Wellness Wednesday #9

Beet Bread after second rise, waiting to go in oven.

Beet Bread fresh out of the oven and brushed with olive oil.

We should have waited a little longer to cut, but it was lunch time and it smelled sooooo yummy, we couldn't wait. The kids had cheese sandwiches and I had blackberry jam.

I have changed the recipe significantly enough that I don't believe it is breaking copyright to share. The original source is noted below.

Beet Bread (adapted from A Good Cook...Ten Talents by Frank and Rosalie Hurd, published by The College Press, Collegedale, TN, 1968)

Into a blender:

1 can diced beets, including juice (abt 2 cups)

1/3 c honey

2 1/2 c warm water

In small bowl or measuring cup:

1/2 c warm water

1 t honey

2 1/2 T yeast

Dissolve and let set five minutes, while...

Put beet mix in bowl and add:

1/2 c oil (I used light olive oil)

1/2 c ground flax seed

5 1/2 c whole wheat flour (mine was fresh ground)

Yeast mixture

Mix at low speed (I used a Kitchen Aid Pro5 mixer). When thoroughly combined, allow to rest in mixing bowl for 20 minutes.

After resting, add:

5 c unbleached white flour (I used King Arthur bread flour)

1 T salt (it is important to add the salt last, AFTER the yeast has rested in the dough as described in the previous step)

Knead 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. It may take less time in the mixer. Place in oiled bowl in warm, draft free area. (I used a large stainless steel mixing bowl because it grew out of my glass mixing bowl last time) Let rise until doubled.

Oil bread pans. Shape into 3-5 loaves, depending on size of pans. (I got 3 loaves using 2 large Pampered Chef stoneware loaf pans and 1 medium glass loaf pan) Allow to rise again until double.

Bake at 375* for 50 minutes until done. Time will vary depending on loaf size. The glass pan could have done with a little less time. The stoneware pans were just right at 50 minutes. Loaves are cooked through if they sound hollow when tapping the bottoms.

Oil tops to keep soft. When thoroughly cooled , wrap and store.

My Grandma Hopkins' notes say that she used 13 1/2 c whole wheat flour and 3 1/2-4 c beets/juice. From this she made 2 medium loaves, 4 small loaves and 12 rolls.

If anyone tries this recipe, I would love to hear about your results. Ultimately, I would like to have a recipe that makes good sandwich bread and does not use white processed flour. I don't know how realistic this is. However, I know that my kids are getting better nutrients from this than from boughten bread, especially since it is freshly ground flour. In the new year I plan on learning more about bread baking and will be trying other recipes. This one is so easy that it will be my standby to make on a regular basis inbetween experimenting on other types.

So, for the weigh in, I was 319# this morning. Pretty good since I have had time of the month munchies and too many Christmas goodies have been accessible. I am working on it though! I am finding that I just don't feel well eating the sugar, even if it does taste good going down. It is strange that the healthier I eat, the less I am attracted to eating those kinds of things. My downfall is having them in the house. I need to hurry up with making the Christmas goodies that I will be taking to neighbors and then get them out of the house!!!

Many of you are just as busy (or busier!) as I am, so if I don't hear from you, I'll understand, but I hope some of you will check in and let me know how you are doing. No shame or guilt trips hear. Becoming healthy is a journey and some of us get side tracked. Let's keep encouraging each other though. I believe 2008 is going to be a good, get healthy year!

Remember to enjoy your family in the midst of all the busy busy during the next couple weeks! Be safe! God Bless!