Good Morning Muffins

Long ago, I learned an important kitchen lesson: read the recipe in its entirety before you even think about making it. Too many times before that, I'd only have skimmed the ingredient list, then go to make the recipe and realize I need an overnight rest/marinade, or the final product needs 4 hours to set afterwards, or some other hidden time requirement. I'm much better, now, at properly preparing myself for a recipe. Still, I sometimes get ahead of myself.

Last Saturday I was happily pouring over a new baking book, when I saw this muffin recipe. I thought to myself, "perfect! I'll prep the ingredients tonight and bake in the morning." I often do that, these days, since dragging out containers of dry ingredients and measuring them is a lot easier when our son is asleep, than when he is awake. Later that evening, when I set out to combine dry ingredients and locate all the others and arrange them in an easy-to-grab place in the fridge, I realize there was very little prep work that could be done. Sure, I could throw together the few dry ingredients, but those comprised not even a third of the ingredient list - not a huge time saver. I didn't want to grate the zucchini or chop the apple ahead of time, so I conceded and left all the prep work for Sunday morning.

As I made the muffins on Sunday morning, I wondered if all this work (in itself not much, but more than any other muffin recipe I've made) would be worth it. I got my answer shortly after removing these glorious muffins from the oven. Absolutely - yes! I was so excited to try one, I didn't even wait for them to properly cool. These quickly became my new favorite muffin, and I can't wait to make them again. The add-ins play so well together, against the almost nutty whole wheat muffin base, with just the right hint of cinnamon to round it out.

These lightly sweetened muffins are packed with delicious add-ins and make a fabulous breakfast!

Good Morning Muffins

Source: Slightly adapted from Flour, by Joanne Chang

Yield: 12 muffins

Preparation time: 20 min

Cook time: 45 min

Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (40 grams) wheat or oat bran
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) hot water
• 1 small zucchini, grated (about 1 1/2 cups packed or 200 grams)
• 1/2 cup (80 grams) raisins
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) pecan halves, chopped and toasted
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped (about 1 cup or 120 grams)
• 2/3 cup (150 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs (or 3 Tablespoons ground flax seed with 9 tablespoons water)
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) canola or safflower oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup (75 grams) old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin with nonstick baking spray or paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the bran and hot water until the bran in completely moistened. Add zucchini, raisins, pecans, coconut, apple; stir until well mixed.
3. If you are using eggs: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat sugar and eggs on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture thickens and lightens. (This will take 6-8 minutes with a hand-held mixer). On low speed, drizzle in oil, slowly, and vanilla. Adding it slowly is key to maintain the air you have beaten into the eggs. If you are using flax seed/water as an egg substitute: add sugar, flax seed, water, oil and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, folding carefully with a spatula until well combined. Add the bran mixture and fold until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly and filling the cups to the rim.
5. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until muffins are lightly brown on top and spring back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove muffins from pan to finish cooling.
6. The muffins taste best the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room tempurature for up to 3 days. They can be frozen up to a week, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

Sourdough French Toast

Much to my own dismay, there will be a short break in the Glee cupcake series. I did make the next ones this past weekend, but the recipe needs tweaking, so I'm holding it back. Artie deserves only the best!

Instead, I bring you another weekend breakfast treasure: sourdough french toast. Sourdough bread is one of my husband's favorite foods. He is originally from northern California, and when we head that way to visit his family, a stop in San Francisco is a must. We love taking a stroll down to the Boudin sourdough factory, grabbing a loaf and some cheese, and sitting on the waterfront to enjoy our snack. Of course, it also makes a great companion on the next leg of our trip - wine country. Sourdough + cheese + wine tasting = a great way to spend a beautiful California afternoon.
While the sourdough bread from our local grocery store isn't quite the same as Boudin, it's still a fun reminder of our trips out west. I wanted to do something fun with a recent loaf that I purchased, and this seemed like a delicious idea. Someday I will make the leap and try making homemade sourdough, but for now our local bakery bread works just fine!

Sourdough is a great choice for french toast because the bread itself carries so much great flavor. Just a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg is used to enhance the natural beauty of sourdough.

Sourdough French Toast

Source: Slightly adapted from Napa Farmhouse
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1 loaf dense sourdough bread
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-2 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed
• pure maple syrup, for serving
• fruit, for serving

Instructions

1. Cut the sourdough into four 1-inch thick slices, then cut each slice in half, diagonally. Reserve the rest of the loaf for another use.
2. In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, honey, salt, and spices.
3. Heat enough butter in a large skillet so that it coats the surface (larger skillet would need more butter).
4. Dip slices of bread in egg mixture, coating both sides, and then add to skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
5. Serve immediately, with maple syrup and fruit.

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I recently talked about regional differences in traditional breakfast foods. With our first little one here now, we seem to be starting some breakfast traditions of our own. Once each weekend, we get up and cook a delicious breakfast together, be it biscuits and gravy, eggs with toast and hash browns, bagel sandwiches, or my favorite - pancakes! It's a nice change from a bowl of cereal or cream cheese laden bagel, and fun to prepare a meal together.



