One of the things I really missed when eating gluten-free for 3 weeks was freshly baked bread. I’m used to baking my own bread a few times a week using the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
I was fortunate to receive a review copy of Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day
I thought it fitting that the first bread I baked once I was eating gluten again would be a healthy bread. So of course I turned to HBin5 and started with recipe #1. If you are familiar with the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day method, this one will be no surprise. There are some distinct differences however. The first is the use of Vital Wheat Gluten as an ingredient. The Vital Wheat Gluten allows the whole grain dough to rise after being stored in the refrigerator. Whole grain flour has less gluten than white flour. The second is the use of whole wheat flour and the proportions in this recipe are different from the ones in the Whole Wheat recipe in ABin5. The also book offers weight measurements instead of just cups which is a much more exact way to measure when it comes to baking. I love my Salter Kitchen Scale
The method takes a bit longer too, 90 minutes from refrigerator to oven instead of 45. This means you really need to plan it bit more in advance when you want to have freshly baked bread for dinner, at least 2.5 hours in advance which means it’s not really feasible (for me) to come home from work and throw a loaf in the oven in time for dinner. Fortunately, there is a recommendation for forming the dough in the morning, letting it rest in the refrigerator throughout the day, and then baking it after only being out of the refrigerator for the time it takes to preheat the oven.
I baked the loaf in these photos in a 8.5″ loaf pan because I wanted to use it for sandwich bread, but the dough works well as a free form oval loaf or round boule. It’s heavier and denser than the white ABin5, but it just feels so healthy when I eat it. As a big bonus, the bread seems to stay fresher longer and is still nice and soft inside, even after a few days.
Whole Grain Bread Master Recipe
adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Printable Recipe for Whole Grain Bread in PDF
1 lb, 9 oz whole wheat flour (5 1/2 cups)
10 oz. unbleached all-purpose flour (2 cups)
1.5 Tbsp granulated yeast
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 3/8 oz vital wheat gluten (4 Tbsp)*
4 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F)
*I used Bob’s Red Mill Brand Vital Wheat Gluten
I use my scale now as much as possible when baking so below I’m giving weights on ingredients first, but also cup measurements used in the book. If you have a scale which will tare (reset to zero with the bowl on the scale) you can use this method; Put the bowl or bread dough container on the scale and tare to zero. Add the whole wheat flour to 1.9 lbs and hit tare. Add the AP flour to 10 oz and tare, etc. I never even got a measuring cup dirty. I just poured it into the container directly from the bag.
Cover loosely with the lid to the container or with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for two hours at room temperature. The dough will rise (a little more than double) and then will collapse to be flat on top. Refrigerate and use over the next 14 days. Do not seal in an airtight container. The lid should be loose to allow gas build up to escape.
On baking day, pull off a grapefruit sized (about 1 lb) piece of dough. You can tear it off or cut it with a serrated knife. Note; I like my loaves bigger so I tend you get three per batch instead of four.
Shape the loaf; DO NOT knead it. Just pull the sides down and around to the bottom of the loaf to form a ball. If baking it in a loaf pan, you will want to elongate it to fit into the pan. Otherwise, make a round loaf called a boule.
Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest on a pizza peel covered with cornmeal or parchment paper for 90 minutes. According to the book, whole grain dough takes longer to rest than white dough. You also won’t see much rise during this time, but it will rise once it’s in the oven.
After an hour, (30 min before baking), preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you have one, put a baking stone on the a middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on the floor of the oven (this will need to hold about a cup of water).
Just before baking, brush the top with water. Slash the loaf with a 1/4-inch deep cut down the middle, if baking in a loaf pan. If baking a free-form loaf or boule, make diagonal slashes across the top or do a cross pattern.
Put the loaf pan into the oven, slide the loaf onto the hot baking stone, or put the loaf into the oven on a sheet pan. Before closing the oven door, pour 1 cup of water into the broiler tray on the bottom of the oven. Be careful, this will create a lot of steam. The steam helps give the loaf a great crust.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf. My loaves, which are 1/3 of the batch of dough instead of 1/4, take about 40 min. Bake until the crust is evenly brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. For the loaves cooked in a loaf pan, I remove them from the pan for the last 10 minutes of baking and put the loaf directly on the rack in the oven.
If you can wait, allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing. The bread’s texture will be better this way.
