Change and Gratitude
“Charles buttered a slice of bread, gouged out a knifeful of jam, and spread it over the butter. He dug butter for his second slice and left a slop of jam on the butter roll.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
The horrific events of this past week have humbled me. As much as we American’s like to grumble our lives are relatively easy, and safe. Until events shake us to our core. I practice a ritual of gratitude; you might call it prayer. Every day I spend a few moments focusing my thoughts on what I am grateful for in my life. Some days are easier than others. But it is on those challenging days that being grateful becomes the most important. A reminder of each days grace and beauty centers me. I regain my balance in a world that is a spinning top in a vast unknown universe.
I was mired in complacency, bored with my daily routine, schedule, commitments. I craved a great spring adventure. The events of this week brought thoughts of shame and grief. All the victims, families and friends of both tragedies would love to return to their daily routines. Their lives have forever been altered. It has been a challenging week for change and gratitude.
Essentials
This is the bread that met no resistance as we changed our morning routine. It is important to eat a nutritious breakfast. Our bodies need fuel to start the busy day and keep hunger at bay until we have a mid-morning snack or when busy, lunch time. Our go to breakfast is scrambled eggs and toasted store bought bread. I noticed that when we have home made whole grain bread for breakfast I don’t get as hungry before lunch and my energy level remains more consistent during the morning. I was inspired to make a breakfast bread that was packed with as much nutritional value as possible and tasted good with or without jam. The bread had to fit easily in our toaster, be quick to prepare and last for several days without any loss of quality. The bread had to be good enough that I liked it better than my beloved organic raisin bread and my husband liked it better than his whole wheat English muffin–good enough to willingly change our early morning habits.
This bread can be made with just oatmeal but I prefer the nuanced taste and nutrition from the combination of grains: oat, rye, barley and wheat. Flax meal adds an unabashed wallop of nutrition. And so does Uncle Sam’s Original Cereal which has whole flax seeds mixed with wheat flakes. But Wheaties or any other whole grain flaked cereal will work in the recipe. Depending on the density of the rolled grain cereal and the flaked cereal you may or may not need the entire 3 cups of flour, or you may need a bit more. The recipe is flexible. The dough should come together in a ball around the dough hook in the bowl of the stand mixer. If the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour to the inside edge of the bowl until the dough stays wrapped around the dough hook as it is kneaded in the mixer.
I keep the cooled rolls in the refrigerator. For breakfast I slice the rolls in half before toasting. Even though the rolls are jam packed with whole grain goodness they are not tough, dry or chewy. Hydrating the flaked grains softens them, giving body and nutty whole grain nutrition to the rolls. There is just enough just honey in the recipe that adding a smear of jam becomes an optional morning indulgence.
| Ingredients | |||
| 1C | water 100–110° | ||
| 1pkg/2-1/4t | active dry yeast | ||
| 1C | oat-rye-barley-wheat rolled grain cereal OR old fashioned oatmeal | ||
| 1C | boiling water | ||
| 1/4C | unsalted butter, melted and cooled | ||
| 3T | honey | 1-1/4t | salt |
| 1/2t | cinnamon | ||
| 1/4t | nutmeg | ||
| 1-1/2C | bread flour | ||
| 1-1/2C | whole wheat flour | ||
| 1/4C | flax meal | ||
| 1C | Uncle Sam’s Original Cereal or other flaked cereal (such as Wheaties) |
- Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whipping attachment. Add the yeast and mix until dissolved. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Let the mixture rest for ten minutes.
- In a heat resistant bowl pour the boiling water over the rolled grain cereal. Make sure all the cereal is submerged under the water. Set aside to hydrate for at least ten minutes.
- To the mixing bowl of the stand mixer add the butter and honey and thoroughly combine. Add the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1cup of the bread flour mixing to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove the whip attachment and replace with the dough hook. Add remaining half cup of bread flour and all the whole wheat flour. When the flours are mixed into the wet ingredients add the hydrated rolled grain cereal (and any liquid in the bowl), mixing to combine. The dough will begin to come together in a ball around the dough hook. Add the flaked whole wheat cereal and mix for five to eight minutes until the dough is shiny and elastic. If the dough is too moist add flour, a tablespoon at a time. Add just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the mixer. Place the dough in a buttered bowl. Cover and let rest for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Butter a 9 x 13″ pan (or other baking pan) and set aside. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times to deflate. Form the dough into a rectangle approximately 6 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Cut the rectangle in 2″ strips with a knife or bench scraper. Then cut the strips into 2″ squares. (The squares do not need to be perfect.) Place the 15 squares of dough in the prepared pan: 3 across and 5 deep. Cover the dough and let rise for 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Heat the oven to 350°. Gently brush the rolls with melted butter, if desired. Bake the rolls for 23-28 minutes. Check the rolls after 20 minutes and tent with foil if browning too quickly. When the rolls are done they will be a deep tawny brown and have slightly pulled away from the edges of the pan. A cake tester inserted will come out clean.
