I'll be the first to admit that we don't follow a low-carb lifestyle; however, I am very careful to be sure that we are eating wholesome and nutritious grains. In an effort to curb the grocery budget and also to control the ingredients in our bread, I make all of the bread that we eat.
Here is one of my recent favorite recipes (from Arrowhead Mills):
Hearty Brown Bread
I make this with all organic/natural ingredients.
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
1/4 cup millet flour
1 tsp salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups additional whole wheat flour
Stir yeast and molasses into water. Mix all dry ingredients except additional flour. Stir into liquids. Knead for 5 minutes, using as much additional flour as necessary to create a workable dough (taking care not to add too much and thus end up with a dry bread).
Transfer to a lightly-oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a plate, and allow to rise until doubled in size (about an hour).
Prepare 2 loaf pans. I make a parchment paper sling to fit the length of the pan and then drape up and over the sides (making it unnecessary to oil the pan, but if you don't have parchment you can oil the pan).
Lightly punch dough down and divide into two equal portions. Shape into loaf form and place in pans. Cover and allow to rise until dough reaches the top of the pans (about 45 minutes).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Transfer bread pans to oven, taking care not to jostle and deflate the loaves. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Bread is done nicely browned or when an instant read thermometer (inserted into the center of the loaf) registers 190 degrees. Transfer loaf to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Yummm .... we keep trying to make bread, but end up buying stuff from the store instead. I bought a used bread maker, but my kids don't like the bread's consistency.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started making our bread, my hubby didn't appreciate its chewier texture. But after a few months of only homebaked bread, I bought a loaf of Nature's Own (what we used to always buy), and he said it was gross. It seemed to spongey and soft to him, which compared to the toothsome texture of my bread, it was. That said, sometimes you just have to get used to something different before you can appreciate how much better it really is. I know convincing kids of this can be really difficult (I'm just glad Liam is growing up on the good stuff...)
ReplyDeleteNow that winter has descended and the cold has moved into my bones, there's nothing that sounds quite as delicious as a warm loaf of homemade bread. I'm still working on finding time to make bread but I shall do it at least once this winter.... and maybe I'll even try this recipe! Thanks so much for joining us this week for Thrifty Green Thursday!
ReplyDeleteThat recipe looks delicious indeed. Have you experimented with any of the no-knead artisan bread recipes out there? I have had good luck with those. They require very little hands-on work and usually come out much better than other breads I've made. That might be a good solution for those of you who are short on time. (You do have to allow a lot of rising time--12 to 18 hours.)
ReplyDeleteI have been baking my own bread since I was about 13 years old, but sometimes I stop doing it and rely on store-bought bread. You have inspired me to bake a loaf soon!