We typically use my favorite pancake recipe with apples and (sometimes) cranberries, but last week I got inspired to make peanut butter banana pancakes. I'm not sure where the urge came from, but my husband sometimes slathers peanut butter in between his pancakes, so I knew he would be on board! At the last minute, chocolate chips sounded like a perfect addition, so I tossed a few into the batter.

I am so happy with how these pancakes turned out. There is a great balance of the three main components, which complement each other well in every bite!

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Source: Adapted from my favorite pancake recipe
Yield: Serves 4 (2 pancakes each)
Preparation time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup oat bran
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 banana
• 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Add the peanut butter and honey to a heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second intervals on low power until mixture is softened and warm. Mash half of the banana, and slice the remaning half into 1/4 inch thick rounds, then cut the rounds into quarters. Stir the mashed banana into the peanut butter mixture.
2. Stir together oat bran through cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, and oil; stir to mix.
3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir just until mixed. Fold in peanut butter mixture, chopped banana, and chocolate chips.
4. Heat griddle or pan, then spray with cooking spray. Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle, repeat with remaining batter. Heat until bubbles form at the surface and bottom is lightly browned, then flip and cook through.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

"You've never had biscuits and gravy?"

My husband was shocked, but no, it was not something my parents ever made for breakfast when I was growing up. I'm from the Boston area, and breakfast was usually either cereal, various preparations of eggs, sometimes with bacon, various pastries, or the occasional loaf of Polish rye bread from Alice's Bakery in Southie. My husband is from northern California, which doesn't scream "biscuits and gravy" to me, but his mom grew up in Kansas, so that's probably where it comes from!

What is standard breakfast fare in your neck of the woods?

These tender, flaky biscuits are a fabulous complement to the creamy gravy, which has just the right spice from the fennel in homemade sausage.

Biscuits and Gravy

Source: Slightly adapted from Beantown Baker and Good Things Catered
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 27 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance vegan butter sticks)
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 8-12 ounces chicken sausage (I chopped up 7 pre-cooked patties, which ranged from 1 to 1.5 ounces each, since that is what we had on hand)
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups milk (I used 2%)
• pepper

Instructions

1. For the biscuits: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until the butter pieces are pea sized. Add the milk, stirring just until combined.
2. Turn dough out onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar or whole wheat pastry flour. Roll out dough to 1" thick.
3. Cut dough into rounds or other desired shape. Top each biscuit with a small cube of butter.
4. Bake biscuits at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes.
5. For the sausage gravy: Brown sausage in a skillet. Add milk and flour to pan and whisk together to form a gravy. Add more milk to thin the consistency out, more flour to thicken the consistency. Season with pepper to taste.
6. Serve gravy over biscuits.

Irish Soda Bread

Despite a significant amount of Irish in my blood, I'd never had Irish soda bread until last weekend. With Saint Patrick's Day upon us, I've seen requests for this recipe everywhere, and it piqued my interest. When I first saw the (very simple) ingredient list, I thought, "What is so special about this bread?"



It seemed easy enough to whip up, so that I did. My first loaf was dense and almost chewy - not good eats. This recipe turned out so much better for my second attempt, and had me singing the praises of Irish soda bread along with everyone else.

This tasty bread is crisp on the outside, but so soft on the inside. The buttermilk lends great flavor to the bread - tear off a piece and enjoy with butter, jam, or just by itself! Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

Source: Slightly adapted from Cate's World Kitchen
Yield: 1 loaf
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda (fresh is best)
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, and grease a baking sheet (or line with parchment)
2. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and wisk together with a fork.
3. Stir in half the buttermilk, then add the remaining buttermilk 2 tbsp at a time.
4. You want the dough to be just a little bit moist. It should hold together, but not be sticky. If you accidentally add too much milk, knead in some flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
5. Shape into a ball, then cut an X into the top.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. (If you tap on the bottom of the loaf with your knuckles, it should sound hollow).
7. Let cool as long as you can stand to wait, then serve with butter and jam.
   Best if eaten within about 3 hours of baking.

Zucchini Muffins

I have always loved my mom's zucchini bread recipe, and looked forward to it every summer when there was a surplus of zucchini in the house. Now that I have my very own surplus, I can make it for myself!  Of course I wasn't about to let it go by unaltered, as I thought there were a few places that I could significantly clean up the recipe to make it more healthy.

After making a few batches, a friend mentioned how blueberries are fantastic in zucchini muffins/bread, so I picked some up to try. Seriously--they are awesome. I didn't grab a picture of the blueberry version, but it is SO worth making! I've been freezing the muffins and then taking one to work each day to enjoy with my morning cup of tea - it's perfectly defrosted by the time I'm ready for it.



Zucchini Muffins
Source: Adapted from a recipe received from my mom
Yield: 2 loaves or 16-20 muffins

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated cane juice (such as bob's red mill)  
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups grated zucchini (not peeled, but gently squeezed to remove excess moisture)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup blueberries (optional but highly recommended!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare two loaf pans or two muffin pans with baking spray. 

