Why am I so excited you ask? I’m not a baker. Definitely not. I tend to have very little patience for baking. Too much measuring this, too much measuring that. And you can’t taste the darn thing until it’s cooked! By that time if it’s not good it’s too late. I much prefer adding a pinch of this, adding pinch of that, a little taste here, a little taste there – a pinch more of this, a pinch more of that. Get my drift?
But I decided as the weather cools down that I really wanted to experiment with baking breads. I mean what’s better than the smell of fresh baked bread – well I mean other than eating fresh baked bread? Not much.
You know, I feel bad for all those people who think they shouldn’t eat bread. Man are they missing out. I guess they don’t realize that you can have your bread and eat it too. I mean bread or rather carbs is not the enemy. In fact, carbohydrates are a very important nutrient. What makes them so important? Well, its the body’s number one source of energy. But not all carbs are created equal – choosing unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, fruits and vegetables , beans and legumes are your best bet. And yes, carbs are even important if you’re a diabetic.
So okay, I get it. People lose weight on a low-carb diet. But you know why? Anytime you decrease your intake of something you’re also eating fewer calories. You know what eating fewer calories means? Yup, weight loss. Seriously. I don’t make this stuff up. And let’s be honest, it’s not realistic to live your life limiting carbs. In fact, there are some potential short and long term health implications that are pretty scary.
Okay, enough of that – back to my bread. Now I still would not consider myself a baker but I’m pretty proud of my bread. It’s crunchy on the outside and and slightly chewy on the inside. In fact, I think it’s a good dunking bread – looks like there may be some soup in my future.
Have you ever baked your own bread?
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ teaspoon active yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 1½ cups water + 1 tablespoon
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add water and mix with your hands to incorporate all ingredients. If the mixture is too dry add a little water. Try not to overwork the dough, just get it so all the ingredients are combined.
- Form into a ball, place back in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight.
- The next day, place your dough on a lightly flour your working surface, punch down dough and mold into a round shape. Cover with clean towel and let rise for an additional hour.
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 450 degrees. Please a large pot in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- After the dough has risen, carefully place dough into preheated ungreased pot.Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove lid and let bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from pot and let cool slightly before slicing.
Yum! Your knowledge and ability astound me!