Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

April 11th, 2022 | Posted by Milana in Breads - (0 Comments)

These are naturally dairy free, scrumptious, tender, moist, and fluffy. Just the perfect snack packed with wholesome whole grains, protein, good fats, made with unrefined sugar and so easy to whip up…honestly cant get any better than that! Originally adapted from a Banana Bread recipe my friend, Esther Tyorkin Pinkhasov, was so kind to share with me and I’m forever grateful. Made a few tweaks and additions to the original recipe and voila! Nutrition analysis provided at the bottom of the recipe.

Prepation: 10 min.

Baking: 25 min.

Yield: 14 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 Large Ripe Bananas

1 Large Egg

1/3 cup unrefined Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Coconut Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1-1/2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Enjoy Life Mini Chips

2 Tbsp Dark Chocolate Chunks for the topping

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare your muffin tins with cupcake/muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix with the same fork you mashed your bananas with. Using either a 2oz. Scooper or 1/4 measuring cup, fill each liner with the batter. Bake for 20-25 min. Let cool for 10 min. and enjoy! Give this recipe 5 stars if you’ve tried it and loved it. Thank you.

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Babka

October 15th, 2019 | Posted by Milana in Breads | Recipes - (0 Comments)

Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Babka with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

DOUGH:

4 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted

2/3 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Ripple Milk

1/3 cup Water

1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast (I use Red Star)

4 Tbsp Coconut Sugar (I use Madhava)

1/2 tsp salt

2 Large Eggs, divided

3 Cups Unbleached Flour (I use Trader Joe’s)

FILLING:

1/2 Cup Dairy Free Nicciolata Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

1/2 Cup Dairy Free Chocolate (I use Enjoy Life)

1/2 Cup Raw Pecans

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract/ Bean Paste

1 Tbsp Avocado Oil

GLAZE: Enough for 2 Loaves

3 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/4 cup Maple Syrup

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Unsweetened Vanilla Ripple Milk

DIRECTIONS:

Heat milk and water in a saucepan on low heat until its lukewarm. Remove from heat and add coconut oil until melted. Whisk in sugar and yeast and then transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer. Wait 5-10 min for the yeast to proof.

Using dough hook, mix in 1 egg, flour and salt. Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated then increasing speed until it comes to a uniform dough. Let the hook knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel over it and put it in the oven (oven should be OFF) for one hour to rise. In the meantime, make your filling.

Put pecans in food processor with cinnamon and process until pecans come to a crumb size. Melt chocolate in a pyrex bowl either in a double boiler or microwave. Stir in oil, hazelnut spread, pecan mixture, syrup and milk. Set aside.

Punch down dough. Cut it into 2 equal parts. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, not more than 1/4” thick. Spread half of the filling all throughout the surface leave 1/4” border empty.

Roll the dough very tightly from the longest side. Cut down the center of the roll. Now using the 2 cut-sides-up, twist it overlapping like a rope and then roll the rope in from one end where the babka is now a round shape. Continue using the same steps to make the 2nd loaf.

Transfer to a pan lined with parchment paper and cover with kitchen towel to rise for another hour. Glaze with egg wash, sprinkle with some sesame seeds (optional) and bake at 325F (if pan is dark metal) or 350F (if pan is light metal) for 30-35 min. Do not over bake it.

Make Glaze in the meantime. Let the Babka cool completely. Transfer glaze into ziploc baggie. Cut the small end of the corner with scissors and drizzle over the loaves.

Now the best part has come where you can sink your teeth into this homemade deliciousness. 100% Dairy Free and No Artificial Ingredients. Enjoy! Please make sure you leave your feedback when you try my recipes and kindly tag me in your posts!

XOXO-Milana

Original Recipe was adapted from The Feed Feed.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits

November 29th, 2018 | Posted by Milana in Breads | Thanksgiving - (0 Comments)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups unbleached flour
    1 tablespoon baking powder
    1 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 cup vegan butter or shortening, cold
    1-3/4 cups vegan Buttermilk, cold (see note*)
    4 Tbsp vegan butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking, soda and salt.

Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs.Working fast as not to melt the shortening too much.

Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Stir with your hands just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Using your hands turn out the dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and with your hands gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times.  The top will be smooth with flour and the center will still be sticky so only add a little more flour if the outside of the dough is sticky.

Pat the dough with your hands into a large 1-inch thick round.

Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter that has been dipped in flour, being sure to push straight down through the dough and come straight up. (Do not twist the cutter in the dough)

Place biscuits on baking sheet lined with parchment just so that they barely touch.

Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting.

