I love it when I run across a recipe that I’ve made in the past and at the top I’ve written: very good! (Some recipes have “meh” at the top; not good, let alone “very good.”) This recipe for dinner rolls was rated with just such an exclamation and with good reason. They’re soft, full of flavor, healthy, easy to make and they are cute as bugs’ ears to boot.
“Buttermilk” Rolls with Flaxseed & Wheat Germ
Makes 20 rolls
1 tbsp. regular yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. agave nectar
2 cups vegan “buttermilk”
3 tbsp. vegan “butter”
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup whole flaxseeds
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, water and agave nectar and set aside until bubbles form, about 5 minutes.
Lightly spray 20 muffin tins with cooking oil and set aside.
Gently warm the “buttermilk,” “butter” and salt in a saucepan or microwave. Transfer to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, baking soda and a cup of the AP flour. Add the yeast mixture to the “buttermilk” mixture and then stir in the flours and baking soda mixture. Beat vigorously for a few minutes, adding additional AP flour as needed to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
Divide the dough into 40 roughly equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and drop two dough balls into each of the muffin tins. Cover the rolls with a damp towel and let them rise for about 1 hour. They should double in size.
When the dough has nearly risen, heat the oven to 350F. Uncover the rolls and bake for 15-20 minutes or until brown on top. Remove from pan and serve or allow to cool completely on wire racks. Rolls can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in freezer bags and frozen.
(I modified this recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites.)
This is a hybrid, a Frankensoup of two delicious, hearty recipes: one a quick version easily put together with a few pantry items; the other an all-day, slow-cooker affair. I often turn to The Moosewood Collective’s Simple Suppers Tortilla Soup recipe for a fast, warming lunch. The addition of tortilla chips in the soup seems inspired to me; it adds a wonderful thickness and that distinctive corn flavor. And I love Kathy Hester’s version from The Vegan Slow Cooker because I can put everything in the crock-pot in the morning and have a spicy, thick soup ready at the end of the day.