Add applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to a bowl and mix with hand or stand mixer until combined. 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and whisk to evenly distribute ingredients. 

Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low speed with a stand mixer, or by hand until all the flour is incorporated. 

Gently fold zucchini, walnuts and blueberries into batter.  Pour batter evenly into loaf pans, or scoop about 1/3 cup batter into each muffin well in the muffin tins.  Bake loaf pans for 55 minutes, or muffin tins for 18-22 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack. 

To freeze: wrap well with plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. 

Zucchini Pancakes

I am super excited and nervous to have our own garden growing this year. I wasn't sure if it would do well, but everything is growing like crazy! As a result, we have plenty of zucchini, so I went off in search of interesting things to make with it. I culled a couple of zucchini pancake recipes for inspiration: one from Ina Garten since I completely trust her, and one with such a raving review that I just had to incorporate it. The result, combined with fresh garden tomatoes, was an absolutely delicious breakfast that my husband wanted nothing to do with. I was quite ok with that - more for me!



Zucchini Pancakes
Source: Adapted from All Eyes on Jenny and Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated and squeezed to remove excess moisture
2 Tablespoons grated  red onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6-8 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons mayo
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Mix all ingredients, except butter, together in a large bowl.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add butter to pan and allow to melt, spreading over the surface of the pan.  Drop about 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each pancake, flatten and cook until golden on each side. Served topped with tomato slice and more cheese.

Pumpkin French Toast

Though pancakes are my favorite, I decided to change it up last Sunday and make french toast. I modified this recipe from allrecipes.com after opening the fridge and seeing some leftover pumpkin puree. This french toast is delicious, filling, and thanks to the secret ingredient - not at all soggy!



Pumpkin French Toast
Source: Adapted from allrecipes
Serves: 4

• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
• 1 cup skim milk
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup eggbeaters
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 8 slices of whole wheat bread

Add flour to a large bowl. Whisk in milk, then eggbeaters and pumpkin puree. Whisk in spices, vanilla, and maple syrup. Dip bread slices into egg wash, and place on a heated griddle or pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip until other side is golden brown. Serve with pure maple syrup.

Maple Bars

I've posted protein bars before, but this was a slightly different take on your average protein bar. Nutty and a little sweet, these are great for on the go! I tried following the instructions in the magazine once, for baking them individually in foil packets, but I didn't like the end result. The second time around, I baked in a loaf pan and sliced after baking, and thought that worked much better!




Nutty Maple-Cinnamon Bars
Source: Clean Eating Magazine 

Yield: 6 bars
Prep time: 25min


1 cup rolled oats, divided
3 Tbsp unsalted almonds (I used chopped walnuts out of laziness)
4 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Olive oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a blender, process 1/2 cup oats into oat flour. In a large bowl, stir together oat flour, remaining 1/2 cup oats, almonds, protein powder, cinnamon, and salt. Combine applesauce, vanilla and maple syrup with dry ingredients; mix thoroughly.

3. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.  Spread mixture into a loaf pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the center is set. Store leftovers in the fridge.  Let cool, then slice into 6 bars.



NUTRITION INFORMATION:
per bar
Calories: 213
Sat. fat: 1g
Monounsat. fat: 2g
Polyunsat. fat: 1g
Total fat: 4g
Carbs: 29g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 14g
Protein: 15g
Sodium: 189mg
Cholesterol: 23mg

Baked Oatmeal

A friend shared her recipe for baked oatmeal with me, after I tried it and loved her version. I tweaked it to my likes, and cleaned it up a bit, which was very easy to do. I love having a warm, hearty, fulling breakfast that only takes a minute to heat up in the microwave!

I tried it first with 1/3 cup maple syrup, but I think it could use a tad more sweetness, so I am going with the full 1/2 cup next time. Also, I like my oatmeal on the firmer side, so I used less milk than the original recipe calls for.

Baked Oatmeal
Serves:  12

• 2 apples, cored and rough chopped
• 1 cup fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 cups quick cooking oats 
• 4 cups skim milk (can go up to 4.5 cups)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, or agave nectar, or sucanat
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a casserole or large oven proof dish (roughly 9x13).  Bake at 350 for 45 min.  Dish can be ahead ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator overnight before baking in the morning.

Nutritional Information, per serving:
Calories - 194
Total Fat - 5 g
Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol - 20 mg
Sodium - 236 mg
Potassium - 182 mg
Carbohydrate - 31 g
Fiber - 2.7 g
Sugar - 12.8 g
Protein - 6.5 g

Citrus Scones

I saw this in a recent issue of Clean Eating magazine. Normally I breeze right past anything related to scones or biscuits, since I seem to be lacking a magical gene that allows me to successfully cut butter into...anything. I paused at this recipe, though, because they sounded so good, and because I knew there would be no cutting of butter in a clean recipe!



I had no trouble at all making these scones, which was super exciting to me. I made them into three large disks, as the recipe suggest, but thought they were too small to cut into eighths. Instead, I cut each disk into six scones.  They have a light, cakey texture, and my only complaint is that I wish they were a tad sweeter.  The combination of citrus flavors is refreshing. 