Bake until biscuits are tall and lightly golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

Brush with melted vegan butter immediately when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.
*How to make vegan Buttermilk:
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Unsweetened original Ripple milk
In a volume measuring cup, pour the vinegar, then pour the ripple milk until it reaches to 1 cup. Stir. It should be thick like dairy cultured buttermilk. Now it’s ready to use for the biscuits.
*original recipe adapted from Cooking with K.
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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

Skinny Whole Wheat Bagels

March 25th, 2018 | Posted by Milana in Breads | Breakfast/Brunch | Recipes - (0 Comments)

For all you bagel lovers out there who also struggle living a healthy lifestyle, here is the solution! The Skinny Whole Wheat Bagel consisting of only 138 Calories!!! That’s less than half the calories than a regular bagel from your local bagel shop which is usually around 500-600 calories depending on size. Now you can continue living a healthy life without feeling guilty every time you succumb to the craving of a bagel! How amazing is that!? For me, it gave a whole new meaning to living a healthy life because now it includes Bagels! That’s winning in my book! Anyways, I hope you guys give this recipe a go and tell me all about your thoughts after you have tasted this. Looking forward to your pins and posts! Happy Baking!

*Tips: Make sure to spill out any residual water that usually sits on top of the yogurt when opening the cap or foil lid. Any residual moisture will make for a gummy dough and not result in a bagel but more of a focaccia-like texture.

Make sure your baking powder is not expired otherwise your Bagels will not rise properly.

These Bagels may be stored individually wrapped in plastic on the countertop for 3 days max without molding or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just reheat before eating.

Prep Time: 10 min

Baking Time: 25 min

Yields: 4 Bagels (recipe can be doubled or tripled)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white Whole Wheat flour (I use Trader Joe’s)

1 cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt (make sure your yogurt doesn’t have any water at the top when you open the container. If it does, spill it out.)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt (I used sea salt)

1 egg beaten for egg wash

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray (I used coconut oil cooking spray).

In a stand mixer, add flour, yogurt, baking powder and salt. Using a hook attachment mix the dough until sticky. If dough sticks to your hand then add some more flour (about a Tbsp at a time). Knead the dough a little more about 10-15 folds. It should be tacky but not leave dough on your hands. Shape into a huge ball and divide into 4. Shape into ropes and form into Bagels. Glaze with egg wash and sprinkle with favorite toppings. I used sesame and poppy seeds. Trader Joe’s sells an everything bagel topping if you’re interested.

Bake Bagels for 25 min. Let them stand for at least 15 min before cutting into them or eating. Enjoy!!!!

Nutrition Analysis:

Serving size: 1 Bagel

WW freestyle points: 3

*recipe adapted from Skinny Taste.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

Perfect 2 Loaf Challah

November 19th, 2017 | Posted by Milana in Breads - (0 Comments)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup water *

1 Tbsp Dry Active Yeast

1/4 cup evaporated cane sugar

4 Cups unbleached all purpose flour (sifted)

1 egg

1/4 Cup Avocado Oil

1 tsp salt

1 egg yolk + 1 tsp of oil for glaze

DIRECTIONS :

In the bowl of your stand mixer, pour water and stir in sugar. Then whisk in yeast until dissolved. Let it sit for 3-5 min until frothy and expanded slightly in volume. Attach the dough hook. Add 2 cups of flour, 1 egg, oil and salt. Let it mix the dough medium low until combined. Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of flour and let it knead the dough into a clean round ball. Spray some oil in the bowl and around the ball of dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1.5 hours. Shape dough, place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for another 30 min. Heat oven to 325 F. Glaze the Challah with the egg yolk mixed with oil. If desired, top with favorite toppings such as sesame seeds, streusel, poppy seeds, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, etc. Bake for 20-25 min or until golden brown and you hear a hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the Challah.

*Note: for optimal water temperature in order for your yeast to proof perfectly, mix 1/2 cup of boiling water with 1/2 cup of room temperature water.

*recipe was adapted from Chabad.

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Rating: 3.8/5 (12 votes cast)


Yields: 10 Servings

Serving Size: 1 Naan

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour

2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 cup hot water (not boiling water, just hot tap water)

3/4 tsp active dry yeast ( I use Red Star)

3/4 Cup warm Milk (may use Soy to make this dairy free)

1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Buttermilk (dairy free: may use a mixture of 1 Tbsp white vinegar and soy milk filled to one cup. Stir and let coagulate/thicken for 10 min)

1/4 cup Avocado oil or melted butter for brushing

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium size bowl, or 4 cup measuring cup, dissolve the sugar in the hot tap water. Add the yeast to the water and stir until it’s dissolved. Let sit for 10 minutes until it begins to froth and rise. 

In a stand-up mixer bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

When the yeast has risen, add the milk and yogurt and pour it into the flour mixture. Attack the dough hook and let it bring the dough together on number 2 setting just until combined. The dough should be sticky but form a soft ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand in a warm area for an hour to rise. If not using the dough right away you can refrigerate it overnight. 

