Boost fiber in beer bread by using whole-wheat flour

To boost the fiber content of baked goods, I like to use a combination of whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour.

For snack cakes, cookies, muffins and quick breads, a general rule of thumb is to use half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. Whole-wheat flour has almost four times more fiber than all-purpose flour.

Recently, I was scrolling through one of my favorite recipe websites and noticed a beer bread that relied almost exclusively on whole-wheat flour. Although I was skeptical about the result, I had to give it a try.

I opted for white whole-wheat flour. Though its name seems like a contradiction, it is simply whole-wheat flour made from white wheat. The Whole Grains Council describes white whole-wheat flour as a sort of albino wheat. It's milled from hard white spring wheat, and the bran (outer layer) of the grain is lighter in color and milder in flavor, making it more appealing to those accustomed to the taste and texture of all-purpose flour.

To be clear: White whole-wheat flour is 100% whole-wheat flour and has all the vitamins, minerals and fiber of regular whole-wheat flour. 

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Beer bread is a simple quick bread that can handle heartier grains. Along with whole-wheat flour, this recipe features whole-grain oats. The original recipe called for quick-cooking oats, which are rolled oats cut into smaller pieces and rolled thinner. They cook faster than old-fashioned oats. 

Because I had only old-fashioned oats in my pantry, I measured out a cup and gave them a little chopping. You could also toss them in a food processor and give it a few pulses.

Both old-fashioned oats and quick-cooking oats are whole grains and contain all the nutrients that whole grains have to offer, including soluble fiber, which is credited with 
helping lower blood cholesterol levels.

With regard to the beer selection for today's bread, use what you enjoy. A dark beer or stout will give the bread a more intense flavor. A light beer or lager will yield a more subtle flavor. If you don't care for the taste of beer, substitute 1½ cups (12 ounces) plain seltzer water.

Darlene Zimmerman is a registered dietitian in Henry Ford Hospital's Heart & Vascular Institute. For questions about today's recipe, call 313-972-1920.

Whole-Grain Beer Bread

Makes: 1 loaf (12 hearty slices) / Prep time: 20 minutes / Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling time)

This is a hearty bread with 3 grams of fiber per slice.  You can make it with dark beer such as Guinness or a lighter beer.

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 ¼ cups white whole-wheat flour
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 container (5.3 ounce) low-fat plain Greek yogurt (about ⅔ cup)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 can (12 ounce) beer

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. Place rolled oats in a food processor and pulse 4 to 5 times until they are coarsely chopped, but not powdery. (This can also be done with a knife on a cutting board). In a large bowl, combine coarsely chopped oats, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil and beer. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. With a large spoon, gently stir until just incorporated. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool bread in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Adapted from Ina Garten by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD for Heart Smart and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

184 calories (20% from fat), 4 grams fat (0 grams sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 33 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 195 mg sodium, 1 mg cholesterol, 55 mg calcium, 3 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 2 starch, ½ fat.