of skinning and chopping up tomatoes, and I use dried parsley if I don't have fresh.... the same with thyme.  If you use dried instead of fresh, cut down to about 1/3 of what you would have used fresh or play around with the amount until you get it to your liking. 

My kids like sausage... well, they basically love any type of ground up meat, but especially sausages. They probably wished I had it for every meal.  I make sure I pair it with green beans (which my kids like) and I might cut up a raw pepper for them if they won't eat the cooked peppers.  I know they'll eat them raw. Rolls, or toast,  would go nicely also.  This makes sure that my kids still get a good meal even if they won't eat the cooked peppers in the stew.  I know they'll eat sausages and I'll choose other nutritious sides that they like to balance it all out for them.

Here's the recipe.

Equipment Needed: cutting board, chef knife, large skillet or sauce pan, mixing spoon, slotted spoon, (optional: medium baking dish)

Spicy Sausage and Pepper Stew

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb red and green bell peppers
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb spicy sausages (Italian garlic sausages, Merguez or Toulouse if you cannot find Greek sausages.... OR regular Italian sausage.)
14 oz tomatoes, skinned and roughly sliced (or  one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, you can drain it if you want)
1 tsp dried oregano or some fresh thyme, chopped
2/3 c hot water
3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (or about 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
salt and ground black pepper
chopped fresh thyme, to garnish

Process:
1)  Halve and seed the peppers and cut them into quarters.  Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan, add the peppers and saute them over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until they start to brown.
2)  Meanwhile, slice the sausages into bitesize chunks.  Then carefully tip the hot olive oil into a frying pan.
3)  Add the sausages and fry them briefly, turning them frequently, to get rid of the excess fat but not to cook them.  As soon as they are brown, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
4)  Add the tomatoes, sausages and herbs to the peppers.  Stir in the water and season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan and cook gently for about 30 minutes.  Mix in the chopped parsley and serve piping hot.

Notes:
1)  If you prefer, stir in the parsley, spread the mixture in a medium baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (This is actually how I prefer to do it, but it does dirty another dish.)
2)  You can make this meatless by getting vegetable Italian sausages.  I actually just bought some to try out from either Aldi or Lidl (I can't remember).

How are you doing with Vitamin D lately?

The former CDC chief, Tom Frieden, MD,  says vitamin D supplementation may provide "modest protection for vulnerable populations" against covid-19 (Frieden).  In his article he also encourages getting out for a little sun while keeping social distancing guidelines if you are healthy and well, eat foods that are sources of vitamin D, and take a daily multivitamin.  I would agree with those sentiments.  He also warns not to double up just because you're worried (more is not always better as I'll talk about below).  Frieden also gives other tips to help increase our resistance to infection.  In the references below, there is a link if you want to read his article or specifically look those tips up.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that we need in our bodies to help with a variety of necessary functions including a role in immunity.  Fat soluble just means that it is absorbed with fat in our bodies, and if you eat in excess of what your body needs, then it will store it in your body.  This leads to it being one of the vitamins more likely to have issues of toxicity if people take too much.  Some may think if a little of something is good, then more is better.  In the case of nutrition supplementation, that is not the case. Even with your water soluble vitamins, you can achieve toxicity with high enough amounts despite your body excreting excess.  There is only so much excess your kidneys can get rid of in a certain amount of time.

Most people can get their daily requirement of vitamin D from exposure to the sun.  Our bodies use the ultraviolet light from the sun and the cholesterol in our skin to create vitamin D (Mahan and Escott-Stump, 2008, p. 74).  How much sun exposure do people need?  Usually 5-15 minutes of unprotected sunshine on your face, hands, and arms are enough for a person to get the daily vitamin D they need.  Please note sunscreen does block your skin production of vitamin D.  Other factors effecting your skin's production of vitamin D are age (we're talking around 70 and older are not as good at converting to the D3 form), skin color (darker skin tones do not synthesize vitamin D as well), time of day (peak sun is best), season of year, latitude, and any conditions that cause fat-malabsorption.  If you are above the 40 degree latitude line, you are more at risk for deficiency due to less sunlight.

Where everyone is staying inside lately, getting adequate vitamin D may be difficult if you are not eating sources of vitamin D.  This goes for areas or regions where it is colder and thus have longer winters where people stay inside longer, you are more at risk for deficiency.    So besides using the sun to create your own vitamin D, what can you eat to get vitamin D in your diet?  Here's a little list to get you started.