When ready to cook, have a 10″ cast iron skillet hot and ready. Divide the dough into 10 balls. Roll out each ball into 1/4″ thick. Brush with butter and place on hot skillet with oil/butter side down. Cover with a lid and cook on medium-high for 1 minute. When bubbles form on top flip and cook for another minute. Serve with your favorite Indian Entrée such as the Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala or any other favorite. Enjoy!

Original Recipe Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

November 25th, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Breads | Dessert | Thanksgiving - (0 Comments)


INGREDIENTS:

Yield: one 9×13 pan, about 13 med rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: about 15 to 17 minutes

Total Time: 4+ hours or overnight, for rising

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

3 1/4 cups Flour (I used White Whole Wheat Flour from Trader Joe’s), or as needed

1/4 cup cane or coconut sugar

2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

2 -1/4 tsp instant active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet, I use Red Star Platinum)

pinch salt, to taste

1/2 cup vegan butter

1/2 cup Trader Joe’s Plain Cultured Cashew Beverage

1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree

1 large egg, lightly whisked

Filling:

4 tablespoons vegan butter or coconut oil (if using butter it has to be very soft – let it sit out while dough is rising)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temperature – let it sit out on the second rise or while rolls bake.

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

pinch sea salt, optional and to taste (helps balance the sweetness)

about 3 Tbsp unsweetened plant based milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dough – To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or use a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon and your hands), add 3 1/4 cups flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, yeast, salt; set aside.

2. In 2-cup glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power.

3. Add buttermilk and pumpkin to melted butter and warm, about 45 seconds on high power in the microwave. (Based on the type of yeast used, temperatures will vary. Red Star Platinum yeast calls for warmer temperatures than most, 120 to 130F; other brands and yeast call for much lower temperatures, about 95 to 105F. Heat the mixture according to manufacturer’s recommendations on the packaging. Taking the temperature with a digital thermometer is highly recommended, but if you’re not, make sure the milk is warm, not hot. Err on the cooler rather than hotter side so you don’t kill the yeast.) If the milk separates or gets a little funny looking after being warmed, whisk it to smooth it out.

4. Add butter-buttermilk-pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients in mixing bowl.

5. In a small bowl, crack and lightly whisk the egg, and add egg to mixing bowl.

6. Turn mixer on low speed and allow it to knead dough for about 7 minutes (about 7 to 10 minutes by hand using a wooden spoon and then switching to your hands). 3 1/4 cups of flour and 7 minutes is perfect for me, but if after 5 minutes your dough is very sloppy, wet, and won’t come together, add up to 1/4 cup flour, or as needed until it does come together. However, the more flour added, the denser and heavier the rolls will be; wetter dough is preferred to overly dry. If dough is dry or crumbly, drizzle in buttermilk until it comes together.

7. Remove dough from the mixing bowl, spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in the bowl, and flip it over once so it’s lightly oiled on both top and bottom.

8. Cover bowl with plasticwrap (spray it with cooking spray in case dough rises high enough to touch it) and place bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or doubled in size. I keep my bowl inside a powered-off oven that I preheated for 1 minute to 400F, then it’s powered off. Do not, repeat do not, keep the oven on. The pre-heated, warm oven creates a nice 85F-ish environment, ideal for yeast. If your rising spot is cold, rising will likely take longer than 2 1/2 hours.

9. While dough rises, line a 9×13-inch aluminum pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.

10. Rolling Out the Dough – After dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Turn dough out onto a Silpat or floured countertop. With a rolling pin, roll it out to about 26-by-13-inches. Use the 13-inch side of the 9-x13 pan to eyeball it, no need use a ruler.

11. Filling – Using an offset spatula, evenly spread butter over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch bare margin.

12. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and then the cinnamon over the top, and lightly pat it down with your fingertips to help it adhere.

13. Slicing the Dough – Starting with a long edge (the 26-inch side), roll the dough into a tightly wound log, with the seam side down.

14. Using a knife, make small hash marks about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart (yields 20 to 24 rolls); or make bigger rolls and yield 12 to 16. Hash marks create less guesswork once you start slicing and things get messier and harder to eyeball where to slice; the hash marks are nice place-markers.

15. Use plain, unwaxed dental floss to slice the rolls. I highly recommend slicing the rolls with floss, not knives. Floss does not squish or compact the log like knives do.

16. Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan (I made 5 rows of 4 or 5 rolls across, and not all rows have same number of rolls; crowding is okay). Cover with clean kitchen towel.

17. Make Straight Through – Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

18.Or…Make as Overnight Rolls – Don’t let rolls rise after they’ve been sliced and placed in covered pan. Place pan in refrigerator for up to 16 hours. Before baking, let the rolls rise at room temperature until they have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

19. Baking -For either version, bake at 375F for about 15 to 17 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and cooked through (ovens, dough, and climates vary and so will baking duration, but 1 to 2 minutes matters in this recipe). Watch rolls like a hawk and don’t overbake or they won’t taste nearly as good. At 15 1/2 minutes my rolls were barely done and on the doughy side but I prefer this because it reminds me of Cinnabons; if you like less doughy rolls, bake longer.

