Whole Wheat Savory Carrot Rolls/Buns

Did you know that an average American consumes about 160 pounds of sugar every year? When I read that, I was like what?? It is not just in cookies, cakes and desserts but everywhere. With that and the fact that most of the cereal that we eat for breakfast (I am talking about the commercially sold cold cereals), it is nice to eat something savory for breakfast. I made these rolls not for breakfast in general. You could have it as a tea time snack or for breakfast or as an accompaniment to soup or salad. These make great snack since they are about 112 calories per roll (approximately using the information I have on calories for each ingredient).

One Year Back - Spinach Tofu,  Marshmallow Fondant
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour - 2 1/2 cups
Warm Water - 3/4 Cup
Sugar - 1 TBSP
Salt - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 5 chopped fine (optional or about 1 TBSP red pepper flakes)
Cilantro - Chopped 3 TBSP (optional)
Instant yeast - 2 1/4 tsp
Olive Oil - 2 TBSP
Grated carrots - 1 cup (I used the medium grater and measured without packing the cup)
Little milk and oil mixture for brushing before baking (optional)

Method:
Mix warm water with sugar and yeast. When it froths, add oil, salt, whole wheat flour. Make a dough. It will be very dry and stiff. Don't be tempted to add water. When you add grated carrot, the juice in the carrot will bring the dough together. Add the grated carrots, green chillies. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. If you still feel the dough to be dry, add a TBSP of water to adjust. When kneading is done, this dough is smooth and not sticky. Work the cilantro in to the dough. Coat a bowl with a bit of oil and place the dough in the bowl. Turn once to coat all over the dough. Cover and let rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Dough might not double, but will be puffy. Deflate the dough at this point and divide into 12 parts. Roll them into rolls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Cover with a greased aluminum foil and let it rise for an hour. Again, the dough will not have doubled necessarily, but will have certainly got bigger.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Brush the rolls with milk and oil mixture if desired and bake for 25 - 28 minutes or until light golden on the top and the internal temperature shows between 200 and 210 F. Remove on to the wire rack to cool. You could brush with butter once the rolls are baked. I didn't do that.

Notes:
I always add vital wheat gluten for a whole wheat bread. I was out of it. That explains not so fluffy texture. But, the taste was awesome. If you are not a fan of whole wheat bread, try using half wheat and half white flour. You are not a spicy food fan? No issues. Omit green chillies and go ahead with it. Want it sweeter? increase sugar to 3 - 4 TBSP, omit green chillies and make it. They will taste awesome no matter what.
These rolls are being sent to Susan's Yeastspotting.
Since I did sit and calculate the calories in these rolls, here it is for you..

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