Citrus Scones
Source: Wording slightly adapted from Clean Eating magazine, January/February 2009
Yield: 24 if cut into eighths, 18 if cut into sixths

• 2/3 cup skim milk
• Juice each from 1/2 lemon, 1/2 lime, and 1/2 orange (1/3 cup total juice)
• 1.5 cups spelt flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour, finely ground
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup sucanat (I'll go higher next time, maybe to 1/2 cup)
  
• Zest each 1/2 lemon, 1/2 lime, and 1/2 orange (1 tablespoon total zest)
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• olive oil cooking spray or parchment paper

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a small bowl, combine milk and citrus juice.  Let sit 5 minutes.
2.  In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda, sucanat, and zest.
3.  Add egg whites, oil and vanilla to milk mixture and blend well.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine.  Do not overmix.
4.  Mist 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.  Spoon 1/3 of dough onto a baking sheet and spread in a circle, 1-inch thick.  Repeat with remaining dough, placing the third round on the second baking sheet.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until scones are golden.  Cut each circle into 6 or 8 wedges and serve.


Nutritional Information:

	1/24th recipe	1/18th recipe
Calories:	90	120
Total Fat:	2.5	3.33
Sat. Fat:	0	0
Cholesterol:	0	0
Sodium:	35	46.6
Carbohydrate:	14	18.6
Fiber:	1	1.3
Sugar:	3	4
Protein:	2	2.6

Cranberry Orange Muffins

I have made cranberry orange muffins before, but this recipe from Bridget caught my eye.  There was very little to modify, to make these muffins clean eating approved.  While I loved the first version I made, I definitely appreciated not having to experiment with it to adjust the recipe to my current lifestyle. 
The first adjustment I did have to make on this recipe was the sugar. Given the nature of these muffins, I knew that I would easily be able to use either agave nectar or sucanat. I tested this recipe with agave nectar, since I knew I would have to adjust the liquids as well. Obviously, I went with vegetable oil instead of melted butter, but that was already written into the recipe.  Another option here would be to try applesauce in place of oil, which I will do the next time I make them.  I skipped the glaze, and I honestly don't even think the muffins need it!

These muffins turned out fabulous!  They are a great choice for any cranberry lover.  There was a perfect balance of sweet and tart, along with the nutty goodness of whole wheat flour and, well, nuts. 


Cranberry Orange Muffins
Source: Adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles / King Arthur Flour
Yield: 12 muffins

1½ cups whole wheat flour
¾ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
¼ cup buttermilk powder or nonfat dry milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon orange zest (finely grated orange peel)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
2 large eggs
⅔ cup sucanat or maple syrup, or 1/2 cup agave nectar
¾ cup skim milk, or ⅓ cup milk if using maple syrup or agave nectar
⅓ cup vegetable oil or unsweetened applesauce


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick vegetable cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

2. Whisk flour, oats, milk powder, baking powder, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk egg until broken up. Add sugar and whisk until combined. Whisk in oil or applesauce and milk.

3. Add cranberries and nuts, if using, to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add milk mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together. Do not overmix.

4. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack.


Nutritional Information, per muffin (numbers below use agave nectar, but differences with sucanat are negligible)

	Oil/Nuts	Applesauce/  no nuts
Calories:	215.7	138.0
Total Fat:	10.5	1.5
Sat. Fat:	1.4	0.3
Poly Fat:	5.8	0.1
Mono Fat:	1.8	0.1
Cholesterol:	36.3	36.3
Sodium:	198.4	198.4
Potassium:	88.2	73.8
Carbohydrate:	27.8	28.1
Fiber:	3.0	2.8
Sugar:	11.6	12.3
Protein:	5.0	4.3

Cranberry Pecan Bagels

I am still 100% in love with whole wheat bagels, and this time around I wanted to try a new flavor combination. With numerous bags of cranberries tucked away in my freezer, this was a good way to use some of them! I found that the perfect compliment to the cranberry pecan flavor was to top them with a cinnamon honey cream cheese - delicious!

Cranberry Pecan Bagels
Source: Slightly adapted from Whole Grain Breads, by Peter Reinhart

Day 1: Make the soaker and biga
Soaker:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142 grams) water
2 tablespoons (35.5 grams) barley malt syrup, dark or light (for most authentic flavor), or honey

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl for about one minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 12 to 24 hours. (If you need more time, place in refrigerator for up to 3 days, but leave at room temp 2 hours before continuing with bread).

Biga:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142 grams) filtered or spring water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)

Mix all the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough. With wet hands, knead dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to be sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated. The dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again with wet hands for one minute. The dough will be smoother but still tacky. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Remove from the fridge two hours before making the dough.