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Many of you have been following along with the 21 Day Cleanse Diet I’ve been doing. You’ve seen the vegan recipes. You’ve heard the highs and lows, the trials and tribulations. Now here’s the recap.
I did it! Three whole weeks and I stuck to the plan without faltering. No sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine, no gluten and no animal products.
People keep asking me if I feel “better” or “different.” The short answer is yes, but maybe not for the reasons you would think.
First, I feel great because I accomplished something I wasn’t sure I could, so I’m proud of that. Physically, I feel better because I lost a little weight (and I continue to lose).
One of the purposes of this cleanse for me was to re-set my tastes and cravings and how I think about food. In that respect it was a huge success. I don’t crave as much sugar now. In fact, many things with sugar just taste way too sweet for me. Other tastes have changed as well. I’ve had dairy (cheese and yogurt but no milk), salmon and chicken in the last few days but my body just does not feel ready for red meat or milk yet. My bread cravings are not as stong as they once were nor is my desire for coffee.
I now look in detail at every label and I consider where my food comes from (is it sustainably and humanly raised?). The down side is that this makes me the “Food Police” in my household. I also find I’m more willing to stick to my beliefs; I made an effort to source Wild Salmon instead of farm raised for my first dinner after the cleanse.
In terms of the challenge I wanted as a cook, these past few weeks have not let me down. While at times I was frustrated with the limitations, in the end I made some simply great food, regardless of it being vegan or not. My husband was very happy with all the meals even though he was not doing the cleanse with me. I don’t think he ever felt anything was “missing.”
The only real failures were in trying to create vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free desserts. Some things are just not meant to be and trying to make something good with all of those ingredients missing just does not work. The cheesecake was the first failure, but I also made ginger-lime-coconut milk ice cream which while it tasted good, froze solid as concrete. This is because it did not contain any real sugar (which would have helped with the consistency). Some things are just plain chemistry.
Gluten free bread was another challenge; it never was better than “ok” even when I baked it myself and considering how many special flours I have left, I will continue to work on it.
Finally, I have to say I am a little disappointed in Kathy Freston’s book. I read it day by day, chapter by chapter, throughout the cleanse. I think the concept is sound but I found myself not liking the delivery of the message. She came across as overly self-righteous in the end and no one needs to be bludgeoned over the head with someone else’s beliefs.
In the final chapters she addresses making wise choices in terms of what we eat. I’m all for that. But then she gives examples of the pros and cons and says “Was that cake after dinner worth the consequences? Really, was it? I bet not.”
I’m sorry, but I disagree. If I ate cake every day after dinner then yes, it might be a problem. But not the occasional dessert. No, it’s not the end of the world, nor are there concrete consequences for a single piece of cake.
Later in the book she makes the case for maintaining a vegan diet. That’s certainly a personal choice, and I have no problem with anyone who chooses it, but I have to disagree with the delivery; I really don’t need the graphic slaughterhouse descriptions to persuade me. Find a better way.
In conclusion, am I happy I did this? Absolutely yes. I challenged myself physically and mentally and reached my personal goals. I do feel better. I learned a lot and that will translate into how I eat going forward.
It opened my eyes in so many ways and for that I am thankful.
To see what I’ve been doing, please start with this page;
http://formerchef.com/21-day-cleanse-diet/
For a review of Week 1 and menus, go here:
http://formerchef.com/21-day-cleanse-diet/cleanse-diet-week-1/
For a review of Week 2 and menus, go here:
http://formerchef.com/21-day-cleanse-diet/cleanse-diet-week-2/
Menu for week 3 can be found here:
http://formerchef.com/21-day-cleanse-diet/cleanse-diet-week-3-and-wrap-up/
Respected food writer Michael Ruhlman recently wrote an interesting blog post about why he cooks and threw down the gauntlet to other bloggers to “spell it out” why we cook.
I cook because:
- Because I love it, plain and simple. I love food, eating and almost everything that surrounds it. This extends to my other passion, travel. Because I love to cook and eat, when I travel I always focus on seeing what people in other places eat, how they shop and how their food impacts the culture. Sometimes I even cook when I travel utilizing the best local ingredients.
- Because I can. A lot of people are intimidated by cooking and while certain aspects of cooking still intimidate me, throwing together a quick dinner made with fresh ingredients is not one of them. This is also why I blog about cooking; because I want to show people it’s not that hard to eat well by cooking it yourself.
- Because I’m thrifty. Cooking allows me to spend substantially less on food and still eat well. It costs a lot to eat out a few times a week. I’d rather use that money to eat out when we travel.
- Because I’m naturally inquisitive and want to learn how to do things. This is why I’m always trying new things like learning how to make bacon, how to make cheese, experimenting with vegan cooking, bread baking, or making ravioli from scratch. I love the act of taking something raw and creating something new out of it.
- Because I grew up in a family of great cooks where cooking at home was the norm, special occasions were celebrated with feasts at home or at my Grandmother’s house rather than in a restaurant.
- Because it’s healthier than eating pre-packaged processed food or fast food. This is common sense, right? But I learned it first hand when we remodeled our kitchen a few years ago and spent an entire summer eating out or eating microwave meals. I felt horrible at the end of just two months of it.
- Because I like to feed people. Who doesn’t like to make people happy? There is nothing like the immediate response you get when you give someone something delicious.
- Because I’m impatient. It’s often faster and easier for me to make something at home than to go out.
I sometimes don’t cook because:
- Because I’m tired and I just don’t feel like it.
- Because I want something different and it’s just easier to go out than make it at home (Vietnamese Pho or Bun Cha, a Chinese Dim Sum brunch with friends, etc.)
- Because it’s easier. There are some things which I’ve made once or twice to learn how to do it but it’s simply easier for me to buy (croissants).
- Because sometimes I simply want to go out and enjoy a meal in a restaurant.
Share with me, what are the reasons why you cook?
I never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth;
“Oh my God, these tofu tacos are so good!”
But that was before the 21 day Cleanse Diet, before I was desperately hungry one night after working late, and before the Kogi BBQ truck entered my world.
For those who are not aware of the gourmet food truck phenomenon which had gripped Los Angeles, the Kogi truck is credited with starting the frenzy about a year ago. Sure, LA had always been home to many traditional taco trucks, but in a stroke of pure genius chef Roy Choi decided to combine the flavors of Korean BBQ and Mexican tacos. When they started with their first truck they brilliantly utilized Twitter to let people know where they were going to be and the lines were legendary. Now they have 4 trucks and it’s easier to get a taco if they happen to be in the neighborhood.
Of course, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and now there are dozens of gourmet food trucks rolling all over the southland, serving up everything from Vietnamese Banh Mi, to French Fries, to Grilled Cheese. There’s even a website which tracks all the trucks in LA and now other cities across the US.
Back to the tofu tacos…in the first days of the cleanse diet, I was having a hard time of it and late getting home one night. I was worried that I was going to have to have another bowl of bean soup when my husband called me and told me he’d spotted the Kogi truck a few blocks from our house. He’d stopped earlier to get himself a couple of Korean Short Rib tacos (bastard!) and noticed they had tofu on the menu (aw, thinking of me, redeemed), and that there was no line. I decided to stop because I was starving and I figured if anyone could make a tofu taco taste good, it would be a Korean taco truck.
I was not disappointed. In fact, I was thrilled to the point that I decided there and then that I would try to make them at home so I wouldn’t have to chase down the truck. They came out so good that I’ll eat them even when I’m not on the diet. Plus, I think it’s a nice change of pace from the standard vegetarian/vegan fare and a great option for Meatless Mondays.
I know that Korean-Mexican may sound like an odd combo but it really works. Have you had any unusual flavor or cuisine combinations lately which surprised you?
Tofu Tacos (a la Kogi BBQ)
Inspired by eating these tacos and by the menu on their website
Printable Recipe in PDF for Tofu Tacos
small corn tortillas (about a dozen)
8 oz firm tofu, diced small
1 Tbsp canola oil
For the tofu marinade:
3 Tbsp soy sauce*
1/2 tsp chili garlic paste
1 tsp fish sauce*
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp lime juice
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Dice the tofu into 1/2 inch squares. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and toss with the tofu. Allow to the tofu to marinate for about 1/2 an hour and stir occasionally to distribute the marinade.
Heat a large wok and add the 1 Tbsp oil. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tofu from the marinade and quickly stir-fry in the wok.
