Whole-Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

For this recipe, I wanted to take the classic yeast cinnamon roll, but my own healthy twist on it. To make a sweeter roll, add more brown sugar where ever it appears in the recipe. I also make smaller, thinner rolls than avergae because the whole-wheat taste is less prominent and browns quicker.

1 package active dry yeast or quick-rise yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 cup warm water (30 seconds in the microwave)

1 cup vanilla soy milk (or low fat milk)

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp Smart Balance (I used the light version)

1 large egg

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 all-purpose flour

 

2 tbsp Smart Balance

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp brown sugar (or more to taste)

 

¼ cup honey

1 tbsp brown sugar (or more to taste)

2 tsp cinnamon

 

Pre-heat oven to 375°F and place foil over pan for an easy cleanup.

In the mix master bowl, dissolve yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add soymilk, honey sugar, salt and Smart Balance to the yeast mixture. Beat in egg and slowly add white whole-wheat flour; beat 2 minutes. Gradually add all-purpose flour. Dough will be a bit sticky.

Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes with a Mix Master, 15 by hand. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to coat. Cover; let rise in a warm (95° to 100°F) place until double in size. Punch down dough; cover and let rise again. Punch down dough again; cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Spread the Smart Balance and cinnamon on the dough and sprinkle the brown sugar over the dough, leaving a half-inch at the end uncovered. Starting with the covered end roll the dough longwise and seal the end with a little water. Cut the ends of the roll off and then cut each roll from the log. About ¾ inch each.

In the pan you’re going to use spread the honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar on the bottom and place the rolls on top. Leave a little room for them to grow.

 

Bake in oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until browned. Invert onto a plate and the honey sugar mixture will stick to the tops of the rolls.

 

Makes about 20 rolls.

 

This recipe is adapted from wheatfoods.org

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip/Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup whole wheat flour


1/2 tsp baking soda


1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon


1/4 cup sugar 
2 Tbs olive oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce


1 egg

3/4 cup dry oats


3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup raisins
or chocolate chips





Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can spray the pan if you do not have parchment paper, but I recommend buying some because it makes cleanup a breeze.

In a mixing bowl (I used my Mix Master) beat olive oil together with the sugar. Add in applesauce and egg and beat well. Add oats and mix until incorporated. Now sift the flour mixture (salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and flour) into wet ingredients and beat on medium until well incorporated. Do not over mix or it will quickly toughen the gluten in the flour, especially the whole wheat/wheat flour. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Quickly incorporate chocolate chip or raisins. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop the batter onto the parchment paper and flatten the cookies.

Cook for 15 minutes.

Makes 15 cookies

Sweet Potato Pineapple Muffins

1 cup cooked sweet potatoes ( I just made them in the microwave and scooped the potato out of the skin of 2 small sweet potatoes)

1 cup crushed canned pineapple, drained well

½ cup egg beaters (or 2 eggs)

2/3 cup sugar

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

A pinch of ginger

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, combine sweet potatoes, pineapple, egg beaters and sugar. Stir until well combined. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and fold until dry ingredients are just moistened. Do not over mix. I used paper muffin cups to place in the muffin tins, but if you don’t do this spray the tin so it does not stick. I used a regular sized ice cream scoop to measure the batter. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

I tweaked this recipe from: http://jerseygirlcooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/healthy-sweet-potato-muffins.html

Banana Carrot Cookies

This recipes I took from the Chiquita Banana website. It is a little dense and may appear not be cooked, like most whole-wheat recipes, but I found them tasty nonetheless

 1 cup Wheat Flour

1 cup Oatmeal

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Salt

 1/4 cup Butter, soft (I used low fat butter)

1/4 Olive Oil

 1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Applesauce

 1 whole Egg

 1/2 cup Shredded Carrots

 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 whole Chiquita Bananas (best with brown spots on peel)

 1/3 cup Raisins

 

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar, butter, bananas, egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually mix in all dry ingredients until batter is firm. Add raisins and mix until just incorporated. Use a small ice cream scoop to place batter on cookie tray and press down to flatten. Check after 17 minutes.

You could also add walnuts to this mix, but I haven’t tried this.

Introduction

This summer my goal was to make my favorite, everyday baked goods and to produce a healthier version of them. I choose what I want to make and research numerous healthy recipes on the Internet and integrate others’ strategies to find what I feel will create the best product. The first lesson I learned was not to cut ALL the “unhealthier” ingredients. For example, I would replace white flour with whole-wheat flour, sugar with applesauce and honey, and choose recipes with little or no butter. These recipes always failed to fill the void in my stomach for sweets; rather, I was left with dense and unsweetened pieces of cooked dough. Throughout the summer I have tried to stay true to my mission and I experienced a number of successes as well as failures. I will post the recipes I feel satisfied my sweet tooth.

*Note: whole-wheat and whole white wheat flour is almost always interchangeable. Whole white wheat flour is a milder taste and available at the regular grocery store.

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