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:
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.
