Things have been quiet at the Little Castle blog, but they definitely haven’t been quiet on the Little Castle home front. In addition to typical holiday busyness, I have another exciting announcement…I started a new job! And not just a new job…I’ve actually switched to a new career entirely. After years of working toward my master’s degree and working as a librarian, I realized the profession didn’t offer what I needed in terms of my professional goals and my goals for my family. This is not to knock the profession at all…I just knew that I needed more potential for advancement, professional development, and yes, financial stability for my family.
While at first, I had a bit of an identity crisis (who am I if I’m not a librarian?) I’ve accepted that I am not defined by work, but what I do and the relationships I have outside of work. Plus, my new work environment is awesome, and I’ve been given so much appreciation and support already, I know I made the right decision.
But no matter how good it is in the long run, change is hard! I’ve had to adapt to a new pace and learn so many new things, and of course the whole family is getting used to a new schedule and routine. Meal prep and meal planning has become absolutely essential to keeping our household running smoothly. Plus, having a well thought out meal plan is a great way to avoid wasting food.
Enter these flax and sunflower seed rolls. They are excellent for making sandwiches or as a side with stew or soup. I can make a big batch on the weekend and then use them in multiple meals and in a variety of ways during the week. Even better, the flax and sunflower seeds add a nutritional kick that the grownups appreciate, and the kids don’t even notice! Plus, I find myself needing a bit of carbohydrate comfort with all of the job change stress!
Eager to try them? Follow the recipe below.
Flax and Sunflower Seed Rolls Recipe
Ingredients:
160 g water
160 g milk (I use oat milk)
20 g honey
20 g olive oil
1 tbs active yeast
1 tsp salt
225 g white whole wheat flour
225 g bread flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions:
1. Combine the water and milk and warm so it is warm to the touch but not hot. Add the honey, olive oil, and yeast. Let sit for a couple of minutes until the yeast is active (a foam will form on the top).
2. Add the white whole wheat and bread flour to a mixing bowl. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the flour, stirring as you go, until a smooth ball forms. Add in the salt and knead the ball of dough. The dough will be smooth and not too sticky, but still elastic and easy to knead. Knead by hand for several minutes or use a stand mixer and dough hook. Cover and set aside to rise until about doubled in size (about an hour to an hour and a half depending on the temperature in your kitchen).
3. After the dough has risen, punch it down and then add in the flax and sunflower seeds. Knead the dough until the seeds are evenly distributed throughout and the dough forms a windowpane when stretched.
4. Divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls and then place in a greased 9x13 baking pan. They should be spaced so they do not touch at first, but it is okay if they are touching after they rise. If you’re aiming for totally equally sized rolls, I recommend weighting your dough on a food scale in grams and dividing that number by eight. That is how large each ball of dough should be.
5. When the rolls have roughly doubled in size (they should be puffed up, touching each other, and when you gently poke the dough with your finger, the dent will remain) preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until they are nicely golden brown on top.
6. Optional: brush the tops with a bit of butter or oil while they are warm and sprinkle with a bit of salt or (even better) sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning.
Enjoy!