This really is a better breakfast bread. We made it as 3 ball rolls in muffin tins and it worked great! This bread has several layers of complexity. It has the spice, the chewy yet crunchy texture and it has that whole wheat flavor. (I ground High Pro Spring Wheat Berried for the flour). Wow!! We love it. I am making it again, tonight.
Thank you so much for the lovely comment! I am thrilled you tried the recipe and enjoyed the Better Breakfast Rolls!
Deb,
Where did you get that cute little footed bowl? I love it!!
daisy
I found the bowl at Marshall’s, but it was a few moths ago! They always have enticing kitchen “stuff”!
What wonderful comforting bread to wake up to! And lots of heart in the post. I wish I was as passionate about baking as you are Deb; foods I love to eat but being a night owl would rather be pampered and wake up to something of this sort. You may just inspire me to get up and bake.
Thank you for the tasty comment Orly! This recipe is a easy one. The rolls can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator after they are shaped. In the morning let them rise for the second time and then bake them fresh for breakfast, enjoy!
Oh Deb, you said it well. Gratitude is so important. This breakfast bread is wonderful, I love the nutritious nature, and the lashings of butter and jam are so appealing. I am still reeling from the shock of Boston. Reeling. Stay well dear
Thank you for your comforting comment Oz! I do so appreciate you!
I’ve been having toasted homemade bread for breakfast this week, and it definitely keeps me from getting hungry before lunch time. The mix of grains in these rolls sounds delicious! And, making the dough into rolls makes it easy to grab on portion at a time. Love it.
Thank you for your lovely comment Lisa! I just made another batch of Breakfast Rolls and am hoping I can keep the healthy breakfast pattern going!
I relate to your words 100% Deb. Gratitude and lending a hand when we can is essential.
I make this type of bread for myself and keep it in the freezer, it takes me a few weeks to finish it. This recipe has so many good things! Really good!
Thank for the tasty comment Paula! I know how busy you are and I appreciate your thoughts!
So healthy and delicious, Deb!
Thank you for the tasty comment Viviane!
This is my ideal breakfast – or anytime – bread, so wholesome and healthy.
Thank you for the delicious comment Lynda!
Deb: You are so right! Sometimes I feel ashamed for grumbling for things that I do not have, forgetting that even more that I need was given to me. God has been nothing than loving, patient, and very generous to me and my family. I pray that He comforts every single human being whose lives have been forever changed by that horrific event.
Thank you for this nutritious, multi-grain bread recipe. Either with only butter or both butter and jam, it looks delicious!!!
Thank you so very, very much for your thoughtful comment Denise! I appreciate your thoughts!
What a nice change from breakfast cereal! You gave me much food for thought as well as another great recipe. Thanks, Deb!
Thank you Gretchen! The breakfast rolls are easy to make, healthy and are scrumptious!
Last week’s horrors have left us all more than a little humbled that we get to still experience the everyday-ness of our lives. Being in touch with what you are grateful for at least helps to bring to consciousness that which we sometimes take for granted. Like these beautiful little rolls. I would definitely love these in the morning to start my day.
Thank you so much for your kind comment Geni; I appreciate your thoughts!
Yes, Deb, it is in moments like those of the past week that we wake up to the beauty to be found in our every day lives. Waking up to this breakfast bread would take the morning from ordinary to something quite special indeed.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Mary. It brightened my day!
This would make a glorious breakfast, I love the idea of serving it with strawberry jam!
Thank you for the scrumptious comment Laura! Strawberry jam is a favorite at our house.
Beautiful post-I would love to start my day with your better breakfast bread!
Thank you for the scrumptious comment Patty!
Heartfelt and heart-healthy. I’ll be making these rolls for my family as soon as possible.
Thank you for your lovely comment Carol! The Breakfast Roll recipe is worth of your time!