Bread has been getting a bad rap for years. The food industry and their marketing efforts now label everything as gluten-free, taking advantage of the very small percentage of people who have celiac disease. This tricks the general public into believing that ‘gluten-free’ foods are more healthy.
The truth is the average person can digest whole grains and whole wheat breads. Consuming whole grains is a good way to get nutritional fiber that keeps our bodies regular. Whole grains offer healthy plant-based protein. While it is important to control the portions of white carbs/white flours, don’t be fooled by the words on packaged food labels. We need whole grains daily in a well balanced eating plan.
With my lecturing out of the way bring on the gluten!
Baking bread at home is fun and pleasurable for the whole family. Baking bread with old fashioned kneading, waiting, and rising is becoming a lost art. Have you tried using a high tech bread machine? I had one for a short time that took up half the pantry closet. There wasn’t much satisfaction in using it so we passed it along.
Not much compares to warm bread coming out of the oven and the joy of sharing it. It takes a little time and planning but the results are so worth it.
Kneading bread is a good arm work out!
Kneading bread can be satisfying and fun
Jenny Jones easy recipe for whole wheat bread is a goodie! Her video is entertaining and easy to follow. I recommend you watch the video and follow it step by step. Jenny is a cutie and she’s funny too.
*For OvenHug’s healthy tips and recipe modifications for baking fool-proof bread read the bullet points directly after this video.
Watch Jenny’s how to video and click on her detailed recipe along with the following OvenHug variations:
- double the recipe as one loaf of this yummy bread is not nearly enough!
- *use spray oil in the loaf pan (she has a correction note typed in the video but it is easy to miss since she verbally says ‘you don’t need oil’). I spray my pans liberally and have no problems with sticking
- cut down on the white flour and use mainly whole wheat flour (for a double batch I use 5 cups of whole wheat flour (for the added flour at the end of mixing I do use 1/2 white flour) – keep the ratio of wheat to white more concentrated on the wheat
- use honey instead of white sugar – as Jenny mentions in her video, if you’re using honey, add it after the warm milk is mixed in (also warm the honey first)
Double the recipe and make 2 loaves. The work is almost the same. Store the extra loaf in a large freezer bag either in the refridgerator or the freezer.
For Jenny’s full recipe on her blog click: HERE
*More recipe notes:
- be sure to use fresh active dry yeast. Yeast does expire! Fresh yeast helps the dough rise quickly. The results are a fluffy, soft bread
- warm the honey in the microwave (if it’s in a glass jar) and use spray oil the measuring spoon before using it for honey – the honey will slide right off!
Lastly, in the video Jenny says this is a one rise bread. I don’t know why she says that as there are 2 rises since there are two times you cover and let rise; once on the counter top after kneading and one more time when the shaped loaves are in the bread pan…silly Jenny.
On the note of making your own bread vs. buying it from the store, here are my reasons for making it at home:
- it’s fun – easily turns into a family activity
- control of what is going in to it (store brand breads often have extra additives, salt and preservatives)
- better taste
- warmly delicious out of the oven
If you prefer the complexity of multi-grain or seeded bread, add other grain variations as part of the whole wheat flour combination. Try grinding oats, quinoa or brown rice to add to the mix.
When we buy store bought bread for sandwiches during the week, we buy Dave’s Killer Bread in Powerseed.
I always have one loaf of Powerseed in the refridgerator and one in the freezer. It’s multigrain with high fiber, high protein and low sugar. It also has minimal additives and preservations – all the things I’m looking for in a good bread! (no affiliates, just a good bread that’s on the market).
Toasts have become all the rage. We have a quaint little sandwich shop in a neighboring town that specializes in making variations of toasts both savory and sweet. We experimented with making some of our own using home baked whole wheat bread.
Serving suggestion:
home baked whole wheat bread topped with Manchego cheese, OvenHug honey dew melon jam, and fresh mint.
We had our last weekend with our oldest daughter home from college for a long winter break. It has been a sweet visit – I hate to even say ‘visit’ because I sure do miss her living at home. I’m thankful for the time we’ve gotten to spend together and for the fact that she is going to school in state. She will be back home again before we know it.
Breaking bread at home having lunch with these two fabulous teens! Jordan was inspired to bake her own bread back at home after tasting ours :)))) Hooray!
For Jenny’s full recipe on her blog click: HERE
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