Moist Wholemeal Bread Loaf

Wholemeal flour is milled from hard whole wheat and contains the bran, the germ and many nutrients. whilst bleached white flour which is favoured by most, it is stripped of all goodness and nutrients with no health benefits. What you need to understand is that food products using wholemeal flour have a different outcome than when using white flour. The bread, for instance, will not be as fluffy and bouncy, but it will be full of goodness for the body. In this recipe, I have demonstrated a method of making wholemeal bread which is moist, delicious, holds shape when sliced and easy to achieve with little effort.

I made the dough in two stages and the reason for this, is because the presence of bran and germ require more hydration than just white flour which contain none. This is why I make it sticky and moist for proofing stage 1 until the flour absorbed what moisture it needed, and then I remix it adding a little flour just so it holds shape and ready for final proofing. It is still slightly sticky, but this is how I get a loaf that is moist with minimal density possibel.

Wholemeal flour has many benefits over the white flour such as a high content of dietary fibre which prevents constipation, controls sugar release and lowers the bad blood cholesterol.

Also, wholemeal flour has a low glycaemic index GI. To explain it more, any carbohydrate-containing food -- including those made from wholemeal or white flour -- has some effect on the blood sugar. After eating a meal, our body breaks down the carbohydrates from the food into glucose, which is a simple sugar that enters the bloodstream, to provide fuel to our cells. The glycemic index, or GI, of food, serves as a measure of how quickly this process occurs.

High-GI foods lead to a rapid spike in blood sugar and quickly after a crash that leaves us hungry and irritable. While Low-GI foods are absorbed slowly and in return, releasing sugar slowly to the blood stream, preventing sugar spikes and subsequent crashes.

As for nutrients, wholemeal flour is rich in folate, riboflavin and vitamins B-1, B-3 and B-5 which diabetic patient should increase consumption of, also it contains iron, magnesium and zinc.

Whether diabetic or not consuming wholemeal products is what nature always intended for us. So make the right choices and take care of your body and in return, it will take care of keeping you healthy.

Yield: 1 loaf/14 slices

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Proofing stage 1: 50 minutes

Proofing stage 2: 50 minutes

Baking: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups wholemeal flour with bran (whole-grain wheat)

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 3 tablespoons ground flax seed

• 1 1/2 cups tepid water

• 1/4 cup tepid milk + 3 tablespoons

• 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan salt

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar, or honey

• 3 tablespoons rolled oats for topping

Method:

· Mix all ingredients together in a stand-alone mixer using the hook attachment until combined. It will be wet and sticky. You need to make sure all the flour is mixed well.

· Now you have one of 2 options. 1- follow the short cut for proofing bread as in my gluten free bread recipe. 2- leave in a warm place covered with a towel until doubled in size.

· After it has doubled in size, return the bowl to the mixer and beat again for a few minutes adding a spoonful of flour at a time, just enough so the dough starts to form a semi ball and holds shape. It will still be slightly sticky.

· Pour the dough into a 2-pound bread tin, sprinkle with rolled oats and press.

· Cover with a towel and repeat either proofing methods 1 or 2.

· Once it doubles in size, it is ready to bake.

· Preheat the oven on the fan setting to 180 C and bake for 45 minutes.

· Turn on a wire rack and let it cool for at least an hour and a half before slicing.

· Consume within 2 days or slice and freeze as in my gluten-free bread recipe.

Notes:

· For a lighter and bouncier texture, you could use 50% wholemeal flour and 50% white flour but, you will need to use less moisture.

· Ground flax seeds add texture and omega 3 to the bread. The benefits can be absorbed by the body only when flaxseed is ground.

· I love adding seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower as they add flavour and extra health benefits.

· Always wait at least an hour and a half for the loaf to totally cool down before slicing.

· Store in an airtight container or a plastic bag.

· As the bread contain no additives and preservatives, consume within 2 to 3 days or slice and freeze following the method in my gluten-free bread recipe

Per Loaf: 2094 Calories; 58g Fat (23.5% calories from fat); 75g Protein; 348g Carbohydrate; 65g Dietary Fibre; 15mg Cholesterol; 3298mg Sodium.

Per slice: 150 Calories; 4g Fat (23.5% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 236mg Sodium.