Homemade, Whole Grain Sandwich Rounds

Wholesome, Whole grain Homemade Sandwich Rounds

I’m not settling! I’ve been trying to achieve an English muffin for months! You know, the kind of deliciousness you slice open and those nooks and crannies soak up all your nut butter. The toasted crumbles give your bite a crunch before your teeth sink into the soft middle. English muffins are an absolute necessity in my morning.

I have certain habits…I call them systems (you can call them whatever you want!). But, whatever you name my behavioral tendencies, I am claiming them as nutritional necessities. And, every morning, my English muffin makes for a comforting, tasty, nutritious start. Here’s a Member post that outlines my entire morning (including the brands I buy and what I top my muffins with!): My Healthy Morning Routine. (if you're not a member, you'll be redirected to the registration page when clicking on the link.)

Now that you know my obsession with English muffins, you perhaps can understand why my quest to create my own recipe has been haunting me. I can’t achieve the crumbs and crannies! No matter how I’ve tried, it’s still not working.

So, I could call it defeat….or I can make lemonade out of lemons (or, in this case, sandwich rounds out of muffin flops).

I choose lemonade! And, friends, be happy I do! Because one morning when I was yet again experimenting, I achieved the loveliest little round doughy disks. They stayed soft and sliced perfectly. We’ve since toasted and topped them with almond butter or plain grassfed butter. We’ve created nut butter and honey sandwiches, cheese with avocado sandwiches and even chicken with Dijon mustard. They are all delicious!

So, instead of tossing this combination of ingredients to the curb, I’m turning my failed attempt into a sandwich solution. They are the perfect size and make for the most adorable presentation. Maybe they are simply a diversion! But, I’ll be making these surprises again and again.

Note: you may wonder why I chose to use wheat in this recipe (I used sprouted wheat, to be precise). Here’s why: Do I Eat Gluten Free?

This combination of flours offers an incredibly wholesome and nutritious place to serve your sandwich filling of choice on! Quinoa flour = high protein and many minerals, Millet flour = easy to digest and perfect for flavor, Whole Wheat (I used sprouted) = full of B vitamins, enzymes and fiber. And the taste, well, I'll just say this recipe is worth your while!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dry, active yeast
2 tablespoons honey (raw and local if possible)
1 cup very warm water
1 cup quinoa flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (I used sprouted)*
1 cup millet flour**(see notes)
4 teaspoons milled flax
1 teaspoon salt
Cornmeal for sprinkling***(see notes)

Recipe Instructions

You will need a griddle or a pan to cook these on (they are not baked in the oven).
Combine the warm water, yeast and honey using a whisk until honey is dissolved and yeast is well incorporated. I do this right in my glass measuring cup. Allow this mixture to sit for at least five minutes to activate the yeast.
Meanwhile, mix the flours salt and flax in a glass mixing bowl using a whisk. Whisk well to aerate and combine the flours.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir well. Once it begins to combine, use your hands to completely mix and knead in the bowl. Remove the mildly kneaded dough from bowl and place on a clean surface where you can knead more. Knead until a soft dough forms, a couple of minutes. It will become a very nice, workable dough.
Roll the dough out with a rolling pin to about a 1 inch disk. Use a round cookie cutter or English muffin rings to cut into circles (you can also simply cut into squares if you don’t have a round tool).
Sprinkle some cornmeal on a clean surface or right on your griddle. Put your rounds on it and allow them to rise for about an hour and a half. You can sprinkle some cornmeal on top as well if you’d like. I allow them to rise right in my English muffin rings but they will mostly keep their shape if you let them stand alone to rise.
Turn on your griddle or burner to a medium heat. Remove the rings if you are using them. Place the rounds on the griddle or in your pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side. Depending on the exact thickness, you will cook them from 5 to 8 minutes on each side. Remove to a cooling rack to cool.
Enjoy these sliced and toasted or sliced with your sandwich filling of your choice. My girls love these for their school lunches so I make a double batch and freeze to have on hand.

Recipe Notes

*If you would like to make these rounds gluten free, you can use a cup of garbanzo bean/fava bean flour. It will make them rise a little less and change the flavor a bit. But, I've made them that way and they are still very good.

*Click here for :My take on wheat and gluten free

**You can buy millet flour or you can buy the whole millet grain and whirl it around in your food processor (high powered blender or even Ninja) to make your own.

***I feel it's important to use organic corn products whenever possible since conventional corn is a hugely subsidized crop and filled with GMOs.