I love eating bread, to an extent that cooking food is not an option for me when there is a loaf of bread lying around somewhere in the house. As a little girl growing up, there were no restrictions and we did not mind eating a few more slices of bread as the day went by, this is not the reality for most of us as we grow up. This Ugandan low-calorie bread recipe will help you keep the love for your bread burning.
Frequently Asked Questions about Low Calorie Bread
Someone who is interested in low-calorie bread should invest more time and effort in carrying out as much research as possible about the best alternatives to the original bread recipe.
Making your own bread at home is therefore the most advisable option for you. You will be sure about your ingredients, they will be cleaner, and you will surely have a hot and fresh supply of bread that you are proud of.
Can I lose weight eating bread?
Yes, one can lose weight while eating bread as long as they change their bread recipe from a high calorie one to a low-calorie bread type.
Is white flour used for making bread bad for one’s health?
White flour is not a very healthy carb most especially when eaten alone. A slice of white bread a day is not harmful to your body.
What can I substitute White Flour with while baking bread?
Low carb flour substitutes are available on the market for making low-calorie bread. You can substitute wheat flour with the following;
Coconut flour
Coconut flour is rich in fibre and has a resemblance to wheat flour in colour and texture. It is important to note, however, that coconut flour absorbs moisture and liquids easily so only use a third of the amount of wheat flour in your original recipe.
Soy flour
This is derived from ground dry soya beans. Soya flour is full of healthy proteins and provides good dietary fibre. Ensure that you use soya beans that are organic and not genetically modifies for making your low-calorie bread.
Cassava flour
Cassava Flour is a gluten-free and low-calorie floor, with a soft and powdery texture, unlike other gluten-free flours. It is nut-free, grain-free and neutral in flavour. Cassava flour though a good alternative to wheat flour is high in carbs, as compared to coconut, soy and other bean flour.
What is the healthiest bread that I can eat?
Whole wheat bread is the healthiest bread available on the market, which you can make for yourself too at home. Whole wheat bread contains bran, germ and endosperm which are loaded with healthy nutrients.
Can I make bread without adding sugar?
Low calorie and heart-healthy bread recipes should ideally be made without the addition of any sugar. The answer is no, and It is heartbreaking to those whose intention is to cut out sugar from their diet.
Sugar is necessary for feeding and activating the yeast such that it does a great job of creating a light loaf of bread instead of a block. Healthy recipes that do not use sugar take forever to rise, they are because they skip yeast in their bread recipes as well.
The only way to make healthy and low-calorie bread without sugar is to substitute the sugar with honey. Due to the wet and sticky nature of the honey, the bread dough will most likely be sticky as well. Rectify this sticky texture by adding in a little bit of flour.
Tips for making Ugandan Low Calorie Bread
- The temperature of the water you use for soaking the yeast should be between 43C – 49C for perfect blooming of the yeast. Having a kitchen thermometer will therefore be of great advantage to you.
- Your yeast will bloom perfectly in the dark. Ensure to use an opaque kitchen towel to completely block the light out.
- Place your dough under the sun or in any warm place or by the stove and let it raise and spread out.
- Do no put place the bread dough into the oven when it has not heated up to 175C.This will help the loaves to rise properly and get a golden brown crust.
- Once the bread is inside resist from opening the door for at least 40 minutes, you should resist the urge as this will ruin all the hard work you have done in the points above.
Ingredients for making Ugandan low calorie Bread
2 cups warm water 43C-49C
3 tablespoons of Honey
1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt to taste
2 tablespoons of vegetable cooking oil
1 medium egg at room temperature
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups of soy flour
Butter for greasing
How to make Ugandan Low Calorie bread Step by Step
- Using a medium sized bowl, stir together the water and the honey. Whisk in the yeast and cover the bowl with a cloth so the contents are in the dark. Leave to bloom for 15 minutes under the sun or near the stove.
- Just as soon as the yeast has bloomed, stir in the salt, vegetable oil, egg and lemon juice until everything is blended together.
- Whisk in the whole wheat flour then cover the bowl with a cloth again and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
- Immediately the whole wheat flour has absorbed most of the liquid, stir in the soya flour into the bowl. Knead with the dough hook attachment for about 7 minutes, until you’ve got strong dough. You might need to add in more warm water or soya flour to get the right texture.
- Polish a little oil on the inside of a large bowl and drop the dough into it. Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to raise somewhere warmth/ sunlight for about 45-55 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Batter the dough down and leave it to rise, covered, for another 45-55 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Forehead the oven to 175C and generously grease 2- 4″ x 8″/10cm x 20cm loaf pans with butter. Punch the dough down again and evenly divide into 2. It’s a good idea to use a set of scales for accuracy.
- Shape each piece of dough into a loaf-shape and place them inside the loaf pans.
- Gently cover the loaves with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes, or until the tops of the loaves are poking 1 inch / 2.5cm above the sides of the tin.
- Oven bake the risen loaves in the preheated oven for around 40 minutes, until the tops are a dark golden brown and you hear a hollow noise when you tap the bottoms of the loaves.
- Pull out the loaves from the baking pans and leave to cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing.