After you’ve prepared these recipes and are ready to enjoy your creations, keep in mind five tips for conscious eating. Bon appétit!
Oatmeal Bread Recipe
Bring energy to your day and health to your body by featuring oats in your daily diet. Why oats? Studies have shown that oats contain beta-glucan (found in soluble fiber) and special antioxidant compounds that help lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease. Oats contain a large number of flavanoids (a powerful antioxidant), which may help protect against the arterial build-up that is associated with LDL cholesterol. The antioxidant properties of oats may also help reduce the risk for certain types of cancer, similar to the way that fruits and vegetables do. For people with Type II diabetes, research has shown that high-fiber diets, including oats, can help make blood sugar levels easier to manage. And even if you don’t like traditional oatmeal for breakfast, there are plenty of ways to make oats part of an enjoyable and heart-healthy diet—try the Kripalu Cookbook’s oatmeal bread below.
For more information on oats, their health benefits, and ideas on how to incorporate them into your diet, check out The World’s Healthiest Foods.
Oatmeal Bread
Work on your kneading skills and help keep your heart healthy with this nourishing oatmeal bread. The old-fashioned oatmeal adds a sweet flavor and crusty texture.
Preparation time 25 minutes.
Rising time 1½ to 3 hours.
Baking time 45 minutes.
Cooling time 20 to 30 minutes.
Makes 3 loaves.
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
4½ cups very warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
2½ cups whole-wheat flour
3 cups unbleached white flour
½ tablespoon salt
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the oats and 1½ cups of water. Let stand 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining water, the yeast, and molasses (opt'l) and let stand for 5 minutes. Mix both flours and the salt into the yeast mixture. Add the oat mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes, so the yeast mixture is fully absorbed.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes: Push the dough together into a large mound and use the heels of your hands to push against its whole surface, rhythmically flattening the dough, then forming it back into a mound. Repeat this procedure to lengthen the fibers of gluten, so the dough will be able to rise.
As you knead the dough, it will probably become very sticky or tacky. The stickiness goes away or becomes less prominent as you continue to knead. If it hasn’t changed after 5 minutes, then the dough is too wet, so add a little flour. If it gets too dry as you’re kneading, add a little water.
Finger Test
Lightly press your index finger into the dough.
1. If it springs up slightly, it can rise still more.
2. If nothing happens, it is time to punch down the dough and get ready for the next rise or baking.
3. If the dough falls slightly around your indentation, it has risen too long. Be sure this doesn’t happen on the second rise.
Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Set in a warm, draft-free space (75°–80° F) and let rise for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. Use the finger test (see sidebar) to check the amount of rise.
Return the dough to the lightly floured surface and punch down the dough as you did for the first kneading. Shape the dough into a mound, cover again, and let rise for 30 to 60 minutes. Use the finger test again to check the amount of rise.
Roll out the dough, divide into 3 loaves, and place in oiled loaf pans. Let rise in a warm, draft-free space until the dough has risen ¾–1 inch above the rim of the pans. This usually takes about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake the loaves for at least 45 minutes. The bread is done when the inside of the loaf is springy and not wet and when the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.
Remove the baked loaves from the pans and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes on a wire rack. Serve immediately or cool completely and wrap tightly in plastic wrap to store.
Source: The Kripalu Cookbook: Gourmet Vegetarian Recipes by Atma Jo Ann Levitt (Berkshire House Publishers). Available through the Kripalu Shop.
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