There's So Much More to a Bread Machine

Bread machines are fantastic tools for creating delicious breads, but that's not all they can accomplish. In this week's series, we are featuring four other great things, besides bread, that you can make with your bread machine. Today we'll discuss our first two: an incredible chicken calzone and a sweet plum strudel.Why dust off the bread machine for these other recipes? Why, for your health, of course! By using the bread machine recipes below to make these fine creations, you are drastically lowering their sodium content (compared to traditional versions) and can increase the amount of whole grains in your mix by substituting white whole wheat flour for all or part of the regular flour called for by the recipes. Plus, they're a great vehicle for serving delicious fruits and vegetables. Control your sodium intake, increase your whole grain consumption, and add delicious fresh fruits and vegetables? Who wouldn't want to give this a try?

Chicken Calzone

Ingredients:

Calzone dough:

• 3 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon milk powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 packet yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Dash of salt

Filling:

• 2 cups cubed chicken breast
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Sauce:

• 2 cups of low-sodium pasta sauce

Directions:

1. Combine dough ingredients in bread machine and mix on dough mode until elastic. (Or mix by hand until similar results occur). Allow to rise for 30-60 minutes.
2. While the dough is rising, make the filling. Heat a barbecue grill to 400 degrees. Place the chicken, sliced mushrooms, diced peppers, sliced onion, and garlic on oiled foil and grill until the chicken is done, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. Divide the dough into two even pieces. Roll each one out until it is 1/4 inch thin and in a round shape.
4. Place half the filling into the center of one dough circle. Fold the circle in half over the filling. This creates a half-moon shape. Seal the edges with a dash of water. Repeat with the other half of dough and filling.
5. Place the calzones on a lightly oiled sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees. Serve hot.

To Serve:

When the calzones are done, cut them in half and each half into slices. Heat some low-sodium pasta sauce and place 1/2 cup of sauce on each plate. Lay the calzone slices over the sauce and serve with a large salad on the side.

Nutrition Information:

Makes 4 servings. Serving size: 1/2 calzone. Each serving contains 513 calories, 10 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 28 milligrams of cholesterol, and 306 milligrams of sodium. It also contains 86 grams of carbohydrate, 26 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of sugar.

Plum Strudel

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 3 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon milk powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 packet yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Dash of salt

Filling:

• 1 tsp margarine
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped dried plums (prunes)

Directions:

1. Combine dough ingredients in bread machine and mix on dough mode until elastic. (Or mix by hand until similar results occur). Allow to rise for 30-60 minutes.
2. Roll dough out until it is 1/4 inch thin and in a rectangular shape.
3. Spread the dough with margarine, then top with even coats of sugar, cinnamon, and chopped dried plums.
4. Roll up the strudel and place it on a nonstick pan. Lightly score the top with a sharp knife.
5. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes.
6. Cool and slice. Refrigerate the leftovers for later use.

Chef's Tips:

Feel free to use a variety of dried fruits in the filling. You can also add nuts!

Nutrition Information:

This recipe makes 10 servings of a single 1-inch slice each. Each serving contains 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, and 26 milligrams of sodium. It also has 33 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, 5 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of fiber.Looking for more food and health tips and tricks? Check out our Nutrition Education Store!