I belong to the Tastemaker Program, through Foodbuzz, where samples of products are sent by various companies to members of the Tastemaker’s team to try at home in their kitchens.  I recently received two loaves of Nature’s Pride bread–a 12 Grain loaf and a 100% Whole Wheat loaf. 

I rarely buy storebought bread these days, as I try to make all of our bread myself.  I do this for multiple reasons–cost, taste, and knowing that my bread isn’t made with a bunch preservatives, dyes, and corn syrup.  So how does Nature’s Pride measure up against those reasons? On the cost front it’s still cheaper to make my own bread at home (it costs approximately $.40 — $.60 per loaf including ingredients and energy consumption in my area).  I found Nature’s Pride at my local grocery store for $1.77 a loaf (on sale), however, and compared to many other brands, that is a great price.  On the taste front, I still prefer homemade bread.  But if for some reason I couldn’t make a loaf of bread, the Nature’s Pride bread would be on my list for bread to buy–the flavor and texture was excellent for being in the storebought bread category.  Finally, as far as ingredients go, this is where I found the bread to be most impressive.  Nature’s Pride does not use any artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, or trans fats in their breads.  In a world where we are hard-pressed to list all of the ingredients in our food, this is nothing to sneer at.  Ok, so I’m not going to stop making homemade bread, but I was impressed enough with Nature’s Pride to put it on my “back-up bread” list.

We immediately used the 12 Grain loaf to make a bunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to share and a picnic.  I really enjoyed this loaf.   It has been a while since I’ve eaten storebought bread, so it’s hard to compare, but this bread was a bit denser than what I would expect in a storebought bread–something I always enjoy in homemade bread.   It was soft and moist, and the mix of grains gave the bread a wonderful nutty flavor and a nice bit of crunch.  When I was deciding what to do with the 100% Whole Wheat loaf, I decided to think outside the box and have a bit of fun with it.

Makizushi, or “rolled sushi,” is made by rolling thin strips of fish and/or vegetables in sushi rice and nori (thin sheets of crispy seaweed).  In the spirit of makizushi I used my loaf of whole wheat bread to make some “mock-i-zushi”–a creamy filling filled with all sorts of yummies like diced roasted red bell peppers and grated cheddar cheese, rolled up in slices of bread that have been rolled out into thin sheets.  Sorry, corny I know…I just couldn’t help myself. 

Mock-i-zushi

Makes 56 to 84 pieces, depending on how big you make each piece

1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 4-oz. can of diced green chiles
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 c. finely grated cheddar cheese
14 slices whole wheat bread (approximately 1 loaf of bread, not using the heels)

1. Whip the softened cream cheese until a bit lighter and fluffier. Add the sour cream and mix until well combined.  Mix in the roasted red peppers, green chilies, green onions, and cheddar cheese until well mixed.

2. Cut the crusts off of each slice of bread.  Using a rolling pin, roll out and flatten each slice of bread until they are nice and thin.

3. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on a slice of the flattened bread, leaving about a centimeter on one end of the bread without spread on it.  Carefully roll up the bread starting with the end that has spread on it), applying a little bit of pressure so that the roll will stick together, but not so much pressure that the filling squeezes out.  Repeat step 4 to use up all of the bread and filling.  Place each roll in a container close to each other to help them maintain their round shape while they chill.  Refrigerate the rolls for at least 2 hours so that the rolls will be firm and easy to slice.

4. Slice each roll into 4 to 6 pieces with a sharp serrated knife and serve.