In Part 1 of 2 of our series on baking with yeast, we mentioned a bit about the history of baker’s yeast and some details concerning fresh yeast and active dry yeast. In this Part 2 of 2 of our baking with yeast series, we’ll discuss how to “proof” or “bloom” active dry yeast prior to incorporating it into recipes, as well as the various offerings under the category of instant dry yeast and some pointers when it comes to using it. Also feel free to check out our accompanying picture-based recipe blog post on how to make G’s Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls.
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Gluten-Free for the Holidays and Everyday
(November 8, 2013 NOTE: This blog post has been significantly updated since originally posted. You might want to also see these related blog posts: Holiday Baking- Does Your Choice of Flour Really Matter? Gluten-Free Update January 2012 Including Apps Gluten-Free Update Potpourri Gluten Free Update June 2012 November 2012 Potpourri: Gluten; Diabetes; 2013 Women’s Heart Health ) The holidays are exciting and everyone looks forward to them, although if you need to follow a special diet, it may be a bit disconcerting to think about how to handle a wide range of holiday situations. How do you deal with invitations to
Holiday Baking – What’s Up With Nut Prices?
Many holiday recipes, especially for baked goods, feature tree nuts in them. Nuts can contribute wonderful sensory qualities as well as terrific nutritional value when used in moderation as part of a healthier diet. That said, what’s up with nut prices this holiday baking season? Are dramatically higher prices a one time fluke or are they here to stay for awhile?
Holiday Yeast Baking: G’s Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls
G’s Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls recipe was adapted from other cinnamon rolls recipes by our webmaster to have a more heathful profile overall for baking a yeast-based cinnamon roll. Each 3+” diameter cinnamon roll from the adapted recipe features an overall lower fat and lower saturated fat content than other typical cinnamon rolls, features applesauce as a replacement for fat in the actual dough, is higher in whole grain content through the use of some* white whole wheat flour to replace some of the all-purpose unbleached flour, is lower in overall sugars, yet when iced still offers the appeal of those
Good-for-you Qualities of Spices and Herbs
When it comes to spices & also herbs, potency is everything! As a rule, the higher the potency of the spice, the higher the price it can command in the marketplace among knowledgeable commodity buyers. Think of aromatherapy and how you can have an immediate change of mood when affected positively by soothing aromatherapy. Well, potency of spices can also provide an element of satisfaction with a much smaller ingestion of an actual food item–thus you get more bang for your calorie buck. Another way in which good-for-you qualities of spices & herbs can be measured might
Zucchini-Broccoli Soup
You’ll enjoy the fresh taste of this classic soup. You can adjust the amount of extra virgin olive oil & lemon juice to taste and don’t hesitate to add more broth if need be to reach a desired consistency (the water content of zucchini can vary quite a bit). I really do prefer freshly ground white pepper in this recipe.
Fearless Holiday Baking With Yeast Part 1 of 2
Are you a seasoned home baker who doesn’t hesitate to work with yeast dough, or does the thought of working with baker’s yeast make you nervous? Have you ever wished you knew more about yeast baking so that you would always be successful in working with any form of baker’s yeast sold to consumers? Have you ever wished you could get some yeast risings to go a bit faster to save some time making a recipe from start to finish? Have you ever wondered about the differences between fresh yeast, active dry yeast, and instant dry yeast? We’d love to
Healthful Holidays–Christmas Tea Anyone? Part 3 of 3
Why not grab a cup of fragrant not-too-hot tea and we’ll wrap up this blog series on Christmas tea and how it can contribute to helping you and yours to stay healthier during the holidays. We’ve already mentioned in Part 1 of this series how tea can contribute valuable flavonoids to your diet, and then in Part 2 of this series shared some thoughts concerning brewing tea and its caffeine content as well. Now we’d like to share some other potential health benefits of drinking a not-too-hot cup of freshly steeped tea and mention just some of the supermarket accessible brands of
Read MoreHealthful Holidays–Christmas Tea Anyone? Part 3 of 3
Healthful Holidays–Christmas Tea Anyone? Part 2 of 3
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and inadvertently forget about setting aside time to help keep yourself healthier during the holidays. Sometimes you need to just stop, catch your breath, and maybe even sit down and treat yourself to a wonderfully aromatic warm cup of tea! It’s important to keep up your antioxidant intake during the winter months and as we noted in Part 1 of 3 of this blog series, especially green and/or black tea made from the tea leaves of the Camellia senesis plant can be an excellent source of important
Read MoreHealthful Holidays–Christmas Tea Anyone? Part 2 of 3
Solar Panels Powered House: Pointers for Baking & Cooking
Preparing a holiday (Thanksgiving) meal using an electric stove provided a new twist for us this year. It turned out to be an eye-opening event. The stove’s performance was enhanced in an unexpected way! (Roof solar cell powered house photo ©2012 courtesy of DCH in conjunction with Sensory Nutrition.com)