December 21, 2010

Whole Wheat Pita Bread


Sorry I've been incommunicado lately. I've had a very busy holiday season this year! But, hopefully, I'll get back on track soon. Unfortunately, I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to cook, and I've been eating a lot of junk food. So, yesterday, I had a little bit of time to myself while my daughter napped, and I decided to make some healthy spinach and bean dip (recipe coming soon), with whole wheat pitas, in an effort to get some good vitamins into my tummy. They were so tasty! They don't have the consistency of your standard pita - they're more like a sprouted grain tortilla. But they still puffed up nicely, and can be stuffed with any manner of yumminess. Give them a try! Here's the recipe...

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • Mix all ingredients together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook. Otherwise, just stir until you can't stir it anymore, then start kneading and mixing with your hands until you have a nice ball of dough. 
  • Turn dough out onto a flat surface and knead for five minutes. 
  • After kneading, allow the dough to rest for fifteen minutes. 
  • While dough is resting, go ahead and preheat your oven to 500 degrees. If you have a baking stone place that in the oven to heat as well.
  • Roll out the dough with your hands until it forms a long snake, then divide it into sixteen equal pieces.
  • Roll each piece into a ball with your hands.
  • Working with only two at a time, use a rolling pin to flatten the balls into wide circles, making them about a quarter of an inch thick. Place the circles onto your baking stone, or directly onto the oven rack. Watch them carefully, with the oven light on. They will only need to bake for a few minutes. Once they've puffed up nicely (or have puffed all they're going to puff) take them out and set them on a cooling rack.
  • Now go roll out the next two while your oven regains its 500 degree temperature. It is important for your oven to stay very hot. 
  • When your done, slather those things in vegan butter, pop them open and stuff them with hummus. Do whatever you like. Just enjoy!
NUTRITION FACTS (per pita):
Calories: 101.5 / Total Fat: 0.6g (Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g) / Cholesterol: 0.0mg / Sodium: 218.0mg / Potassium: 0.0mg / Total Carbohydrates: 22.0g (Dietary Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 0.0g) / Protein: 4.0g