February 20, 2003

Prairie Fare: Pass the Bread, Please

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

When my brother brought friends home from college, they often passed up dessert in favor of more of my mom’s homemade bread. I couldn’t quite understand the fascination with our bread. After all, bread from the store was a treat to us.

I later developed an appreciation for homemade bread – when I discovered that bread making, with all its kneading and punching, involved a fair amount of physical labor. It’s easier now to enjoy the aroma and taste of fresh-baked bread. Specialty bread stores featuring heartier, crustier variety breads have grown in popularity. For those who want homemade bread without a lot of work, consider a bread machine.

When bread machines first arrived on the market, like other new technology, they took up more counter space and cost quite a bit more than they do now. Today, buying a bread machine is kind of like buying a computer. You have many options to consider. Loaf shapes vary, and loaf sizes range from one pound to 2.5 pounds. Some have a yeast dispenser, crust color selection and various baking cycles. Some machines even make jam, butter, pasta and rice – although not simultaneously.

As with any new appliance, it’s important to know how to operate the one you purchased, so read the instruction manual thoroughly. Measure ingredients carefully to help ensure a consistent product, and pay close attention to the sound of the initial mixing to see if more liquid needs to be added. I’ve had more than one friend "burn out" a bread machine motor.

For best results, high-protein bread flour should be used instead of all-purpose flour. Measure flour into a dry measuring cup and level off with a knife. If all-purpose flour is used instead of bread flour, it probably will be necessary to decrease the amount of liquid. Sometimes gluten (wheat protein) is added to all-purpose flour to increase loaf volume; it’s available in many grocery stores and some health food stores.

Use quick or regular active dry yeast according to the recipe directions. Cake yeast and compressed yeast aren’t recommended in bread machines. In a bread machine without a yeast dispenser, it’s important to avoid getting the yeast moist if a timer is being used. Final loaf volume could be affected. If a timer is used, it’s also important to avoid using fresh milk or other perishable ingredients, which may spoil during the waiting time. For more information about bread machines, visit www.wheatfoods.org

With all the wheat grown in the Midwestern and Great Plains states, you might expect the people in those areas to eat the most grain. The top grain-eaters are actually in New England, the Virginias, Florida and Arizona.

According to surveys, shoppers choose grain foods mainly for the nutrition provided. Grains provide energy as complex carbohydrates, along with B vitamins, folic acid and iron. Remember: "three are key." To maximize the nutrition from grains, aim for at least three servings of "whole grain" foods daily out of the recommended six to 11 grain servings. Whole grains contain all parts of the wheat kernel. Examples of whole grains include a slice of whole wheat bread or a serving (about one ounce) of whole grain cereal. Look for "whole wheat" or "whole grain" on the ingredient list of food products. Many products now carry a "whole grain" seal.

Here’s a tasty whole wheat bread recipe to try.

Whole Wheat Bread for Bread Machine
For 1 1/2 lb loaf:

1 1/3 cups water
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp instant dry milk granules
2 Tbsp instant potato flakes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

Place ingredients in machine in order recommended by manufacturer. Set on "Whole Wheat" or "Basic" cycle.

Makes about 16 1-ounce slices. Each slice contains 120 calories, 4 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrate, 2.5 grams fat and 230 milligrams sodium.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu