The Best Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Variation by Amy

Yes, another bread recipe. Sporting 100% whole wheat, unsaturated fat, honey and loads of vitamin C, this recipe is not only healthy but unbelievably easy and delicious. My favorite recipe, developed for years and nowhere near as healthy, is never missed and now completely replaced by my variation of this bread recipe. Most stores sell vital wheat gluten in quantities too small to make this recipe economical for daily bread. Dividing a bulk order with friends, we got 7 lbs. (2 gallon size bags) for $14, including shipping.

Makes 4 loaves, approx. 1 hr. start to finish.

Set oven to 160F. (I set mine at 200F but it seems to run a but low)

In mixing bowl add:

2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2/3 cup Honey

2500 mg Vitamin C tablet(s), non-chewable, crushed

½ cup Vital Wheat Gluten

3 cups Whole wheat flour (I use red wheat)

3½ Tbsp. Yeast (generous spoonfuls)

4 tsp. Salt (generous tsp.)

½ cup Roasted sunflower seeds (optional, but worth it)*

5 Cups Hot water (out of tap)

*Another optional additive: Steel cut oats, for a heartier texture. Steel cut oats are like cracked wheat but oats, not to be mistaken with rolled oats or oat groats. Before beginning, add about ½ cup oats to 2 c. of the hottest tap water. Proceed with the recipe adding water with oats last, as usual.

Mix everything until it forms a batter (a min. or so). Then, add the remaining flour 1 c. at a time (it is important not to add the flour too fast), until the dough cleans the sides of the mixer.

7-10 cups Whole wheat flour

Mix at Speed 2 for around 8 minutes, no more than that. Use this time to clean up work area, spray loaf pans and a place to rest the dough. Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and allow it to rest on an oil-covered surface, I use my large bread bowl. Divide dough into 4 equal parts; use a scale if you care to.

Working one loaf at a time, push, stretch, poke and pat the dough into a somewhat level, even rectangle about the width of your bread pan and as long as it wants to be. Then, roll it up to form a loaf. Tuck the sides under and pinch up the seam across the bottom, placing it in the pan seam-side down. To finish the loaf, you can wet the top with water (wet paper towel or pastry brush) and dust with wheat flour or rolled oats.

Put the loaves into the 160F oven for 10 minutes.

Leaving the loaves inside the oven, turn the oven up to 350F and bake approximately 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped. This bread is so soft I always take one loaf and cut it in half to make sure it’s set in the middle- better safe than sorry.

Remove loaves from the oven and let sit in pans for about 10 min., then turn the loaves out to cool. Cool completely before wrapping. Freezes well.

Amy's Étouffée

Serves 8-10

This etouffee is vegetarian and contains tofu. If you would like to substitute shrimp or crayfish for the tofu skip steps 1 and 3 and add the meat at the end. It won't taste as good.

Copy and Paste Shopping Check List:

1 pkg. Extra Firm tofu
2 juicy lemons
dried chipotle or cayenne pepper
thyme
Penzey's Rojo Seasoning (this is also great added to any Mexican dish and quinoa)
salt, pepper, sugar, flour
dried onion (opt.)
garlic
1 c. butter
2 yellow onions
1 red onion
green, red and orange bell peppers
celery
bunch of mature fresh spinach
tomato paste
4 c. vegetable or chicken stock
brown rice or grits (for serving)

Other rather common etouffee ingredients are:
zucchini, mushrooms, and kidney beans

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Step 1:
-The key to success in cooking with tofu for ANY recipe is marinating it appropriately-

Wrap a block of extra firm tofu in a paper towel and then a dish towel. Press the tofu for 10-15 min. under something flat and heavy, like a cookbook that you won't find this recipe in. Meanwhile prepare rice/cut some veggies.

Step 2:
Cook 3-4 c. rice in rice cooker. I prefer short grain brown with this recipe (add salt and a little butter)

Step 3:
When tofu has been properly pressed, cut tofu into popcorn shrimp-sized cubes and carefully place in plastic gallon-sized bag. Then, prepare marinade and add to bag. Lay flat in fridge and turn over from time to time.

Tofu Marinade:

2 lemons, juiced
Chipotle pepper, to taste (Cayenne works. I do just a dash so the heat comes from Tabasco at the table. It's more child-friendly this way)
1-2 Tbsp. Rojo Seasoning from Penzey's Spices. Oh, you don't have it/know what it is? Well, then I guess you can't make the best etouffee ever, huh?!
salt and black pepper
1-2 Tbsp. sugar
handful dried onion (obviously you can sub. fresh)
1 tsp. dried minced garlic (or 1-2 bulbs, minced)
1/2 c. hot water

Step 4: The Roux

In heavy bottomed large pan melt 1 c. butter over med. heat. Add 1/2 c. flour and cook, reduce heat to med-low and cook, whisking nearly constantly until the roux is deep brown- think dark wood paneling circa 1970. This should take close to 30 min. I like to have the cutting board near by and chop as I whisk. When chopping is done, I turn the heat up to med. again and stir constantly to speed the browning up a bit.

Step 5:
Chop the following into a big bowl:

2 med. yellow onions
1 small red onion
3 bell peppers- green, red and orange
1 c. finely chopped celery (I use the softer inside stuff and some leaves)
2 Tbsp. minced garlic

(Chop but do not add to bowl)
3 c. fresh, adult spinach, sliced long (this is a modest approximation)

When the roux is done, add the bowl of vegetables and saute about 8 min.

Step 6:
Add and bring to simmer over med. heat:

1 tsp. dried thyme
4 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
Chopped spinach

Last Step:
Add tofu and marinade and return to simmer. Reduce heat and cook about 15-20 min., stirring periodically.

Serve on rice and accompany with Tabasco or your favorite Cajun hot sauce and a confident smile.

Blueberry Clafouti (Try it, you'll like it)

Blueberry Clafouti
Based on ideas from multiple sources, but completely my own recipe.

Prepare an 8"X8" baking dish by greasing the bottom and sides with butter and then coating with granulated sugar.  Cover the bottom with fresh or frozen blueberries. Other berries (raspberries, cherries, plums, apricots) work just as well.

In a blender puree the following:
~ 2/3 C lowfat cottage cheese
~ 2/3 C nonfat plain yogurt
3 large eggs (we used 5 small ones from our  chickens)
1/2 C sugar
~2 tsp vanilla
a scant 1/2 tsp salt

Once the above mixture is smooth and with the blender still on add 1/2 C flour slowly so that no lumps form.

Poor into the prepared 8"X8" baking dish.

Cook at 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until the center is set and the edges are slightly browned.  Let cool ~5-10 minutes and eat while still warm.  We like it with powdered sugar and lemon juice or just plain old maple syrup.