20. Cream Cheese Glaze – In a medium bowl, add cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, optional salt, 3 tablespoons milk, and whisk or beat with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and combined. Add milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.

21. Evenly pour glaze over rolls, lightly spreading with a spatula as necessary.

22. Serve immediately. Rolls are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight at room temp for up to 4 days; reheat in microwave for about 5 seconds to re-soften or as desired. I am comfortable keeping glazed rolls at room temp and do not recommend storing them in the fridge because they will dry out. Rolls can be made and baked to completion, and then frozen for up to 6 months; unthaw and glaze immediately prior to serving. I recommend baking them from start to finish and then freezing, rather than trying to freeze unbaked dough, if you want to make in bulk in advance.

Original Recipe Adapted from Averie Cooks.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Whole Wheat Challah 

July 23rd, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Breads | Recipes - (0 Comments)

   
 
Hi Everyone! Today was the 2nd time I used this recipe and it was a success. I adapted the recipe from Reyna Simnegar. She is the recipe developer for her own site www.kosherpersianfoodblog.com. Her blog is one of the most intriguing I have ever stumbled upon! I hope you guys like this recipe as much as me and family do! Enjoy! 

For The Yeast: 

3 tablespoons active dry yeast 

¼ cup Honey

1½ cups warm water (¾ cup boiling water mixed with ¾ cup cold water)
For The Dough:
1½ cups Honey

1 cup Olive Oil , plus additional for spraying on the dough

1 tablespoon sea salt
3 cups warm water, divided (all water is lukewarm)
1 (5–lb.) bag  white whole wheat flour (approximately 15 to 15¼ cups flour)
For the glaze:

1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon oil

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the yeast mixture. Set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a large mixer, place the honey, oil, salt, 2 cups water, and 7 cups flour. Mix until a smooth paste forms.

Add the yeast mixture, which should be bubbling, to the dough. Then, add the remaining 1 cup water and 8 cups flour until a consistency like that of play dough is reached.

Pinch off a piece the size of a lime and say this bracha: “Baruch Ata Ado-nay Elo-heinu Melech ha-olam, asher keedshanu be-mitzvotav vetzeevanu lehafrish challah teruma.” this means: “Blessed are You, our G-d, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to separate challah.” Then lift up the piece and proclaim “Hariv Zu’Challah” which means: “This is challah.” Wrap the dough in a piece of foil; it must be burned, but not while the challot are baking! Keep in mind that the doors of heaven open up at this point and you can pray for anything your heart desires.

Spray the dough with canola oil and cover with plastic wrap.

Let dough rise 1 hour and then punch down. Then shape the challah.

7. Place into oven preheated to 350 °F for approximately 25 to 45 minutes, depending on the size. The challot should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Wait until the challot cool before putting into plastic bags. At this point you can use them, freeze them, or give them away. You can also wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven right before “Hamotzi” (the blessing recited before eating bread).

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Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

Homemade Roti

January 10th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Breads | Indian Cuisine - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp avocado or peanut oil
3 tsp avocado oil or peanut
Water
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Mix dry ingredients well.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the flour mixture.
Add enough water to form an elastic dough.
Divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
Roll out 1 ball into a circle and spray with cooking spray lightly.
Roll the circle up, like a jelly roll, then roll it up again. It should resemble a snail shell. Do the same for the other five balls. Let the dough sit 20 minutes to 8 hours, depending on when you make them.
Roll out into circles 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan and wait until it is hot to cook the chapati.
Fry rapidly and watch them bubble up flipping half way through.
Enjoy!

NUTRITION ANALYSIS:
Servings:6
Serving size: 1 Roti
Calories: 211.7
Total Fat: 5.5g
Sat Fat: 0.6g
PUFA: 1.1g
MUFA: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 586.9mg
Potassium: 11.3mg
Total Carbohydrates: 36.6g
Dietary Fiber: 4.4g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 5.7g

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels

October 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Milana in Breads - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
3 cups white whole wheat flour (more if needed)
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cup very warm water (125 to 130 degrees F)
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 egg, slightly beaten
coarse salt or sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:
Mix 2 cups flour, the yeast (dry) and salt in large bowl. Stir in water, oil and maple syrup. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.

Punch down dough; divide into 12 equal parts. Roll each part into rope, about 18 inches long. Twist each rope into pretzel shape on cookie sheet. Brush pretzels with egg white; sprinkle with coarse salt or sesame seeds.

Bake about 15 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown and crust is crisp. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm and, if desired, with prepared mustard.

NUTRITION:
140 calories, 4 grams fat, 23 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein per serving.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (5 votes cast)