Homemade Bread Recipe

I have started making this wheat bread about 2 times per week. It's been a few weeks since I've bought any bread from the store! When I started reading the ingredients on the 100% whole wheat bread that I normally buy, I decided that I could do it at home and make it healthier and yummier.

I based my recipe on this one, with only a couple of changes. You can use oil in place of the applesauce if you don't have any, but I always keep unsweetened, natural applesauce on hand for baking. I never use oil in baked goods if I can help it--applesauce is healthier and tastes better! You can also experiment with different additives--in today's loaf I'm adding some wheat germ to help balance out the white flour!

Ingredients

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons applesauce
4 tablespoons honey (local, if possible)
1 teaspoon (kosher) salt
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flax meal (optional)
1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed. Before adding the yeast, make a little "well" in the flour to put the yeast in. Yeast shouldn't touch the wet ingredients.

2. Set on dough cycle (takes about 90 minutes).

3. When the dough cycle is finished, take it out and press it into a very lightly greased loaf pan (I use a little Pam olive oil or canola oil spray).

4. Cover the pan and let the dough rise in a warm place for 20-45 minutes (until it has doubled in size).

5. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until golden brown.