Adjusting Dietary Troublemakers in Quick Breads

Manipulating ingredients in recipes to adhere to current recommendations to reduce fat, cholesterol and sodium in the diet can present a problem for cooks. With quick breads, for example, changing the fat and calories in recipes may produce considerably different results than the average cook expects.

Even for those with a working knowledge of food chemistry--the how and why of combining ingredients to achieve desired results, such as the specific reasons for folding, creaming, beating ingredients in well or one at a time and the proper ratio of fat, liquid, dry and leavening ingredients--the desire to have one’s cake and eat it too presents quite a problem, indeed.

Today’s cook wants to make muffins and quick breads that are light and airy while wholesome and still delicious: This is a scientific accomplishment, at best.

For the purposes of this column, quick breads will be defined as those sweet batters that usually wind up as muffins or in 9x5-inch loaf pans and typically include some kind of vegetable or fruit (such as pureed bananas). Technically, however, the term quick bread can be used to describe popovers, cream puffs, biscuits and waffles--those breads or bread products that are made without yeast.

Forming a Workable Batter

In muffin-type quick breads, flour and liquid are combined in a ratio of 2 to 1 that forms a workable batter. It is based on the following formula: 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 cup liquid, 2 tablespoons fat, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons sugar. The average recipe adheres to this precisely, varying only the type of flour and amounts of butter, sugar and salt--the trouble makers from a nutritional standpoint.

The flour is essential, but the type selected--whole wheat, all-purpose, cake, self-rising, rice, rye, corn, bran, oat or others--determines the texture of the final product. All-purpose, cake and pastry flours give the lightest texture, whole wheat, bran (and other grains with the bran layer still intact) usually result in more coarsely textured products.

Water or milk provides moisture (in the form of steam) to the batter and although whole milk is usually called for, skim or buttermilk made from skim milk can be substituted without changes in the bread.

The salt and sugar too can be adjusted in recipes. They are provided to enhance the other ingredients. But the fat, which also contributes a great deal to the light texture of the end product, is generally the one health advocates want to cut back on, if not eliminate entirely.

The problem begins when, for health reasons, a combination of whole-grain cereals and flours substitute for all-purpose flour in diet recipes. Add to this a decrease in the eggs, less oil or butter and sugar--all of which are tenderizers. The result: adapted recipes for quick breads that are significantly more sturdy than those that follow the standard formula. They also tend to be drier and more crumbly.

Elasticity in Batter

Sugar also has a tenderizing effect. It aids in the incorporation of air into the batter. Eggs, which contain protein, contribute elasticity to the batter as well.

To accommodate healthy additions or reductions in these tenderizing ingredients, one suggestion is to substitute oil for the butter. Another is to replace one whole egg with two egg whites. It is easy to omit or use only half the required amount of nuts called for in a recipe and substitute raisins and other dried fruits that are good sources of iron. Unsweetened fruit juice can replace some water called for and simultaneously lend sweetness, thus reducing the need for extra sugar. Instead of substituting the entire amount of white flour with brown, start with a gradual substitution--half white, half brown, for instance--this will produce a product that is quite similar to the original. Substitute much more than that and the taste and texture begin to change.

Keep in mind that a quick bread, even one that offers as much as 250 to 300 calories per slice, which it derives from fiber-rich whole grains and fresh or dried fruit, is still a better nutritional choice than prepared snack cakes, candies and cookies that exchange virtually nothing for their high fat and sugar calories.

THREE GRAIN BANANA BREAD

2 large ripe bananas

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Slice bananas into blender and process until pureed. Combine flours, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Cream honey and brown sugar with butter until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs until blended. Beat in 1/3 flour mixture alternately with bananas and buttermilk. Continue folding ingredients together, ending with flour mixture. Fold in raisins and nuts.

Spray 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans with non-stick coating spray. Turn batter into pans. Bake at 325 degrees 50 to 60 minutes until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Makes 2 loaves, 10 servings each.

DARK NUT BREAD

1 cup molasses

1 cup skim milk

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine molasses and milk in mixing bowl and stir to blend. Combine flours, sugar, soda and salt in bowl and stir to blend. Add dry ingredients to molasses mixture and beat well. Stir in nuts, then turn batter into 9x5-inch loaf pan sprayed with non-stick coating spray. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour. Cool in pan before slicing. Makes 1 loaf, 10 servings.

CARROT BREAD

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup oil

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup raisins

Beat eggs. Add sugar and oil and beat thoroughly. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add to egg mixture. Beat well. Add carrots, nuts and raisins.

Spray 5 soup cans or 1 (9x5-inch) loaf pan with non-stick coating spray. Fill half full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes for soup cans or 1 hour for loaf pan. Makes 5 small loaves or 10 servings in loaf pan.

BEAN BREAD

2 cups cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups skim milk

2 eggs

2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained Heat well-greased 9-inch square pan in oven. Combine cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add milk and eggs. Stir in beans and pour into hot pan. Bake at 450 degrees about 20 minutes or until brown. Makes 8 servings.

HERBED BACON-CHEESE BREAD

1 pound bacon

3 cups self-rising flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 (12-ounce) can beer

Cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook in large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Combine bacon, flour, sugar, cheese, parsley flakes, basil, oregano and garlic powder. Add beer and stir just to moisten. Pour into 9x5-inch loaf pan, 9-inch round cake pan or 8-inch square baking pan sprayed with non-stick coating spray.

Bake at 375 degrees 45 to 50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf, 12 servings.

SWEET POTATO BREAD

2 2/3 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups bite-size crispy wheat cereal squares

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 (16-ounce) can sweet potatoes

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Glaze

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Process cereal in blender or food processor until fine. Add to dry ingredients. Stir in chopped nuts

Drain sweet potatoes, reserving 2/3 cup liquid. Combine sweet potatoes, reserved liquid, eggs, oil, orange juice and orange peel in blender or food processor. Process until blended and smooth. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until moistened.

Pour into 9x5-inch loaf pan sprayed with non-stick coating spray. Bake at 350 degrees 70 to 75 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Top with Glaze. Makes 12 servings.

Glaze

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 tablespoon water

Beat sugar, syrup, orange peel and water in bowl until smooth.

SPICY SQUASH-PEANUT BREAD

2 cups thawed frozen mashed squash

3/4 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

3 eggs

3 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Combine squash, oil, peanut butter, eggs, sugar, flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and peanuts in large bowl and beat until well blended. Pour mixture into 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans sprayed with non-stick coating spray.

Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour 15 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, tap to loosen, then remove from pans. Cool on rack. Makes 2 loaves, 24 servings.