How to Make Healthy Bread Recipes

Learning how to make healthy bread recipes has been my kitchen goal over the past couple of weeks. As I have said many times before I am not a medical expert.  Like many of you, I have a general idea to what is healthy for me and what is not. I have been experimenting with many bread recipes trying to combine health with flavor and texture. My goal has been not to have any white flour or sugar in my bread. This is not an easy task considering the gluten in the white flour helps to hold the bread together when you slice it.

SEE MY HEATHY BREAD RECIPE MAKING DEMONSTRATION

WHAT IS GLUTEN? Gluten is sticky nutritious protein substance found in wheat and other grains. This is very important when baking breads. It is what gives the elasticity to the bread when kneading. Without this gluten the bread will fall apart when cutting after the baking. I am not sure just how this gluten effect healthy bread recipes.


Over the past couple of weeks I learned how to make healthy bread recipes; or so I thought. Like I said not having sugar or white flour in the bread recipe, I wanted it to taste good and hold together when I sliced it. I tried different grains individually in healthy bread recipes but I really favor multi-grain bread recipes. My recipes have turned out anywhere from dry, crumbly, flavorless and soggy. Then the quality started to improve. I had hope!


I finally was very happy with my healthy bread recipe. It tasted good right out of the oven. Unlike the other recipes, it tasted even better when cold. At first I tried slicing it very thinly which did not work so well because it wanted to fall apart. When I sliced it a little thicker (normal bread slices) it stayed together. My healthy bread recipe was easy because it is batter bread. This means that this has no kneading dough.

ISLAND BREAD RECIPE

Make a flavorful healthy bread recipes.

  • 2 Packages dry yeast
  • 1 ½ Cups warm water (112F degrees)
  • ¼ Cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 3 Cups whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons grated orange peel
  • 1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 2 ½ Teaspoons salt
  • 1 Teaspoon anise seed (Crushed)
  • 2 Cups all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water; stir in brown sugar, honey and whole wheat flour.

Beat mixture until smooth; cover and let rise in warm place about 2 hours until double.

Stir in oil, orange and lemon peels; stir in salt and anise seed.

Gradually add 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour beating vigorously; cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of all purpose flour on work surface; work into the dough.

Let dough on work surface; cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Shape dough into a round loaf; place on well greased baking sheet.

Let rise until doubled in bulk; PREHEAT OVEN TO 375F degrees.

Bake for 45 minutes; turn out of pan immediately and cool on rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

YOGURT HERB BREAD RECIPE

Yogurt Herb Bread RecipeYogurt Herb Bread Recipe

I added this to Healthy Bread Recipes because it contains yogurt, herbs, less sugar, less fat and natural salt. I do not know from whom I got this recipe but it also includes diabetic exchanges (Below). I personally cannot guarantee them to be accurate but check it out.

  • 5 ½ to 6 ½ Cups flour
  • 2 Packages dry yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 Cup water
  • 1 Cup plain yogurt
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 Teaspoon dill weed
  • ½ Teaspoon dried chives
  • ¼ Teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ Teaspoon dried basil

In a large mixing bowl combine 2 ½ cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt.

In a small saucepan heat water and yogurt to about 120F degrees.

Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture mixing well; beat in oil and herbs.

Beat in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough; turn out onto floured surface.

Knead dough until smooth and elastic about 8 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl turning to coat all sides.

Cover bowl and let rise about 1 hour to double in a warm place.

Punch dough down and shape into 2 loaves; place in 2 greased loaf pans (8X4 inches)

Oil plastic wrap and cover loaves; let rise until doubled about 1 hour.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375F degrees.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown; remove from pans and cool on rack.

Makes 2 loaves.

DIABETIC EXCHANGES: One slice (PREPARED WITH LOW FAT YOGURT) equals 1 ½ starch, 113 calories, 139 mg sodium, trace cholesterol, 21 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm protein, 2 gm fat. 

Yogurt Herb Bread Two LoavesYogurt Herb Bread Two Loaves

HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY BREAD RECIPE
BATTER BREAD

How to Make Healthy Bread RecipesHow to Make Healthy Bread Recipes
  • 1 ½ Cups spelt flour
  • 1 Cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 Cup oat flour
  • ¼ Cup old fashioned rolled oats (can use quick oats)
  • 1 Tablespoon wheat berries
  • 1 Tablespoon amaranth
  • 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Teaspoons roasted garlic granules
  • 1 Tablespoon dill seed
  • ¼ Cup olive oil
  • 2 Beaten eggs
  • ¼ Cup lukewarm water
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Package dry yeast
  • 2 Cups lukewarm organic yogurt
  • Sesame seeds

Grease loaf pan with solid shortening and flour lightly with spelt flour; Shake off excess.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, oats, wheat berries, amaranth, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, dill seed, garlic and sea salt; Stir to blend. Add the olive oil and beaten eggs. Let set.

Put honey in a small bowl and add warm water. Sprinkle package of yeast over water mixture and let set 5 minutes to foam. While yeast is foaming, heat yogurt to lukewarm and dump in the flour mixture. Add the yeast mixture and beat to mix. NOTE: If you have bread beater on your mixer you can use it at medium speed. If not beat with a large spoon by hand until well mixed.

Preheat oven at 325F degrees.

