Homemade 100% Whole Wheat Bread

In my quest to eliminate or at least greatly reduce my white flour and sugar intake I have started making my own 100% whole wheat bread.  I have found that it is hard to find bread that is 100% whole wheat without any preservatives.  The brands that I have found are usually very dense and sometimes a little bit too hardy tasting.

I decided to start making my own so that I will know exactly what is going in to the bread.  However, as always, limited time is an issue for me.  So I found a recipe in the same 5 minute bread book that I posted about earlier.

I would post the recipe, but I do not want to break any copyright laws.  However, the bread has very few ingredients and is simple to mix and bake.  The only ingredients are whole wheat flour, honey, oil, yeast, milk and salt.

I mix up the bread and bake it on Sunday evenings, and then it lasts for the remainder of the week.  I have been experimenting with the recipe a little bit over the past few weeks.  I have added flaxmeal, whole flax seeds, oatmeal, and walnuts.  The flaxmeal I substituted for an equal amount of flour so that it would not change the ratio of dry to wet ingredients.  All of the other items I just added in addition to the regular recipe.  So far all of the additions have turned out fine.  The bread is a little bit dense, but has a great slightly sweet flavor to it.

I am hoping that I can soon start grinding my own flour rather than buying it in bulk from my local natural food store.

It is good with all kinds of toppings. . . 

PB&J, ham and cheese, 

chicken salad,
 

 avocado and cheese. 

 No matter what kind of sandwich, it makes for a great little lunch! 

Hmmm, I guess that I was feeling very orange today!  

- Laura

Homemade Bread

I have been anxiously awaiting this package in the mail for a few weeks.

It is a 4 quart polycarbonate food storage bucket with a plastic lid that is not totally air tight.   When the box arrived I opened it, took out the container, and washed it up.

Meghan recently sent me this book about making homemade bread in just 5 minutes a day! 

There are many different recipes in the book, but they are all variations of the basic recipe.  These are the only supplies that you need for the basic recipe.

The recipes are so fast because they make many loaves at once, and the dough stores in your fridge until you are ready to bake it.  It is also very easy to mix and store all in the same container.

After mixing the dough you leave it out to rise for two hours, and then put it in the fridge for up to two weeks!  Here is the dough just mixed. 
 

After one hour.

After two hours. 

When you want a loaf of bread, you simply take out the dough, shape it, and let it rise for 40 minutes. 

And of course bake it and eat it!

Mmmmmmm, warm homemade bread. 

- Laura

mmm... 'rabi!

Whenever the vegetable kohlrabi gets mentioned, my two year old chimes in with "mmmm, RABI!!"  (Sounds like cole-ROBBY) to us midwesterners.

I planted a bunch from seed in late April and it's already past due on harvesting and eating.  I was desperate for a snack today so I decided we would go eat out of the garden.  So simple!

In the garden, taking over the chard.

Dragging it inside:

Beg the two year old to please go "help" with something else while you use the knives:

(note to Laura:  He tried to ride the rolls around the room... oh college...)

Skin it!

I cut it into "Rabi Fries" for a snack:

I did it without any dip, but this would probably be the most delicious dip with it (from allrecipes.com)

             Ingredients

• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons grated onion
• 3 tablespoons dried dill weed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons seasoning salt

And then mix and dip!  You are supposed to refrigerate it overnight, but come on.  Who plans ahead like that!  I say just eat!  

-Meghan