We eat a lot of bread in this house. Part of it is the six kids and two adults plus visitors business, but part of it is flat out just because we eat a lot of bread. I love everything about most breads. I am a good baker, and I often make bread from scratch, but it can be time consuming and labor intensive. The mixing, the kneading, the rising – it can take an entire day just to make a loaf of bread and it’s gone in about 12 seconds.
The book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, the first book by authors Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois, details how to make delicious, crusty, European breads quickly. These are all white breads, though, so I was really happy to hear of their newest book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which uses not only whole grains, but fruits and vegetables as well. I admit that I was intrigued. The premise is simple:
ARTISAN BREAD IN FIVE MINUTES A DAY taught busy people how to make great bread at home, with only five minutes of active preparation time. Now, HEALTHY BREAD IN FIVE MINUTES A DAY whips up fabulous breads made with more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. The secret? Mix up a lightning-fast batch of moist no-knead dough, save it in your refrigerator, tear off portions over the next week or more, shape, and bake.
OK. I’ll bite. The idea of making a batch of bread dough in just five minutes and then feasting on homemade bread all week long was irresistible. Thankfully, I had the ingredients for 100% Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread on hand and got busy mixing bread.
The dough came together literally in less than three minutes, and I covered it and left it on the counter per the directions for two hours to rise. I really didn’t believe that the no-knead method would result in a bread worth anything, but I took the dough and put it in the refrigerator and walked away.
The next day, I cut off a cantaloupe size piece of the dough, shaped it into an oval and let it rise again. I baked it and then we devoured it. As you can see, the dough became a gorgeous loaf of bread. It was a more dense loaf without quite as much rise as I typically find on homemade bread, but it was absolutely delicious. The loaf disappeared in less than an hour.
I also made the Chocolate Espresso Bread, and while it was not sweet enough for my tastes, my family loved it as well.
The idea that I can make fresh, homemade, whole grain bread for my family on a daily basis – it’s transformed our meal time. I give this book two thumbs up!
There was no worry about the dough rising, the yeast dying, the punching down and the kneading; literally, I stirred the bread together and was finished.
While Carmen was provided with a copy of this book, this review is her own opinion and was not influenced or sponsored in any way.
Find more healthy bread recipes here at DietsInReview.com.