Dump bread batter into loaf pan and let set at room temperature to rise (about 1 hour)

Bake for about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Test with pick for doneness.

AUSTRIAN NUT BREAD

This healthy bread recipe combines whole grain flours with nuts and seeds.

  • 1 ½ Cups buckwheat flour
  • 2 ¼ Cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 Teaspoon honey
  • 3 Packages dry yeast
  • 1 ½ Cups warm milk (112F degrees)
  • 1 Cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 Cup coarsely chopped pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup soft butter 
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons salt
  • 1 Teaspoon aniseeds
  • Extra wheat flour for rolling
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds

Roast pine nuts until pale brown in oven; set to cool.

Combine flours together in mixing bowl; make a well in the center.

Add in the well yeast, honey and ½ cup milk; pull enough milk in from sides stirring to make a batter.

Cover bowl and let stand in a warm place at least 15 minutes until batter is swollen and bubbles appear.

Add to the dough (in the center well) the remaining 1 cup milk, butter, salt and aniseeds.

Work all ingredients to a smooth dough until all leaves the sides of the bowl; continue kneading until bubbles appear.

Cover and set in a warm place until dough rises to double in bulk.

Punch dough down and knead on a lightly floured surface; knead in the pine nuts and walnuts.

Shape bread in a round loaf on a greased baking pan; let loaf rise 20 minutes.

PREHEAT OVEN to 425F degrees.

With a wet knife cut diamond shapes on bread loaf.

Beat egg yolk with cream and brush over loaf; sprinkle bread with sunflower seeds.

Place a small pan of hot water on the lowest oven shelf; place bread on same shelf of hot oven.

Bake 10 minutes; REDUCE HEAT TO 400F degrees.

Bake bread about 1 hour until golden brown; tap to check for hollow sound.

WHEAT BREAD RECIPE

  • 2 Cups milk
  • 1/3 Cup plus 2 tablespoons solid shortening
  • 1/3 Cup sugar
  • 3 Teaspoons salt
  • 2 Cups whole wheat flour
  • 3 Tablespoons yeast
  • 1 Cup warm water (About 115F degrees)
  • 1 Cup cold (room temperature) water
  • All purpose flour

Scald milk and pour into a large bowl; add shortening, sugar and salt to bowl stirring until sugar is dissolved and shortening melts.

Add yeast to warm water; set aside a couple minutes.

Add whole wheat flour to bowl with milk mixture beating briskly; add yeast mixture and cold water to bowl mixing well.

Add enough all purpose flour to make a soft dough; in a greased bowl let rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down and turn over in greased bowl; let rise again until double in size.

Shape into 3 bread loaves; let rise until about double.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F degrees.

Bake about 35 minutes until nicely browned.

ETHIOPIAN HONEY BREAD RECIPE

I include this in healthy bread recipes because of all the wonderful spices and the honey.

  • 1 ¼ Ounces dry yeast
  • ¼ Cup warm water (About 112F degrees)
  • 1 Egg
  • ½ Cup honey
  • 1 Tablespoon coriander
  • ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ Teaspoon cloves
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup scalded milk
  • ¼ Cup melted butter
  • 4 to 5 Cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside.

Combine egg, honey, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and salt; mix well.

Add yeast mixture, milk and butter to egg mixture; beat in 1 ½ cups flour.

Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to get a soft dough.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk about 1 hour; punch down and knead 1 to 2 minutes.

Shape and place in a buttered loaf pan; let rise again about 1 hour.

PREHEAT oven to 300F degrees.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

CARROT BREAD RECIPE

This healthy bread recipe combines whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

  • 1 ½ Packages dry yeast
  • ½ Cup warm water
  • 3 ½ Cups freshly ground whole wheat flour
  • 1 ¼ Cups freshly ground millet
  • 3/4 Cup dried apple rings
  • 3 Tablespoons rum
  • 1 ¼ Cups grated carrots
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1/3 Cup soft butter
  • ½ Cup apple juice concentrate
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • Grated peel of ½ lemon
  • 1 Cup warm buttermilk
  • 1 ¼ Cups chopped hazelnuts
  • ½ cup whole oat flakes
  • Extra wheat flour

Combine yeast with warm water in a large bowl.

Combine in another bowl whole wheat flour and millet; stir a little into yeast mixture.

Cover bowl with a cloth and set in a warm place to ferment for 20 minutes.

Rinse apple rings in a colander under hot water; pat dry and dice finely.

Put apple rings in a small bowl and pour the rum over the apples; cover and soak.

Combine grated carrots with lemon juice; set aside.

Cut softened butter into yeast mixture; stir in ¼ cup apple juice, salt, grated lemon and buttermilk.

Add hazelnuts, 2 tablespoons oat flakes, carrot mixture and apple mixture.

Add remaining flour stirring to make a smooth dough; cover and place in a warm place to rise until doubled (about 1 ½ to 2 hours)

Turn dough out onto a floured surface, punch down and knead lightly. 

Shape dough into a long loaf and place on a greased baking sheet; set in warm place and let rise about 15 to 20 minutes.

PREHEAT 400F degrees.

Make slits lengthwise in the top of loaf with a sharp knife; sprinkle top with remaining oat flakes.

Bake on lowest shelf of hot oven 50 to 60 minutes; spread remaining ¼ cup apple juice concentrate over hot bread.

Cool before cutting; serve fresh.