Flax Seed Whole Wheat Bread

Don't lie, you know you love bread. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. Sometimes we 'hate' bread because we have discovered that you really shouldn't eat it at every meal and well, especially for white breads or breads with a base of bleached, white flour, they aren't very nutritious on their own. Does that usually stop us? Sometimes, but not always. I know some people who have successfully given up almost entirely on eating bread and are healthier for it, but this is not one of those breads to hate. Or bread doughs, because it is so much more than bread.

I've decided- this is a bread to love. This is no summer fling bread. You can bring this bread home to momma. You love it and it loves you in return- because it has some good stuff in it and it tastes so darn good. And, it's flexible. It's not just bread dough- you can make anything bready and carby with it- they suggest hamburger buns. I suggest pizza. See below.

Liquids that will soon be poured into the tub above and mixed

I've talked about this type of bread before- the now pretty famous "5 minutes a day" type. I bought the "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" recently and have been trying it out. This is my new favorite- I added flax seed to it, just because I totally can, and I'm glad I did for a really silly reason. It's kind of pretty. It adds such a nice little fleck of color- I don't even really mind that it also adds some health benefits! Omega 3's- How about gorgeous contrast!

It's described as sandwich bread your kids will love and I chose to make it because the other recipes I had tried seemed like they needed something to fire back at the yeasty bite I was receiving-I thought a bit of honey would do the trick and when I stumbled upon this recipe in the cookbook, I was ecstatic.

This makes making bread so so easy. You just mix a few things, let it sit, then make a loaf and let it sit some more. Then bake and enjoy! The dough lasts in your fridge for up to 5 days. I highly suggest any of their books if you are even remotely intrigued and if you think you can't- then I think you must. 

Flax Seed Whole Wheat Bread 
adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

makes 2 (2lb) loaves (if making loaf bread) or 4 (12 inch) pizzas

5 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup flaxseed meal (ground flax seed- you can buy it ground up or grind it up yourself- try the coffee grinder!)
1 tablespoon kosher salt (adjust to taste, and use less if you are using Morton's)
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
2 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup honey
5 large eggs
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter (or use a neutral oil)

While the title suggests this will take only five minutes, the waiting time is much longer, the prep time is though- just five minutes. These are the steps, you will want to make this ahead of time.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl or a lidded (not air-tight) tupperware/food container. I use a large, rectangular container that used to hold granola bars in my pantry. Be sure to really stir this dry mixture around, getting the wheat gluten all mixed up with everything else.

Next, mix all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then pour them into the container with the dry ingredients. Mix this up well, getting all the dry stuff mixed in well. You may need to use wet hands to get it all.

And really, that is it for preparing the bread. That's the 5 minutes aspect of it, in my opinion. Now, let it sit with the lid on (or plastic wrap on the bowl, but don't make it air tight) and let it rise and collapse. Do not punch the dough down.

The dough can be used right away, or you can refrigerate it and use it over the next 5 days.

How do you want to use it? 

Loaf of Delicious Bread: 

Lightly grease a loaf pan (8x4ish). Dust the surface of the dough and pull off a cantaloupe sized piece (should be about half of the dough). Dust a little more flour on the top and quickly pull it into a ball, as they show you here:  

It will be bigger than the ball he has here, and should fill your loaf pan about 3/4 of the way. Let it rest for 90 minutes in a warm place. I opted to put a little melted butter on the top of my loaf before baking it, just a note.

About 60-75 minutes into the resting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the oven is preheated and the 90 minute rest period is up- bake the bread for 45-50 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Adjust your baking time if you made a smaller or larger loaf. Allow the bread to cool before serving.

Pizza: 

Preheat the oven to 550 degrees (or 500 if that is the highest your oven will go) and place your baking stone near the bottom third of the oven. I use a terra cotta pot bottom for my baking stone- and have for years. Much cheaper!


Dust the surface of the dough and pull off a grapefruit sized piece, as shown in the video above, and shape it into a ball. Sprinkle some cornmeal or flour on your cutting board or pizza peel. Shape the pizza on the board/peel and top as you feel fit. Slide it into the oven (you may need a few shakes of the hand to wiggle it off the peel) and turn on the exhaust fan, because things will get a bit smokey with that flour or cornmeal flying into a hot oven.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, check it at 8 and go from there. Allow the pizza to cool a bit before serving.

Other? Get the book! You won't regret it.

Enjoy!
-m