REALLY,REALLY HEARTY SUNDRIED TOMATO BREAD

Two days prior to my India journey, I am down with a cough! Great! I took precautions- covered myself- head to toe- but the Denver cold got to me. Its the walk we took near the Cherry Creek Mall that’s the culprit. Well, it’s not that bad yet. That’s the key word- yet! The last time I got down with a bad cold- it started out as not being that bad- just a sore throat- nothing big. The starting symptoms are the same this time, but hopefully it won’t get any worse- there’s a slight fever but I’m hoping some rest will take care of it!

The first day in Denver, we had amazing bread at the hotel restaurant, The Lift, while waiting for our main course. It was a white bread with a hint of garlic and presumably, a lot of parmesan cheese. But one bite into it and you could taste the cheese and all its goodness. I love white bread and even though whole-wheat is supposedly more healthy, etc etc I still miss an all white bread at times.

But, the other day, back at home I made this really hearty and flavorful sundried tomato bread. I cooked up this recipe or would it be baked up (?!). Thought of adding herbs but decided against it, since I did not want too many flavors playing in the bread. I also restrained myself from adding cheese- though instead its better to grill it with cheese instead. I did add dill for some added flavor.

By the way, this bread is full of goodies for your body! The Wheat germ is rich in nutrients, Vitamin E (good for anti-aging and your reproductive organs) and fiber. Fiber helps in digestive cleansing, cleaning your system off toxins and bacteria. Another benefit of having fiber-enriched food is that you feel full sooner- that ways you don’t overeat. (and thus, helps you in keeping your waist slim!)

Flaxseeds too are rich in fiber, besides they are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for lowering cholesterol and heart related diseases. They are rich in antioxidants too.

Besides the seeds, the flours used also have their health benefits. Everyone knows the benefits of whole-wheat flour.  Soy Flour is a great source of high quality soy protein, dietary fiber and important bio-active components which provide a good source of iron, B vitamins and potassium.

I wanted to add 1/2 cup rolled oats, and make it even more healthy, but I had the quick one minutes ones (never buying them again after reading they have the hulls removed), and wasn’st sure how they will work and also did not know how healthy they would be after the hull is removed. (Any info would be appreciated for the uninitiated me!) If you do decide to add oats reduce the bread flour quantity by the same amount and you might need to add/reduce water.

I did add a tablespoon more of water even though it did not look dry, but I know that soy absorbs a lot of water so the dough might need that extra tbsp- when making bread, its always better to err on more water and have a sticky dough than to have a dry dough. But, I ended up adding more flour, so guess the earlier proportions might have been perfect. (Have mentioned the initial proportions in the ingredients list- but if more water is required, add a tablespoon at a time).

Hope you enjoy this bread and its benefits as much as we did!

SUNDRIED TOMATO BREAD

makes one large loaf, or two small ones

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp flax seeds, roasted and ground
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 6 tbsp soy flour
• 1.5 cups bread flour
• 3 tbsp toasted wheat germ
• 1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of salt (the sundried tomatoes have salt too)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped (I made my own sun dried tomatoes. To make your own, check this out.)
• 2 tsp milk powder
• 1 tbsp dill
• 1 1/4 cup water (see note above)

Directions

1. Toast the flax seeds in a skillet/or oven. Once cool, grind them into a fine powder. The seeds can be added non-toasted but they should definitely be ground, else you won’t be able to reap the benefits of the seeds.
2. Place all the ingredients except water in a bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Combine everything on low.
3. Gradually add water and let combine.
4. Once everything comes together, change to the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes on a low speed.
5. Oil a large bowl well. Transfer dough to the bowl and keep covered till it doubles in size.
6. Once double, punch the dough out and shape dough to desired shape. (If making two loaves, divide dough in half and then shape each half.)
7. Let rise to double its size again.
8. Bake the bread at 375 F for 30-40 minutes.
9. Let the bread cool before slicing it.