Day 2: Make the final dough, and bake
Final Dough:
All of the Soaker
All of the biga
5/8 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (28.5 grams) water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)
7 tablespoons (56.5 grams) whole wheat flour
3/4 cup chopped fresh (or frozen) cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons baking soda


1. Chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces (sprinkle flour over pieces to prevent sticking).

2. By hand: Dissolve yeast in water in mixing bowl, then add biga, soaker, and salt and stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or knead with wet hands for about 3-4 minutes, until all ingredients are evenly integrated. Add the flour and knead for 2 more minutes, the dough should be firm but not sticky. If not, add more flour or water as needed.

By stand mixer: Dissolve yeast in water in mixing bowl, then add biga, soaker, and salt and mix on low speed for one minute with hook. Add flour, cranberries, and pecans and mix on medium-low speed for 3-4 minutes until dough becomes cohesive and assimilated into each other. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is firm and not sticky. This is a stiff dough, so turn the mixer off if necessary to avoid stressing the motor.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, the roll the dough in flour to coat. Knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as needed to form a stiff dough that is supple enough to shape. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

4. Resume kneading for 1 minutes to strengthen the gluten and make any final water/flour adjustments. Dough should have the strength to pass the windowpane test, yet feel supple and satiny. Form dough into a ball and place in prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size. Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet with parchment or silicon mat dusted with whole wheat flour or cornmeal.

5. Transfer to lightly floured work surface and divide into 6 or 7 four ounce pieces (I managed to get 8). Roll each piece into an 8 inch rope, shape a circle around your hand. Sela tight at the point where the ends overlap by squeezing or pressing it into the counter. There should be a 2-inch diameter hole in the center. Place on prepared pan, cover loosely with a towel, leave at room temperature.

6. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment (dusted with cooking spray) or silicon mat. Bring 4 inches of water to a boil in a wide pot, add the baking soda to the boiling water. Lower the head to maintain a steady simmer.

7. The bagels should be read to boil within 20-30 minutes of shaping . Drop one in the boiling water, if it doesn't float within 30 seconds, boil it until it floats and then remove it, but wait 5 minutes before testing another. When they pass the test, boil 2-4 bagels at a time, gently turning them after 30 seconds so they boil for a total of one minute. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove them from the water and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Apply toppings, using an egg wash to help them stick, if necessary.

8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce to 450 degrees F. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until bagels are nicely browned on top and bottom. Remove and cool on cooling rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Spice Bagels

In this house, we have been obsessed with whole wheat bagels since I first made them in August. I've finally figured out a plan, so I only have to make them once a month. I made two double batches - one cheddar jalapeno for my husband, and usually sesame for me - and we are able to (stuff our freezer and) stretch this for four weeks. Last time I decided to make a seasonal bagel for myself instead of the sesame, and of course, pumpkin was the first thing that came to mind. I really wasn't sure whether it would be better to add the pumpkin to the biga, the soaker, or at the end in the final dough. I decided on final dough, with a slight adjustment in flour at that step since the pumpkin made the dough quite wet. Overall, they were a huge success! I was hoping for a nice swirl from the cinnamon, but it eluded me this time. Swirl or not, they are delicious, and the pumpkin and cinnamon are a subtle but welcome addition to these hearty bagels.



Pumpkin Spice Whole Wheat Bagels
Source: Adapted from Whole Grain Breads, Peter Reinhart

Day 1: Make the soaker and biga
Soaker:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142 grams) water
2 tablespoons (35.5 grams) barley malt syrup, dark or light (for most authentic flavor), or honey

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl for about one minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 12 to 24 hours. (If you need more time, place in refrigerator for up to 3 days, but leave at room temp 2 hours before continuing with bread).

Biga:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142 grams) filtered or spring water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)

Mix all the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough. With wet hands, knead dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to be sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated. The dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again with wet hands for one minute. The dough will be smoother but still tacky. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Remove from the fridge two hours before making the dough.

Day 2: Make the final dough, and bake
Final Dough:
All of the Soaker
All of the biga
5/8 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (28.5 grams) water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (106.5 grams) whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons sucanat (or brown sugar)

1. Chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces (sprinkle flour over pieces to prevent sticking).

2. By hand: Dissolve yeast in water in mixing bowl, then add biga, soaker, and salt and stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or knead with wet hands for about 3-4 minutes, until all ingredients are evenly integrated. Add the pumpkin and flour and knead for 2 more minutes, the dough should be firm but not sticky. If not, add more flour or water as needed.

By stand mixer: Dissolve yeast in water in mixing bowl, then add biga, soaker, and salt and mix on low speed for one minute with hook. Add pumpkin and flour and mix on medium-low speed for 3-4 minutes until dough becomes cohesive and assimilated into each other. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is firm and not sticky. This is a stiff dough, so turn the mixer off if necessary to avoid stressing the motor.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, the roll the dough in flour to coat. Knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as needed to form a stiff dough that is supple enough to shape. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

4. Resume kneading for 1 minutes to strengthen the gluten and make any final water/flour adjustments. Dough should have the strength to pass the windowpane test, yet feel supple and satiny. Form dough into a ball and place in prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size. Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet with parchment or silicon mat dusted with whole wheat flour or cornmeal.

