100% Whole Grain Bread

Bread is not evil.  I repeat, bread is not evil.

"Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither

poverty nor riches, but give me only

my daily bread." Proverbs 30:8

So today I thought I'd show you how I make my daily bread.

A couple years ago I started hearing about friends who grind their own wheat. What??  I imagined these industrious women sitting on their kitchen flours, or maybe outside, with a large clay bowl balanced on their laps, straining with a pestle to turn that wheat into flour.  I scoffed.

But then I saw what they were talking about, heard some of the health benefits, and suddenly was curious to give it a try. 

First off, this is what grinding wheat in the 21st century looks like.

Welcome to my Nutrimill.  Its a handy dandy little machine that takes beautiful kernels of wheat...

...and turns it into whole wheat flour at the twist of a dial.  I know I'd get some gnarly triceps with that mortar and pestle thing, but this is way better!



To make my bread I take that super-fresh flour - 12.4 oz. of it, to be exact - and mix it up with some whole millet, oatmeal, flaxmeal, vital wheat gluten, instant yeast,

and dough enhancer.



Ingredients: whey, lecithin, tofu powder, citric acid, dry yeast,
sea salt, spice blend, corn starch, ascorbic acid, natural flavor
(It makes the bread a little fluffier.)

 Then I warm up a little milk, water, honey, salt, and canola oil, to about 105 degrees.

I stir the liquids into the dry ingredients, until just barely combined.

I cover it with a little plastic wrap, set my timer for 10 minutes, and go read an article in the magazine that's been sitting on my coffee table for two weeks.  (The rest time gives the hearty flour more time to soak up the liquids.)

When time's up, I knead the dough in my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook for 7 minutes.  Again, I set the timer and forget about it for a little while.

When time's up again, I pull out the dough, shape it into a ball, and cover it with greased plastic wrap.  I set the timer (again) for 15 minutes, and go put on a moisturizing mask while I wait.

Finally, it's time to shape the dough!  I put it into a greased 8x4 inch bread pan, and set it in a warm place to rise, covered in greased plastic wrap.

When it is nicely risen...

I bake it for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Then I have a beautiful, healthy, homemade loaf of 100% whole grain bread. 

Sometimes I do it for the joy of baking, and sometimes it's just a labor of love for my family.  But later that day, when I get to eat the warm, soft goodness I never regret the time spent!

100% Whole Wheat Bread
12.4 oz whole wheat flour - about 2 1/2 cups
3 tbsp. flaxmeal
3 tbsp. vital wheat gluten
2 tbsp. oatmeal
1 tbsp. millet
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 rounded tsp. dough enhancer
2 tbsp. milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Whisk together flour, flaxmeal, gluten, oatmeal, millet, yeast and dough enhancer.  In a small bowl, combine milk, water, honey, oil, and salt.  Microwave on high for about 45 seconds until warm to the touch, but not hot, about 105 degrees.  Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.  Knead well.  Let rest for 15 minutes, covered.  Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan.  Let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled (about 30 minutes, maybe longer).  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Immediately remove the bread from the pan and let it rest on a cooling rack until completely cooled.