Chili-Soy Vinaigrette
1/2 tsp chili garlic paste
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp canola (or other neutral) oil
Dress the lettuce/cabbage mix with some of the the Chili-Soy vinaigrette, to taste. Slice the onions and combine with chopped cilantro.
Garnish:
1 cup iceberg lettuce and/or green cabbage, dressed with Chili-Soy Vinaigrette
1/4 cup salsa verde*
3 each green onions, thinly sliced
1 oz cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
Serve on warmed corn tortillas with dressed lettuce/cabbage, salsa verde, green onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
*Recipe Notes:
Soy sauce is not technically gluten-free, so use a GF version if needed.
Fish sauce is not vegan but I made a teeny-tiny exception here for the sake of flavor. Leave out if you must.
Salsa verde; I bought this but if you want to make your own, it’s typically made with roasted tomatillos, green chilies and cilantro.
The Chili-Soy Vinaigrette recipe makes more than you will need for this recipe but will keep in the fridge for a few weeks just fine.
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There’s been a movement lately called “Meatless Monday” (it even has a website, http://www.meatlessmonday.com/) where people are making the conscious decision to eat once a week without meat. This tradition goes back to World War 1 when the government urged people to go one day without meat to aid the war effort and it continued during WW2. Today, the goal is “goal is to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”
The website says, “going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.” For me, while I’m on the 21 day cleanse diet, every day is Meatless Monday, at least for the next week.
Many people assume that with a plant-based diet they are not going to get enough protein. This is an easy assumption when you are used to eating dairy or meat protein with every meal. But a large percentage of the world’s population counts on either soy or lentils as their staple protein. In India and Nepal, rice and lentils, called dal, is a staple part of the diet. Many Asian countries count on tofu for the bulk of their protein. These countries have some of the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease in the world. Guess which ones have some of the highest?
A great way to get protein into your diet without eating meat is to eat lentils. Lentils have 17.8 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, no fat and 229 calories in an 8 oz portion. They are very inexpensive, costing as little as .69 cents a pound. The fancier French Green lentils used in this recipe were $1.99 a pound but this soup will make at least 8 portions.
Brown lentils are what is typically seen on grocery store shelves. These are perfectly fine and can be used in this recipe, but they tend to cook down to a very soft mushy consistency. Yellow and red lentils which can be found in many Middle Eastern groceries are similar, but just a different color. All of these lentils work very well if you want a pureed soup.
Dried French Green Lentils
French green lentils are special because the seed coat of the legume is left on when it is dried. This gives the lentil it’s pretty blue speckled slate green color and allows it to retain its shape and texture when cooked. They are perfect for soups and cold salads. I found these lentils in the bulk bin section of Whole Foods but many regular grocery stores carry them too. They many be a little more expensive but they are worth it. French green lentils are thought to have a peppery flavor which comes from the volcanic soil in the Puy region of France where they originated. Sometimes they are called Lentilles de Puy but they are also now grown in Italy and North America.
I have no intentions of becoming vegan or vegetarian full time, but for me it’s important to realize that it’s possible to eat a healthy, delicious meal without meat as the main protein. Lentils are a great way to get filling, nutritious, and tasty protein.
Do you participate in Meatless Monday? What do you make? What do you think about making a conscious decision to eat this way, even once a week?
French Green Lentil and Spinach Soup Recipe
Printable Lentil Soup Recipe in PDF
1 lb French green lentils
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
32 oz vegetable stock plus 3 cups of water
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
8 oz fresh spinach
2 Tbsp olive oil.
salt and pepper
Rinse the lentils in cold water and remove anything which isn’t a lentil. As with all dried beans and legumes, it’s possible sometimes there might be a small stone or something in the mix.
Heat a large soup pot and add the olive oil. Saute the carrots, onions and celery until soft, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and the spices and saute one minute more. Add the lentils and the 32 oz of vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Keep cooking the lentils at a simmer As the stock gets absorbed, add the water, one cup at a time as needed to keep a thick soup consistency.
The lentils are done when they are tender all the way through, but not mushy. Cooking time is 30-40 minutes. Before serving, stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with Cilantro Yogurt.
Cilantro Yogurt
4 oz plain yogurt*
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients together.
*I used soy yogurt, but if I wasn’t eating vegan right now, I would use regular plain yogurt. Thick Greek yogurt would be excellent here.
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