Free Form Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I was in graduate school the first time I made bread. Years before I became vegetarian, I was trying on vegetarianism as a weight-loss diet and cooking vegetarian dishes out of a popular cookbook of that era. For some reason, the book’s authors recommended cooking whole wheat bread in 2-quart cans, the kind juice comes in, and I followed that advice. (With what we know today about BPA, I shudder to think what leached into that bread.)

In those early days of my bread making, there was no white whole wheat flour, no vital wheat gluten, no bread machine, just me and my muscles and the most basic whole wheat flour, and the tube-shaped loaves I created were better suited for weight lifting that eating. My bread made even avowed bread-lovers like my parents run the other way when they’d see me stagger up their driveway with a basketful of heavy, brown cylinders.

Everyday

First of all, I let my new bread machine do all the kneading, shaping, and even baking (in a rectangular pan, thank you very much). And I’ve learned that white whole wheat flour makes a much lighter loaf than traditional whole wheat flour and that vital wheat gluten helps trap more air bubbles so the bread rises higher. Finally, thanks to a tip by Philippa Sonnichsen, a reader of this , I found that one small substitution makes an even better loaf of whole wheat bread. And that secret ingredient is…

Whole Grain Fluffy Wheat Bread

…bean broth. Or aquafaba, as people have started to call it. It’s simply the liquid in a can of beans or the broth that’s created when dried beans, usually chickpeas, are cooked. As it turns out, the liquid that most of us have been pouring down the sink can be whipped into meringues and used to replace eggs in lots of recipes. If you want to see some amazing uses of aquafaba, check out the Facebook group where I first learned about it.

We’ve been told for years to rinse the liquid off our canned beans (because it tastes bad, because it contains too much salt, because…), and though I do use the liquid from a can of chickpeas in my Hummus in the Blender, I was really reluctant to go much farther with aquafaba. The meringues and other desserts made with it depend on sugar to hold their shape once they’re whipped, so I couldn’t see any healthy uses for bean water. But when Philippa wrote to tell me that chickpea broth was improving the quality of her homemade bread, I just had to give it a try.

First I substituted it for the water in the bread I’d been making with a blend of whole wheat flour and bread flour, and it was a definite improvement. Then I decided to put it to the test in 100% whole wheat bread, and I was amazed. The whole wheat bread was almost identical in height to the bread made with a blend of flours, and though its texture was a little denser, the difference was hardly noticeable.

Simple Spelt Bread Recipe

I used the liquid from two cans of chickpeas in the following recipe, which gave me about 1 2/3 cups of aquafaba. I topped it off with water to get the full amount of liquid needed for the recipe. (I used the chickpeas to make 3-Minute Chickpea Salad.) The chickpeas I had were salted, so I reduced the amount of salt in the recipe to account for that.

This recipe should work in machines that will make a 2-pound loaf of bread. For best results, add the ingredients in the order suggested in your machine’s manual.

Stir flour before measuring. Use nesting measuring cups and spoon flour into cups until over the top. Level by sweeping across the top with a knife.

Homemade 100% Whole Grain Bread Recipe

1 2/3 cups water or aquafaba 2 2/3 cups white whole wheat flour 2 cups bread flour 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (1 tsp. if using aquafaba) 2 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast (2 tsp. active dry yeast if using regular cycle)

Nutrition (per serving): 134 calories, 6 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 221.5mg sodium, 154.6mg potassium, 27.6g carbohydrates, 4.4g fiber, 1.7g sugar, 6.5g protein.

If you’d rather not use chickpea broth, I understand, and the recipe will still make a great loaf of bread. But if you give aquafaba a try–in this recipe or any bread recipe–leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread (rolls, Buns, And Loaf)

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy something through them, I receive a commission that helps support this site. Thanks for your purchase!You know, I always wanted to be the kind of person who makes their own hummus and bakes their own whole wheat bread. So I’m pretty chuffed that I have become this person!

So now I can feel all wholesome and earth-motherish. Well, at least I would if I had some kiddos other than my two cat babies.

Fat

And ‘eating clean’ is quite the popular phrase in diet culture. But depending on which diet camp you’ve found yourself, ‘clean’ can have vastly different meanings. Like for some it means eating plenty of meat but cutting out grains and processed foods. And of course that is not at all what it means in the vegan community.

Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

But anyway, I am not a fan of labelling foods like this because it’s a value judgement, like ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Which some can take to extremes and it can lead to eating disorders (not good).

But that being said, lately it can be hard to find a loaf of bread in the store that doesn’t have a heap of junk in it. There is one particular loaf of wholewheat bread that I bought, and we just didn’t get around to eating it (or throwing it out).

However, it was just as perfectly fresh 3 weeks after purchase as it was on the day I brought it home from the store. Hmmm.

Soft Whole Wheat Bread Perfect For Sandwiches Baking A Moment

So I do like to make some whole wheat bread myself, and when it’s as easy as THIS, then there’s no reason not to! Also check out our other super easy bread recipes, our vegan white bread, vegan soda bread and vegan focaccia.

You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

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I have literally never come across a recipe as easy as this. It’s just 5-ingredients, and you don’t even have to knead it.

Easy Whole Wheat Artisan Bread (no Knead!)

In fact, kneading is out with this recipe. You just throw some whole wheat flour, instant yeast and a little salt to a mixing bowl.

Mix in to just combine (no kneading! I’m not going to tell you again you super-keen kneading fan), move it into a greased loaf pan (a little parchment paper on the bottom is also a good idea), cover it and leave it to rise for 20 minutes.

It does all its rising before it even hits the oven. So the height it is when it goes in is pretty much the height it is when it comes out.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe (vegan, Egg Free)

I mean really I don’t think it could be easier even if you used a bread machine. Well, I’ve never used a bread machine so I can’t really compare, but with a recipe as easy as this, who needs a bread machine?

And the BEST thing about baking your own whole wheat bread is your whole house smells delicious and you get to eat it warm from the oven.

Easy

I mean really if you don’t feel like cooking, just make a loaf of this (it barely counts as ‘cooking’ it’s too easy), and serve it with a huge salad, maybe some roasted garlic hummus and avocado and various other toppings and dinner is done and dusted!

Homemade 100% Whole Wheat Bread (vegan + Perfect For Sandwiches)

Of course it goes immensely well with any homemade soups too! So if you’re having a delicious vegan potato leek soup or vegan tomato soup or vegan lentil soup for dinner, then this is going to be awesome for dipping.

This recipe is very versatile and has worked great when we’ve switched up the flours. We have tried this recipe as follows and all have worked out great:

It even works with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend. I find that adding a tablespoon or two of olive oil (at the same time as the other wet ingredients) makes the gluten-free version come out softer.

Whole Wheat Bread [step By Step Video]

It’s best when very fresh (the day of making it) but it will keep for a couple of days in a closed container and it also makes very delicious toast!

You can freeze it, and that’s best done on the day of baking to lock in the freshness. If you freeze it on the second or third day then you can use it for toast straight from the freezer.

Whole

Serving: 1 Slice | Calories: 116 kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.5 g | Protein: 4.5 g | Fat: 0.8 g | Saturated Fat: 0.1 g | Sodium: 74 mg | Fiber: 3.6 g | Sugar: 0.8 g

Oil Free 100% Whole Wheat Vegan Bread Machine Recipe

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