5. Transfer to lightly floured work surface and divide into 6 or 7 four ounce pieces (I managed to get 8). In a small bowl, combine sucanat and cinnamon.  Stretch out each piece of dough to approximately 7"x2".  Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Starting at one end, roll up each piece of dough.  Then, roll each piece into an 8 inch rope, shape a circle around your hand. Seal tight at the point where the ends overlap by squeezing or pressing it into the counter. There should be a 2-inch diameter hole in the center. Place on prepared pan, cover loosely with a towel, leave at room temperature.

6. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment (dusted with cooking spray) or silicon mat. Bring 4 inches of water to a boil in a wide pot, add the baking soda to the boiling water. Lower the head to maintain a steady simmer.

7. The bagels should be read to boil within 20-30 minutes of shaping . Drop one in the boiling water, if it doesn't float within 30 seconds, boil it until it floats and then remove it, but wait 5 minutes before testing another. When they pass the test, boil 2-4 bagels at a time, gently turning them after 30 seconds so they boil for a total of one minute. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove them from the water and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Apply toppings, using an egg wash to help them stick, if necessary.

8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce to 450 degrees F. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until bagels are nicely browned on top and bottom. Remove and cool on cooling rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Homemade Granola

This recipe was actually for breakfast bars, but they didn’t stay together for me (I think due to my under baking them).  However, they work great crumbled up into granola and tossed into some greek yogurt.  I’m a huge fan of greek yogurt, but I’ll be honest – I usually eat it plain.  I don’t see it as something to try and make sweet.  I love it the way it is!  The granola is not really sweet, so for me, it makes a perfect addition to yogurt.  Together, they are a great breakfast or snack!  A great add-in to the yogurt and granola is natural peanut butter - that is officially my favorite way to eat this!

Homemade Granola
Slightly adapted from: Clean Eating Magazine, November/December 2009, page 48

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup unsalted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup unsalted roasted almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried unsweetened apricots
• 1 cup dried unsweetened figs
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened golden raisins
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened brown rice cereal
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw organic honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly mist a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine pecans, almonds, apricots and figs in a food processor.  Lightly pulse until chopped.  Transfer pecan mixture to a large mixing bowl; add oats, raisins and cereal. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, syrup or honey, cinnamon, salt and vanilla, stirring well.  Add to pecan mixture, mixing well.
4. Spread mixture onto prepared pan, pressing down gently.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Allow to cool 15 to 30 minutes before crumbling into granola. Store in ziplock bags in the refrigerator or freezer.
   

Oat Bran Cranberry Pancakes

I love cranberries. Seeing fresh cranberries starting to appear in the grocery store gets me all excited because it means that winter is approaching. For many people, winter is the most dreadful part of the year, but I love it! Wrapped in a fluffy wool sweater, enjoying hot cocoa in front of a crackling fire with snow falling outside is one of my favorite places to be.

But I'm getting sidetracked. I'm also excited to see the cranberries appear because I love to cook and bake with them. Each season has it's gems of fruits and vegetables to cook with, and utilizing each of those at the peak of their freshness is the subject of Simply in Season, a cookbook by Cathleen Hockman-Wert and Mary Beth Lind.  Fellow food blogger Wendy is cooking her way through this book and I've enjoyed watching her journey.  There's only one problem - Wendy is allergic to cranberries.  When she asked around for some help making all the cranberry recipes in the book, I gladly offered up my love for cranberries - and pancakes!  I knew from seeing the name of the recipe that it was going to be right up my (clean eating) alley. 

These pancakes are fantastic!  Fluffy, delicious, packed with fiber and protein for a filling breakfast.  This is definitely my new favorite pancake recipe, as I think it can be adapted for different seasons using different fruit additions.  Next time I might turn up the cinnamon and ginger, because I love those two spices and they weren't quite strong enough for me.  The cranberry syrup thickened nicely with the help of some cornstarch, and really brought the cranberry flavor to the next level for this dish.  I got nine pancakes from this recipe and included the nutritional information (only change being that I used 2% milk instead of whole) per pancake.  I also included the total for the batter so if you make smaller or larger pancakes, it's will be easier to calculate the values for your pancakes.  Huge thanks to Wendy for sharing the recipe and letting me take part in her Simply In Season journey!


Oat Bran Cranberry Pancakes
Directions adapted from: Simply In Season, provided by Wendy

• 3/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 teaspoons honey (slightly warmed)
• 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup apple, chopped

Stir together oat bran through ginger in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, oil and honey; stir to mix.  Add wet ingredients to dry, stir just until mixed.  Fold in cranberries and apple.  Heat griddle or pan, then spray with cooking spray.  Drop 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle, repeat with remaining batter.  Heat until bubbles form at the surface and bottom is lightly browned, then flip and cook through.  Serve with cranberry syrup (recipe follows)

Cranberry Syrup
Source: Simply In Season, provided by Wendy

Boil together 1 cup cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and a pinch of ground ginger.


