The Big Reduction ... Me!

I'm currently working on selectively redesigning my perfectly pear shaped body or at least pushing the larger middle mass back into an acceptable configuration. I figure that with a couple of weddings coming up, the ability to control snoring and gaining more energy is worth the effort to do some work on me. It helps that my wife, Laurel, is also on the program.

Since I work from home, I try to provide a great meal when my wife returns from her place of work. I never wanted her to go without ... so I always provided more than what was actually needed in one meal. This accomplished two things ... it gave her something for lunch the next day and enough for me to pig out on my own food. Since we no longer have kids at our house, it's just up to us to get rid of the leftovers.

My biggest problem was the amount that I consumed, or portion control. In the food industry, this has always been a dilemma, especially when I've worked or offered all you can eat buffets. The food is so good that you don't want to stop eating ... thus the food costs go up and profit margin is reduced.

My body was willing to take that profit margin and add it to my middle margin around my waist.

Now, with us both working together, I have redesigned many of my dishes ... along the guidelines of the Weight Watchers point system. I find that it really gets your creative mind working!

Last night we did an inventory of the refrigerator and realized that we need to use up some product before it went bad. So with that in mind, the pulled pork tostadas became a great way to keep within the points and still control the loss of any unused food.

I'm finding that we are eating more and more Mexican style meals ... tortillas and salsa with just about everything! Of course veggies are "free", so salads are accompanying many meals.

Warmest Regards,
-Chef Tom Heintz

Whole Wheat Bread Time

In my opinion, there are not too many wheat bread recipes that have produced good quality bread.

In fact, the only one that I've learned to NOT do without is one that my mother-in-law gave me. It is called Heavenly Bread ... because quite frankly ... it is! It's made with a simple amount of ingredients ... wheat flour (freshly milled in a home electric mill), water, yeast, oil, honey and salt. That's it. The result is a "Heavenly" light, wholesome product that rises well and is moist and tasty. It's almost addictive!

To me, I like bread that can be eaten the old fashioned farmer way ... in a bowl with milk and a little sugar. This bread holds up well ... not a soggy mush.

Well ... I've added a twist that will go permanently in my future bread making. I take 2 cups of uncooked wheat kernels, cover them generously with water and boil for about 20-30 minutes until they are swollen and soft. I then drain them and add them ... still hot, into the mix for the bread before I add too much freshly ground wheat flour. Just before I add the yeast mixture. I also add 1 1/2 cups of unsalted sunflower seeds and 4 tablespoons of Chia seed.

Then I add the yeast mixture and continue to add my flour slowly until I have all 15 cups in the bowl. Then I turn on the Bosch mixer and let it go to town for 10 minutes.

By the time I dump it out on the counter, I'm able to make a nice thick rope of bread dough. The taste even then is fantastic!

Then, cutting it into 4 loaf size chunks, I form the dough and place in heated pans for rising for about 45 minutes or until I'm satisfied with the height. You only need to raise this dough once before it's ready for the 350 degree oven for 30 minutes of baking.

For a regular version of the recipe, go to http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-daily-serving/whole-wheat-bread-recipe/130148750386009

This is great with butter and honey ... but you can just eat it plain and enjoy it.

Warmest Regards,
- Chef Tom