Whole Wheat Naan and Hummus

Aug 24, 2013

fourdaypicnic.blogspot.com 

If there are two current staples in our lunch bags and picnics right now it has to be naan bread and hummus.  Whether you buy these staples in the store or make them yourself I find the fact they are freezable a huge bonus in taming the lunch making madness.

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Whole Wheat Naan Bread
Adapted from food.com 
Makes approx. one dozen rounds

Ingredients:

1.5 cups warm water (105-115 F, basically hot tap water)
2 tsp rapid rise yeast
1 tsp sugar or other sweetener
1.5 cups white whole wheat flour
1.3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp olive or coconut oil
Optional: sesame seeds, ground peppercorn or hot pepper flakes

Directions:

Whisk water, yeast, and sugar together in large bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes.  You will know the yeast was activated if you see small bubbles forming along the edges of the mixture.  If the water was too hot or cold the yeast will not activate.

Stir in the flour, salt any optional spices now or save them to sprinkle on right before cooking.

Knead the dough a dozen turns or so right in the bowl adding more flour if it's too sticky.  The dough should be quite soft and almost sticky yet workable with floured hands.

Pour  2 tsp oil in a clean bowl, form dough into a ball and place over oil.  Turn dough ball around in the bowl a bit to coat in oil then place a damp cloth (or plastic wrap) over the bowl and let set in warm place for 30 minutes to rise.

When dough has risen place on a floured working surface.  Pull golf ball size pieces off and shape with lightly floured hands into 5-6 inch wide rounds.  You may also use a rolling pin at this point if you find it easier.

Cook naan rounds on an electric griddle heated to 400 degrees for 1-2 minutes on each side and parts are starting to brown.  I rarely use oil during grilling but have brushed on ghee afterwards if I am eating them fresh that day.

Store:

As with all homemade bread it goes downhill fast after a few days in the pantry.  One word: mold.  So if I am storing my naan for later I let cool completely on the counter then place in the fridge in a gallon ziploc bag.  If it's going to be longer then several days I place the bag in the freezer.  To reheat just pop in the microwave or oven for a few seconds/minutes. 

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Basic Hummus

Not having a food processor anymore made me a little intimidated to try hummus in a blender but it worked.  I made five jars of it this week.  All at once and into the freezer they went.  Here is a great basic recipe over at The Kitchn.  If you have a food processor I recommend adding a roasted red pepper to your mix.  Or fresh spinach, garlic and herbs.  And if you know what's good for you will take that herby spinach garlic hummus and put it in the oven with cheese on top.  Drool, slurp.  Where am I?  Back to the boring basic hummus.

Because I store my easy beans with the liquid I use the liquid a tablespoon at a time to thin the hummus up to a desired creaminess in the blender.  Don't worry, my hummus wasn't too boring.  I added cumin to one batch, chipotle powder to the next, and just bought some ground sumac for next time.

If you don't have tahini paste no worries, it works without also.

Eat it, freeze it, put it on sandwiches, in your kids lunches, with veggies, by the spoonful.  Oh you get the point.  We've tried all of the above.

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Air travel, car travel, down the street to the park travel. Healthy food to pack no matter how you picnic.

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