Nutritional Information
For total batter followed by per pancake (based on 9 pancakes per whole recipe)
Calories:  980; 109
Fat: 34g; 3.8g
Sat. Fat: 95.g; 1.1g
Cholesterol: 235 mg; 26mg
Sodium: 3840 mg; 426 mg
Potassium: 280 mg; 31 mg
Carbohydrates: 150 g; 16.7g
Fiber: 34g; 3.7 g
Sugar: 28.5 g; 3.2 g
Protein: 40g; 4.5 g

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This is another gem from Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads.  I don't know how many ways I can express my love for this book, and the recipes therein, but this one has me singing its praises again!  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the chopped walnuts and pecans (I did a mix of both) worked into the dough.  They add a nice bite to an other wise soft dough. I could see after the fact that I should have used every last bit of the cinnamon/sugar mixture in the swirl, as mine is not terribly pronounced.

I think it ended up being a bit too cold in my house, and the bread didn't rise well after rolling into shape.  I got impatient and just baked it anyway, but I think it would have looked a lot nicer had I let it rise appropriately.  I could also see, after the fact, that I should have used every last bit of the cinnamon/sugar mixture in the swirl, as mine is not terribly pronounced.  Any way you slice it, it tastes fantastic and I can't wait to make it again!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Source: Rewritten/Slightly adapted from Whole Grain Breads, by Peter Reinhart
Yield: 1 loaf

Day 1:
Soaker:
170 grams whole wheat flour
3/8 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
170 grams milk or yogurt
170 grams raisins

Mix all ingredients except raisins together in a bowl for about one minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough. Add raisins and knead with wet hands until incorporated.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 12 to 24 hours. (If you need more time, place in refrigerator for up to 3 days, but leave at room temp 2 hours before continuing with bread).

Biga:
170 grams whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast
85 grams milk or yogurt, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)
56.5 grams melted butter or vegetable oil
1 egg (47 grams), slightly beaten

Mix all the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough. With wet hands, knead dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to be sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated. The dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again with wet hands for one minute. The dough will be smoother but still tacky. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.

Day 2:
Remove the biga from the fridge two hours before making the dough.

Final Dough:
All of the Soaker
All of the biga
7 tablespoons (56.5 grams) whole wheat flour
5/8 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
28.5 grams honey or agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
85 grams chopped pecans or walnuts
3 Tablespoons sugar or sucanat


1. Chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces (sprinkle flour over pieces to prevent sticking).

2. By hand: combine biga and soaker into a large bowl with flour through honey, plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  Stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or knead with wet hands for about 2 minutes, until all ingredients are evenly integrated. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky, if not, add more flour or water as needed.

By stand mixer: combine biga and soaker with flour through honey, plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into mixer bowl and mix on low speed for one minute with paddle (preferred) or hook. Switch to hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until dough becomes cohesive and assimilated into each other. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, the roll the dough in flour to coat. Sprinkle nuts on dough and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as needed, until the dough feels soft and tacky, but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

4. Resume kneading for 1 minutes to strengthen the gluten and make any final water/flour adjustments. Dough should have the strength to pass the windowpane test, but still be soft, supple, and very tacky. Form dough into a ball and place in prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size.

5. Dust work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour.  Transfer dough to work surface without tearing.  Roll into 8"x8" square that is 1/2" thick.  Mix 2 teaspoons cinnamon with 3 tablespoons sugar or sucanat and sprinkle mixture evenly on dough.  Roll dough into a tight loaf.  Place in a greased 4 1/2"x9" pan.  Mist the top of the loaf with cooking spray, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F, remove plastic wrap and place pan in oven on middle rack.  Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking 25 to 40 minutes more, until bread is golden brown on all sides and a thermometer inserted registers at least 195 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least one hour before serving.

The Green Monster

No, I'm not talking about this one:

I'm talking about this one:

A delicious, healthy breakfast smoothie that sounds and looks weird, but tastes delicious - just like banana and peanut butter. Try it!

The Green Monster
Serves: 1

1/2 cup skim milk
1 banana (frozen works great!)
1-2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
handful of spinach, well rinsed (about 2 ounces)
3-4 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Pour into tall glass and enjoy.

Pumpkin Banana Oat Muffins

It's officially October so I figured it was time to break out the pumpkin and let the fun begin! As fall approaches, thoughts of pumpkin bread, ice cream, muffins, spice cake, etc, start to swirl in my head. I love the stuff and thankfully, there has been no shortage of pumpkin puree in my area. Still, this year I am faced with a challenge of a different sort. Then new and improved clean eating me can't bear the thought of making pumpkin-you-name-it and not being able to enjoy it.

I set out to try and find a clean way to enjoy pumpkin, and found inspiration from Katie at Good Things Catered. She took a pumpkin banana oat muffin recipe from recipeZaar.com and made some substitutions to make it a little more nutritious. Still, her recipe packed plenty of sugar and white flour, and that wasn't going to work for me. I switched out the white flour, whole eggs and sugar with some cleaner ingredients and the results were fabulous! This was my first time working with sucanat as a sweetener, and although I was hesitant to try it - it's great! The molasses flavor is fantastic and really adds to the complexity of the flavors in the muffin. I omitted the nuts this time around because I wasn't sure where I would be with the calorie count, but might throw them in next time now that I know the base recipe is only 100 calories per muffin!


