Carb-load anyone? =)

 I don't think I could ever go gluten-free! Not that I ever wanted or felt the need to anyway! LOL (I actually don't think it's good to go completely gluten-free if you have no medical reason to do so!.. Another vegan fellow blogged about this very subject just recently too: JL goes vegan)  

I think in these regards my German genes are just too strong; loving my breads and potatoes... and anything dough-y in general! ;)

So it shouldn't be a big surprise that many of my blog posts actually revolve around bread and anything closely related, right? :)  

Let me dive right into it, presenting some new pics and recipes!

This pizza actually came to me spontaneously after having some leftover chickpea piccata and some artichoke hearts in the fridge.

The pizza dough was made quickly in the bread machine! I've recently switched up the recipe a tiny bit, using partially soy flour for the added protein!

~* Pizza Dough *~

1 1/2 c water

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 c bread flour

1/4 c soy flour 

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Put on dough cycle (mine takes 1.5 hrs) and done, ready to continue with your pizza.

 Another spontaneous creation; using some leftover smoked tofu (I've posted a recipe -Lauren Ulm's from Vegan Yum Yum actually- here about a year ago, I believe!?), some mushrooms, onions.. lightly fried in the frying pan, add some corn (I know, sounds weird, but I liked it!), done!

Now on to bread (again). The other day I had a major sweet tooth but didn't want to go the cake or muffin route! So I've looked through my books and found a recipe in 'Vegan Sandwiches safe the day'. But I quickly realized that this recipe requires to let the dough rest 1 day in the fridge..and I clearly didn't have that much patience! I wanted something now!

So.. I pulled out my little recipe booklet that came with my bread machine and saw it included a Brioche recipe -only not veganized yet!

Long story short, I used Celine's & Tami's recipe as an inspiration, altered the amount so it wouldn't overflow my breadmachine and hoped for the best!...

It worked!!! ^_^

 

It was 'buttery' soft inside and sweet... I ate it just plain for the next days with just a teeny bit of virgin coconut oil spread on top (because I believe in the benefits of taking 1-2 Tbsp of coconut oil a day and love the flavor!).

~* Vegan Brioche (Breadmachine) *~

*1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed w/ 1/2 c water

*1/4 c coconut oil

*4 Tbsp sugar

*1/2 tsp salt

~ 3 3/4 c breadflour 

*1 pck. (or 1 1/2 tsp) yeast

*~1/2 c soy [or other plant] milk

Mix the cornstarch with the water and heat it in the microwave for about 1 minute.

Let it cool for a bit and then put it in the breadmachine form.

Add the plant milk, the coconut oil and lastly the sugar, salt, flour and yeast. Set it on the according bread setting (I think mine is labeled as 'sweet bread' or something) and let the machine do its magic! ;) 

[I only pulled it out ~ 1/2 h before the baking time was done as the top looked darkened enough for my taste. Before that I did a little 'wash' on top with a bit of soy milk, though afterwards I realized it didn't really do anything other than just putting a bit of a gloss on it.]  

This seedy bread is actually just another variation of the other no-knead bread recipe I've posted last year sometime.. 

~* Peasant No-knead bread *~

* 3 c whole wheat flour (or 2 c whole wheat + 1 c white bread flour)

*1/4 tsp active dry yeast

*1 1/4 tsp salt

*1 1/2 c lukewarm water
*Seeds if wanted (I used whole flax seeds and sunflower)

Mix flour, yeast & salt together in a bowl, add the water and combine well. Add the seeds, mix well again.

Cover the bowl with Saran wrap and let rise for 16-20 hours!

Once the rising time is over, flour a working area so the dough [which will be very sticky!] won't stick too much. 

Work the dough until you can form a loaf/ball shape. (You might have to add more flour as you go!)

In the meantime, heat the oven to 450 F and put a Dutch oven in it, letting it heat up as well!

Once the oven is really hot, get out the Dutch oven, open the lid and carefully put the ball of dough in, closing the lid again and back into the oven!

Bake for ~30 minutes, then remove the lid of the Dutch oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

Take the bread out of the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a rack, done! :)

I had a little bit of sourdough starter left and knowing that the upcoming weeks will be a bit busier with our upcoming move and me possibly not baking as much anymore (plus, I'm parting with my beloved bread machine since it's European 220 V) so I figured, I just give it a try and make a sourdough rye bread in the machine!

The loaf turned out mega small, but it was still very tasty!

~* Sourdough Rye Bread *~

*345 g starter

*70 g water

*345 g whole wheat/rye flour

*10 g salt

Add everything to your bread machine, set it for the according program (whole wheat etc.) and done!