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Ideas to do with whole grain breads

post #1 of 13
9/6/09 at 3:52am
Thread Starter 
I bought several packs of whole-grain breads for my diet and it's...been sitting there for quite a while. I already put it inside the fridge but I'm still concerned I can't eat it all that fast

All in all, I would like to ask for ideas for cooking whole grain bread, presumeably as side-dish, and healthy ones (diet-wise) preferable but any recipe would be so accepted xD

thanks in advance.
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post #2 of 13
9/6/09 at 5:26am
For starters, if you have a lot of excess, pop it in the freezer. It will keep two days longer than forever that way.

Next, you might check out a book called Upper Crusts: Fabulous Ways To Use Bread. This isn't about baking bread, but about using bread in creative ways. Lot's of interesting recipes in it.

Is the bread you bought whole-loaf or sliced? If whole loaf, one thing you can do is cut it into 1" cubes. Hollow out each cube and pop in the oven to brown. Then fill the hollows with whatever trips your trigger to appetizers.

Thin slices can be toasted and broken up, then used in a Fattush salad instead of pita pieces. Similarly, there's no reason not to use whole-grain bread as the base for crostini and bruschetta.

And, of course, there's always bread pudding.
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post #3 of 13
9/6/09 at 7:09am
As a followup to KYH's post: Here's a link to that book on Amazon. I didn't know about that one, but it does look really helpful.

Keeping bread in the fridge hastens staling. The environment sucks moisture out of it, and doesn't do anything to slow down growth of mold. Much better to wrap it well and freeze it, as KYH said. Slice first if the loaf if unsliced.

Also: remember that when making bread pudding, you don't always have to use milk or cream -- stocks, broths, and juices work fine, and will add fewer calories and less fat. I suppose you can also use egg substitutes, but since you don't need very many eggs (sometimes less than one per serving), you might as well get the nutrition from the real thing.
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post #4 of 13
9/6/09 at 11:48am
Thread Starter 
Ooh, I'll try to find it here. Hopefully can take some peek or something :D
How long could bread pudding stay fresh inside a fridge, then? Consider I'm making it as a total last resort, would the mold growth still continues after cooking? Would it affect other ingredients?

I haven't heard of giving stocks or broths to bread pudding, it sounds interesting. How does it taste?

And I think putting it inside a freezer or a fridge is a one-way trip to hardness, isn't it?
Basic question, then; does microwaves works? For reheating or at least toasting the bread..
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post #5 of 13
9/6/09 at 4:18pm
We've made the move to grain bread too and find it stays fresh much longer (generally) than white.

In addition to the above:
- Freeze and grate for fresh breadcrumbs for toppings on casseroles etc. Re-freeze in zip-lock bags if wanted - it won't hurt them.
- dry out slices in low oven, chuck them in a food processor for dried breadcrumbs. They will last weeks, at least.
- Slice, remove crusts, cut into cubes and bake in low oven on baking tray for croutons for soups & salads. Can be kept airtight for a good week, re=heat briefly in oven if wanted before using.
- When still unfrozen, heat your oven to med-high, crusts off of sliced bread, lightly spray bottom side with olive oil/canola spray, push each into Texas size (usually 6 per tin) muffin tray, and bake for 5-10 mins or until crisp. Makes great holders for variety of fillings. Can be stored in airtight container for several days. I've heard of them being called "Tulips" :)

Re microwave for frozen bread - high power for about 10 seconds, then toast. If they are well wrapped, they won't get too hard or dry out. I don't try and treat frozen bread as fresh e.g. for sandwiches, but no probs for toasting.
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post #6 of 13
9/7/09 at 2:30am
Thread Starter 
just checked : the one I left in the pantry was beginning to have some mold; I smell alcohol.. D: *throws* I lost again! D:

And tries heating the bread in the microwave then toasting it. Works quite well, I set the microwave for 1 minutes, tho, I'll try reheating it quicker later.
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post #7 of 13
9/9/09 at 8:31am
You should know that cereals are the most important part in an adult’s diet due to a substance known as starch, a complex carbohydrate with slow absorption that offers the organism the energy needed for best functioning.
A healthy diet contains bread, rice, pasta and cereals but in a moderate amount, because only the EXCESS of starch can be transformed into lipids
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post #8 of 13
9/9/09 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
:D thanks for the info! I didn't go overbinge on whole grain bread, if that's what you mean, that's why I'm trying so hard to keep it fresh / at least edible as long as possible~

One packed finished, next and last packet coming up!
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post #9 of 13
9/9/09 at 3:18pm
Also to note, the Italians never let stale bread go to waste. They are used as the starch/fillers to soups and other dishes. One of the most well know is Ribolitta which is a Tuscan vegetable soup that is quite thick. The thickness comes from a healthy slice of stale bread on the bottom of the bowl. When the soup is ladled in and a healthy shot of extra virgin is added on top, it's stirred to give it a nice thick soup. This was done by the peasants who wanted something thick and hearty when they didn't have money for meat.

So.. as a culinary student... think of how you can use the old bread as thickeners to your recipes..

Good luck
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post #10 of 13
9/9/09 at 4:03pm
Unlike toasties, croque monsieur doesnt have to be white bread IMO. it can be eaten with wholegrain, multiseed bread. We add a twist... make up your sandwich with really good ham Add gruyere or ementhal and loads of Dijon mustard... Dip in eggwash and fry in butter and olive oil. Actually, I think this has a name too, but i'm blowed if i know what it s

Alternatively make breadcrumbs and freeze.
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post #11 of 13
9/9/09 at 4:34pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the tips and information! I'm probably won't use it as thickeners, since I don't have plans on making soups...probably I should *glances at the curry recipe*

but, this is very, VERY interesting. So people use breads too for thickeners... It's understandable since they do soak liquid. How I didn't realize this is probably a given.
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post #12 of 13
9/9/09 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
A fried, croque monsieur with ham and cheese...I'm hungry D:

I do have breadcrumbs *packed* at home, maybe I could make some fried / baked, battered, croque monsieur. Now the fillings...hmmmmm
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post #13 of 13
9/10/09 at 1:04am
Make bread salad :chef:

Plus if you cook the bread ahead of time it will stay fresh longer.
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