Fruits and vegetables can be added to bread to enhance the flavor and create a moister texture. You will find breads and desserts baked with onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, beets, tomatoes, pumpkin, spinach and even avocados. Vegetables can be added raw, canned, dried or freshly cooked to produce delicious baked goods. Vegetable breads are richer than basic breads because the vegetables contribute flavor and texture to the loaves. You can also use potatoes, corn, rutabagas, parsnips and other starchy vegetables to sweeten and bring a soft texture to the bread.
Some vegetables, like zucchini, are 80% to 90% water so you have to remove some of that water before adding it to the dough. You can do that by mixing the shredded vegetable with a little salt, letting it drain in a colander and squeezing it dry in a paper towel.
Any time that you add vegetables to your bread, be prepared to adjust the amount of flour that you use. Vegetables will add moisture to your bread and if they are grated or pureed (along with the type of vegetables) will determine the moisture added. The kneading process will also extract some water from the vegetables. It’s easy to add a little more flour if the dough feels too watery. Because it is easier to add more flour than water, start your dough a bit on the wet side and add flour as needed.
Make sure the bread is completely baked. It should register 195 to 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. If it’s not thoroughly baked, the water in the vegetables will make the bread soggy.
Corn and Bacon Spoon Bread
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon, diced
- 2 cups milk
- 3/4 cup yellow or white cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
- 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen/defrosted
- 4 large eggs, separated
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Heat a 9″ square or round cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until it’s starting to crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard the drippings, but don’t clean the pan.
You can also make the spoon bread in a 9″ square or round cake pan. Cook the bacon in a regular skillet and grease the 9″ pan with some of the bacon drippings.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it to simmering. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, stirring to prevent lumps from forming.
Add the sugar, salt, pepper, cooked bacon and corn. Stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the egg yolks one at a time until incorporated. Allow to cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a small amount of the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture to lighten it a little, then fold all of the cornmeal mixture into the egg whites. Transfer the batter to the bacon-seasoned pan.
Bake the spoon bread for 50 to 60 minutes, until it’s set in the middle and golden brown around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven and serve it hot, right out of the pan.
Sweet Potato Biscuits
One large sweet potato (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cooked, will yield about 1 cup mashed. I cut my biscuits into squares instead of rounds because it saves time and there is no waste.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups flour (you can also substitute 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour in place of 1 cup of all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Mash or puree cooked sweet potatoes with milk and honey until smooth. Set aside; cool to room temperature.
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Make a well with dry ingredients and add the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix just until moistened.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a rectangle about to 1-inch thick. With a sharp knife cut biscuit dough into 3-inch squares.
Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until biscuits are lightly browned on top. Serve warm with butter and jam.
Orange Carrot Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup, firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup skim milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened orange juice
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions
Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Using a mixer, cream butter and gradually add the sugar, beating well. Beat in milk, orange juice, egg, vanilla and orange zest. Stir in carrots and walnuts. Add reserved dry ingredients. Mix well.
Spoon batter into a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on wire rack.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Since gluten-free batter is thinner than standard batter, the chips and nuts tend to sink to the bottom of the loaf; that’s why it’s important to let the batter rest and thicken for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir to redistribute the add-ins before pouring it into the pan and baking. Another technique you can try is leaving the chips and nuts out of the batter initially, then stirring them into the top third of the batter once it’s been poured into the pan.
Yield: 9″ x 5″ loaf
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup molasses or honey
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups Gluten-Free Flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for the zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Place shredded zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt and let it drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini dry.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, molasses or honey, oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Add the flour, salt, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon, mixing until well combined.
Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips and nuts. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes, then stir to redistribute the chips and nuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the bread for 65 to 70 minutes or until the loaf tests done (a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean).
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack.
Cool completely before slicing; store well-wrapped, at room temperature.
Pizza-Style Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2/3 cup seeded and chopped tomato
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning, crushed
- 1 pound whole wheat pizza dough, at room temperature, See recipe homemade below.
- Milk
- 2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
Lightly coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a small bowl combine tomato, mozzarella cheese, garlic and basil; set aside.
Divide dough into 12 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each dough portion into a 3-inch round.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the tomato mixture into the center of each dough round; shape the dough around the tomato mixture into a ball, pinching the dough together to seal.
Place rolls, seam sides down, in the prepared baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 to 45 minutes).
Lightly the brush tops of the rolls with milk and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Easy Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
Makes 1 pound of pizza dough
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, (105-115°F)
- 1 package active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup bread flour, plus additional for dusting
- 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
Directions
Stir water, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl; let stand until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in whole-wheat flour, bread flour and cornmeal until the dough begins to come together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, mix the dough in a food processor. Process until it forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.)
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
