In case you haven’t noticed I’ve been M.I.A. this past week, with barely one post written. Truth be told, I have been sick as a dog (though I still don’t quite know where that expression comes from). It started as the flu (either swine or the regular grade) and now has turned into a horrible case of bronchitis. My nights have been spent wheezing and coughing (thanks to asthma!) and my days have been spent exhausted, with more wheezing and coughing. I’m still sick, but am on new medicine so I am hoping once and for all I will kick the bug out of me and be on the road to recovery.
I must admit, I still baked this week. I made chocolate cupcakes for John as he had a birthday party to attend, as well as some blueberry muffins because I was craving them and just had to have them that instant (I suppose that’s more of a pregnancy thing). One thing I really really really wanted was toast with honey and cinnamon sugar. I craved a warm, freshly made loaf from the oven but simply didn’t have the energy or stamina to do it. My Whole Wheat Bread recipe is so easy that I pondered making it from scratch for about five minutes. Then I had an epiphany; there was an extra loaf in my freezer in the basement. I hopped right off the couch and went to retrieve the well wrapped frozen loaf so I could defrost it for my favorite snack later that night; tea and toast. Discovering previously baked goodies in the freezer is like Christmas: true bliss.
My Dairy and Egg Free Whole Wheat Bread is outstanding, and everything bread should be..crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, flavorful and wholesome. Homemade bread is something that can’t be beat, especially when you sick, down and out. In fact, my mom always made me cinnamon toast when I was sick as a child. She’d heavily butter the toast and then take that little shaker guy filled with cinnamon sugar and douse the heck out of that toast. I loved it. It always hit the spot. I also loved having honey and butter sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. It’s still one of my favorite treats to this day. And honey is one of the best cures for hacking coughs and sore throats.
I am excited to share my recipe for Whole Wheat Bread for you because I know it won’t fail you and it is extremely easy to make. Some people are very intimidated by any recipe that contains yeast. Don’t fall for this; yeast breads are actually one of the easiest things to make yet one of the most rewarding. You simply mix up the ingredients and let time do the work. You can even put your kids to work by having them do the minimal kneading that is required to develop the gluten. Have fun and bake a couple of loaves of bread. And remember to save that other loaf for later…someday the frozen treat might pick up your spirits when you most need it.
Old-Fashioned Dairy and Egg Free Whole-Wheat Bread
This is one of my favorite breads to make. It is delicious toasted and spread with dairy-free margarine and honey. Freeze the extra loaf by wrapping well in plastic wrap, then foil. Label, date and freeze for up to two months.
Yield: 2 loaves
4–41/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups soy or rice milk
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dairy-free shortening
11/2 teaspoons salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 21/2 cups of the flour and the yeast with a wire whisk. In a medium saucepan heat the soy milk, sugar, shortening, and salt until warm, about 110ºF. Add the soy milk mixture to the flour mixture, and beat on low for about one minute. Scrape down sides with spatula. Beat on high for an additional minute.
Stir in remaining flour, one cup at a time, to make a stiff, but pliable, dough. Turn onto floured board, and knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a bowl sprayed with dairy-free baking spray, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
Shape each portion into a ball, and place on lightly floured board. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest about 5 minutes. Place dough into two 8-inch loaf pans sprayed generously with dairy-free baking spray. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake 35 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly, and then remove from pans onto wire rack to cool completely.
I’m sorry to hear you are sick! Sounds like the same bug that hit at our house…the cough just lingers.
Take care of yourself. Very glad there was such a fabulous sounding treat waiting for you in the freezer. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kelly – sorry to hear you’ve been sick – nothing like being sick when pregnant and coughing your brain out! Hope you’re feeling better soon – thanks for the recipe – I chuckeled when I read your post b/c our new breakfast treat has been English Muffins w/butter & cinnamon sugar – it brings back memories of childhood for me too! Try rolling the bread dough flat, spreading it w/some butter and sprinkling the sugar then roll up, put in loaf pan and bake – your very own swirled cinnamon toast! Just like mom used to make!
Here you go with another yeast recipe! I promise I will try it. You make it sound so easy and yummy. Hope you are feeling better this afternoon.
Give it a shot girls! I promise it really is easy…you’ll never look at bread baking as a chore again! Carla, I will have to try that! Nothing beats cinnamon toast..yum.
Mmmm . . . sounds yummy. I love to bake bread — I usually mix up enough dough for several loaves and stick it in the fridge after the first rise. When I’m ready to make a loaf, I pull off the dough I need, do the second rise and pop it in the oven. Delicious!
Kelly, I’m so excited that I just got an e-mail that your book is on its way to me now!!! Congrats on its publication and hope you are feeling better soon.
That’s a wonderful idea Sharon! I love to do that with my pizza dough as well..pop it in the fridge earlier in the day, then when it’s dinner, the dough is already to go. Can’t wait to hear how it works for you!
My daughter was just diagnosed with a milk allergy and trying to find a bread without any in it is near impossible. I’ve actually just whipped together my first batch of this recipe and is in its first rising!!! I am excited to see how it comes out.
Dear Kelly, I am so thankful to have found your site. My 18 month old son was recently diagnosed with allergies to egg and peanut, and my husband has too many food allergies to list! We tried this bread recipe and your snickerdoodle recipe today. I have been cooking so much at home, and you have made my life easier as a working mom because it’s all so easy! We are so happy to eat delicious food in spite of their allergies. You are a household name now. Thank you! Kristina