Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

There’s nothing better than the smell of a yeast bread rising in your kitchen.

And it’s an easy and healthy bread recipe, too!

This recipe is a fun way to get kids involved in making a healthy version of their favorite sandwich, too! If they help make the bread, they are more likely to want to eat it!

As an added bonus, the method of rolling the dough before putting it in the loaf pan gives a beautiful swirl to the bread. Homemade whole wheat bread is definitely a must have every week in our house…and should be in yours too!

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

adapted from The Southern Heritage Breads Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water (should feel like warm bath water)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour

How-To

1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar into the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy on the top.
2. In the meantime, Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt, canola oil and flours into a medium bowl.
3. Once the yeast has proofed, add it to the bowl and stir until blended into a soft dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
5. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a well greased, large bowl, covering the whole ball of dough with the cooking spray.
7. Cover and let sit in a warm draft-less space for an hour and a half. I heat a bowl of water for 5 minutes in the microwave to make a warm humid place. Once the water is done, quickly take out the water and place the dough bowl in the microwave.
8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
9. Roll out the dough to a 14″x7″ rectangle.
10. Rolling from the narrow side, tightly roll the dough into a log.
11. Pinch the sides of the dough together and place the log seam-side down into a greased loaf pan.
12. Cover and let sit in a warm, draft-less space for an hour.
13. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
14. Uncover the loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until lightly browned and hollow when tapped.
15. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
16. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack.