Sides – Page 4

HEARTY WHOLE GRAIN BASIL BREAD

My uncle and I were scrolling through my pinterest food page, looking for something to make for dinner the following night. We saw this bread from The Diva Dish and knew immediately we had to make it! So we built our whole meal around it (brown butter chicken penne and a lentil quinoa salad) and boy was it amazing!

If making bread intimidates you – just follow the directions carefully and I promise it will turn out great! It really isn’t that hard, you just need to have patience and a free afternoon!

Hearty Whole Grain Basil Bread

Author: Mackenzie

Serves: 6 loaves

Ingredients

1/3 cup millet (hint: Whole Foods bulk section!)
2 1/4 oz. envelopes active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons honey
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole grain all purpose baking flour (or could sub more whole wheat pastry flour – which is what we did)
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 tsp. coarse salt (we used sea salt)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (melted)
3 Tbsp. 100% pure maple syrup
1 cup fresh chopped basil (large chunks)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flax seeds (if you don’t have them on hand, buy them in the bulk section so you don’t have to buy the big package)
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (again – do it bulk)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 egg white

Instructions

Soak millet in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 minutes, set aside. In a separate bowl add 1/2 cup warm water and sprinkle yeast in. Add 2 tsp. of honey and whisk together until combined. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until foamy/frothy.
In a separate bowl add flours and salt and whisk together. Once yeast is ready, pour yeast into a mixing bowl fitted with dough hook. Add melted butter, 1 1/2 cups warm water, and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Mix until combined. Then add 3 cups of flour mix. Mix on low speed until smooth.
Add millet (plus water in bowl), and the rest of the seeds/oats, and basil.
Mix at low speed until combined. Then add remaining flour until dough is combined and somewhat smooth.
On a floured surface kneed dough for about 5 minutes until a smooth ball forms. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for an hour or so. (I did about 1 1/2 hours)
When dough has risen, punch it in down, knead a little more and then divide dough into 6 balls. Place on cookie sheet fitted with a cooking mat. Take your egg white, and add a little water, and brush the tops of the dough balls. Then cover baking sheet with plastic and let dough sit for about another 1 1/2 hours.
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees, and when the dough is ready, bake for about 22-25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.
Brush with more butter straight out of the oven and enjoy the delicious smells wafting through your house!

3.2.2802

This is probably the best salad I have ever had. Grilling the peaches and nestling them into this salad with fresh mozarrella makes for a sweet but fresh and summery salad. You have got to make this!

Grilled Peach Salad with Mozzarella and Arugula

Serves 6

(Recipe from Farmhouse Table)

6 peaches, cut in half and pitted

Salt

3-4 large handfuls arugula, washed and dried

1 small red onion, slivered (We just used 1/2)

5 oz. buffalo mozarella or other fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

4 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. honey

2 tsp. dijon or whole grain mustard

2 Tbs. minced chives

1/3 C olive oil

2 Tbs. creme fraiche or 1 Tbs. heavy cream

1/2 cup pecans

Coarse sea salt to sprinkle on top

1. There are two ways you can grill the peaches. One way is to do it on a barbecque, the other way – use a George Foreman or something similar if you have one. We used a George Foreman because it was raining outside and we didn’t want to be cold and wet. However, if you do use a grill, light a fire in grill and let it burn down to medium hot – or turn on the george foreman :D.

Lighly salt the cut sides of the peaches and drizzle very lightly with olive oil and place cut side down on the grill.

When the peaches are charred and just beginning to soften, remove, place on a platter and set aside.

Make the dressing: place vinegar, honey, mustard and chives in a small bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified. Whisk in the creme faiche or cream.

Toss arugula, onion and pecans with vinaigrette and place on serving platter or bowl.