EGG SALAD BUNS & COLD TEA

SEEDING TIME LUNCHES!
We are enjoying nice sunny warm days this week so our men are busy on the fields. It is my turn to make noon lunch today so I wanted to plan a healthier lunch.

Last week I baked a batch of whole grain buns, so I decided to put them together with an egg filling. I have 4 men to feed so I made enough egg for 8 buns.

The following recipe for buns is in my EAT MORE WHOLE GRAINS cookbook. All of the yeast recipes in this cookbook have instructions for those who mix dough by hand, but as well each recipe has instructions for mixing in a BOSCH and saving time.

It saves time because the dough hook on the BOSCH develops the gluten so there is no need to let the dough rise and punch it down before shaping and putting them on to pans. To order this cookbook, go to my website at www.winnieswinningways.ca
WHOLE GRAIN BUNS – 4 ½ dozen
4 cups lukewarm water (I used 2 cups warm water and 2 cups whey)
4 eggs
½ cup cooking oil (I often use lard instead)
1/3 cup brown sugar (or honey)
½ cup crushed flax
2/3 cup Red River cereal
8 cups fleshly ground wheat flour (I used spelt)
4 tablespoons quick rising yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2– 4 cups unbleached flour

Besides kefir or buttermilk, whey also helps the dough to rise better. Whey is also a fermented liquid and adds good bacteria to our stomachs.
When adding whey to whole grains, it makes the baked product easier to digest.

Beat together the water, whey, eggs, oil, brown sugar, flax, cereal, salt, and grain flour. As it continues to mix, sprinkle over the yeast.
If you don’t have a Bosch, knead the unbleached flour in by hand. If using a Bosch, add as much of the unbleached flour needed to make quite a stiff dough.

KNEADING BY HAND: knead the dough until well mixed. Cover and let rise until double in size, punch down and let rise again. Shape into small balls of dough and place on a greased pan to rise.

OR KNEADING WITH A BOSCH:
After all the ingredients have been added, knead with the Bosch dough hook for 9 minutes. Shape into small balls and place them on a greased pan to rise.

Let the shaped buns rise in a slightly warm place until at least double in size.
Bake at 350 ° F. Remove from pans to a board or towel to cool.

EGG FILLING – enough for 8 whole buns
6 boiled eggs – chilled
1 or 2 medium size sour pickles
I used the Bosch shredder slicer to shred the eggs and pickles.

Add to the eggs & mix together:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon mustard
Sea salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unbleached flour (or for celiacs add 2 tablespoons quinoa flour)

Besides the egg buns, each lunch got a small bag of cut up carrot, one apple, cored and cut into 4, 4 homemade Quinoa cookies and a half cup mixed nuts.

COLD TEA
I am so glad that our family prefers homemade tea rather than bought. Bought tea and as well most bought juices contain too much sugar. I add only enough sugar or honey so that it is a bit sweet. As well we do not drink diet drinks as they usually have sweeteners that are not healthy.
Homemade tea hits the spot and quenches the thirst. I even sweeten it a little with honey.

HOMEMADE COLD TEA – 1 gallon
In a covered pot boil 3 cups of water. Remove from the stove add 6 tea bags, cover again and allow to steep for an hour. Add the tea plus 1 cup sugar or honey plus 3 ½ quarts cold water. Mix and store in the fridge until lunch time.

*There are days when I am in a hurry so I will add 2 trays of ice cubes to the water to make 3 ½ quarts so the tea is cold right away.

I trust that your seeding is also on the way. For those who are not farmers maybe you are in your gardens or just outdoors enjoying spring. Sincerely Winnie