Some Food Sources of Vitamin D (ODPHP)
Herring
Salmon
Trout
Swordfish
Sturgeon
Whitefish
Mackerel
Tuna
Portabella Mushrooms, exposed to UV light, grilled
Halibut
Rockfish
Tilapia
Flatfish (Flounder and Sole)
Canned Sardines
Canned  Shrimp
Fortified Cereals
Fortified Cow's Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Rice Drink
Fortified Orange Juice (must shake well)
Chanterelle Mushrooms, raw
Egg Yolks
Human Milk
Calf Liver
Chicken Liver

As always, discuss any additions or changes to your supplements with your doctor as some supplements can interact with medications.  Don't assume that you are deficient just because you may fall into one of the groups that are more at risk for deficiency, you're diet may be adequate.  Getting your vitamin D level tested is really the only way to confirm a deficiency to support any type of more aggressive supplementation guided by a health care professional.  And remember one vitamin or supplement is not a cure all. It is just a piece of the puzzle.  Good health is the result of a balanced diet, adequate exercise, and also watching out for your mental well-being.

If you are looking for how much to eat/take/ingest, here's a link to the National Institute's of Health fact sheet including recommeded daily allowances (RDA) per age groups: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/.  It also goes more in-depth for those seeking further knowledge.

I wish you all the best of health!

1)  Frieden, T., MD. March 23, 2020. Fox News. Former CDC Chief Dr. Tom Frieden:  Coronavirus infection risk May be reduced by Vitamin D. Available: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/former-cdc-chief-tom-frieden-coronavirus-risk-may-be-reduced-with-vitamin-d
2)  Mahan, L.K. and Escott-Stump, E. 2008. Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy.
3)  [Online] Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020. Appendix 12. Food Sources of Vitamin D. Available: https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-12/

Wanting to sneak in a little veg to your dinner? Try this.

Parents are always trying to find ways to get more vegetables into their children's bellies.  This recipe makes it easy.  The smaller you chop the veggies, the less likely your children will notice, or care, that they are in there.  It's tasty and makes a large amount so you can freeze half of it for an easy meal another day.  I usually can get everything I need from Lidl/Aldi and Food Lion combined. 

This recipe also comes from my mother's congregations cookbook Our Golden Plates by The Elizabethown Ward.  I don't know where the contributor originally got it.  Though I do tend to like cookbooks like that because everyone is putting their favorites in, so you are likely to find some awesome recipes.  Speaking of which, here it is.

Equipment: cutting board, chef knife, measuring spoons and cups, large sautee pan or skillet (or a large sauce pan), heat resistant mixing spoon, food processor (optional)

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

3 garlic coves (1 Tbsp minced)

1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (1 Tbsp minced)

4 medium carrots

10 green onions white and green parts

1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts

1 (8 oz) can bamboo shoots

1 Tbsp canola oil

3 lbs ground turkey breast

1 c hoisin sauce

1/2 c soy sauce 

1/3 c dry sherry

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot chili sauce or paste

Boston Bibb/Romain lettuce (allow 3-4 leaves per person)

Brown rice, cooked (optional)

Suggested Toppings:

peanuts, chopped

cilantro

sriracha chili sauce

Asian peanut sauce

Asian spicy lime and ginger sauce

Process:  

1) Mince the vegetables.  This may all be minced by hand, however, it is easier to use a food processor if you have one.  Process in this order: Mince garlic and ginger together.  Chop the carrots into 1 inch chunks and add them to the food processor until minced.  Empty the contents of the processor into a bowl.  Chop green onions into 2 inch pieces and add with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts into the food processor until minced. 

2)  Add canola oil to skillet and heat on medium-high heat.  Add turkey, cook until browned, break apart chunks.  

3) Add all minced veggies and cook 5-10 minutes until tender.  

4) In a separate bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and Sriracha; add to the turkey mixture.  stir and cook until heated through (approximately 5 minutes).  

5) To Serve: Spoon rice and turkey mixture onto a lettuce leaf.  Add toppings if desired.  Roll the lettuce leaf and eat.  

6) To Freeze: Add turkey mixture to freezer bag -- 2 cups to quart-size bag.  Flatten bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and seal.  Lay flat in freezer.  May be frozen for several months.  

Notes:

1) If you don't do alcohol in your foods, just leave out the sherry.  It still tastes wonderful.

2) If you want to have less meat, you can substitute some canned chickpeas drained and run through the food processor for 1-1 1/2 lbs of the meat.  I usually assume that 1 can of chickpeas is equivalent to about 1 lb of the meat when I do this.  You can substitute more or all of it, but then I start to notice a change in the flavor. 

3) You can substitute quinoa for the rice or another of your favorite grains.  

4) I have to do process my vegetables in smaller batches as I have a small food processor.  I also have been known to add a couple more carrots into the mix. 

4) If your child doesn't like lettuce, you can put the meat on a sandwich and have an Asian style sloppy joe. 

5) To Reheat - You can reheat this in the microwave or thaw first and then reheat in a pan.