Pumpkin Banana Oat Muffins
Adapted from Good Things Catered
Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup oat bran
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1.5 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 of a 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 egg whites
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 cup sucanat

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Spray with cooking spray or line muffin tins with paper liners.
-Combine flours, bran, oats, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
-Using whisk or spoon, stir until well mixed.
-Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl; beat until smooth.
-Gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined
-Spoon into prepared pans or tins.
-Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
-Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack as soon as they come out of the oven.

Nutritional Information per muffin:
Calories: 98
Fat: 0.7 g
Saturated fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Potassium: 83 mg
Carbohydrate: 20.7 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Sugar: 6.5 g
Protein: 3.3 g

Whole Wheat Bagels

Oh, I'm in love! This is another whole wheat bread recipe from Peter Reinhart's book, and they are absolutely fabulous. I was getting tired of english muffins with my breakfast, so I couldn't wait to try making bagels. My only complaint is that the recipe only makes 6 to 7 bagels (I got 8). Between my husband and myself, we'll polish those off before the week is out! These involve a very similar pre-dough process to the whole wheat hearth bread recipe, but I think the bagels are fantastic and worth the wait! If you want to avoid the white flour in traditional bagel recipes, definitely give these a try!

My breakfast:
1 sesame bagel+ 1 egg lightly beaten and microwaved for about 1 minute+ 1 chicken sausage patty=



Whole Wheat Bagels
Source: Rewritten from Whole Grain Breads, Peter Reinhart

Day 1: Make the soaker and biga
Soaker:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142 grams) water
2 tablespoons (35.5 grams) barley malt syrup, dark or light (for most authentic flavor), or honey

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl for about one minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 12 to 24 hours. (If you need more time, place in refrigerator for up to 3 days, but leave at room temp 2 hours before continuing with bread).

Biga:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142 grams) filtered or spring water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)

Mix all the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough. With wet hands, knead dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to be sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated. The dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again with wet hands for one minute. The dough will be smoother but still tacky. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Remove from the fridge two hours before making the dough.

Day 2: Make the final dough, and bake
Final Dough:
All of the Soaker
All of the biga
5/8 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (28.5 grams) water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)
7 tablespoons (56.5 grams) whole wheat flour
bagel toppings
2 teaspoons baking soda
beaten egg white for toppings (optional)

1. Chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces (sprinkle flour over pieces to prevent sticking).

2. By hand: Dissolve yeast in water in mixing bowl, then add biga, soaker, and salt and stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or knead with wet hands for about 3-4 minutes, until all ingredients are evenly integrated. Add the flour and knead for 2 more minutes, the dough should be firm but not sticky. If not, add more flour or water as needed.

By stand mixer: Dissolve yeast in water in mixing bowl, then add biga, soaker, and salt and mix on low speed for one minute with hook. Add flour and mix on medium-low speed for 3-4 minutes until dough becomes cohesive and assimilated into each other. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is firm and not sticky. This is a stiff dough, so turn the mixer off if necessary to avoid stressing the motor.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, the roll the dough in flour to coat. Knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as needed to form a stiff dough that is supple enough to shape. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

4. Resume kneading for 1 minutes to strengthen the gluten and make any final water/flour adjustments. Dough should have the strength to pass the windowpane test, yet feel supple and satiny. Form dough into a ball and place in prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size. Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet with parchment or silicon mat dusted with whole wheat flour or cornmeal.

5. Transfer to lightly floured work surface and divide into 6 or 7 four ounce pieces (I managed to get 8). Roll each piece into an 8 inch rope, shape a circle around your hand. Sela tight at the point where the ends overlap by squeezing or pressing it into the counter. There should be a 2-inch diameter hole in the center. Place on prepared pan, cover loosely with a towel, leave at room temperature.

6. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment (dusted with cooking spray) or silicon mat. Bring 4 inches of water to a boil in a wide pot, add the baking soda to the boiling water. Lower the head to maintain a steady simmer.

7. The bagels should be read to boil within 20-30 minutes of shaping . Drop one in the boiling water, if it doesn't float within 30 seconds, boil it until it floats and then remove it, but wait 5 minutes before testing another. When they pass the test, boil 2-4 bagels at a time, gently turning them after 30 seconds so they boil for a total of one minute. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove them from the water and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Apply toppings, using an egg wash to help them stick, if necessary.

8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce to 450 degrees F. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until bagels are nicely browned on top and bottom. Remove and cool on cooling rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information:
The book claims these to be 25 calories. This has to be wrong so I will estimate the calories based on the macronutrients.
Calories: approximately 230.
Protein: 1.14 g
Carb: 53.43 g
Fiber: 8.63 g
Sugar: 0.28g
Fat: 1.33 g
Sat fat: 0.24 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 478 mg