Multi Grain Bread

I spent a lot of time trying to make good loaves of bread, and over time became very frustrated with lack-luster results.  I kept thinking that the problem was with me, and that I just couldn't make bread for some reason.  Then my friend, Jen, came over and showed me how she makes bread using her Grandmother's recipes.  Both the white bread and wheat bread turned out great!  And then when I tried making them on my own, they still turned out!  I had been doing the process right, I just wasn't using the right recipes.  Since then, I still try new bread recipes from time to time, but generally stick with the tried and true ones for bread.

When Our Best Bites (I know, I know) posted a recipe for multi-grain bread, I thought that I would give it a try since I like so many of their recipes.  It was wonderful.  The flavor was very similar to Jen's recipe, but it had that little extra chewy-bite texture to it (that is sometimes desirable, sometimes not) that you get from grains that aren't finely ground.  I still use the other recipe the most because my kids like the fine textured wheat bread, but this is nice for when I am in the mood for chewy, grainy wheat bread! 

Our Best Bites has the recipe here. 

I am lucky enough to have a wheat grinder, so I grind my own wheat.  Because I don't enjoy cleaning out the grinder (even though it is really easy), I always make 2-3 times more whole wheat flour than I need.  Then I just put it in plastic zippered freezer bags and store it in the freezer.  When I'm ready to make bread again, I just pull out the bag to let it come to room temperature, then make the bread.  The reason for keeping it in the freezer is because freshly ground wheat can go rancid really quickly.  It will last a couple weeks in the cupboard, but I use the freezer because I never know if something will come up where I am too busy to make the bread.  And, yes, that was learned by experience and a couple batches of whole wheat flour that went rancid.  Bleh. 

I tried the recipe using Bob's Red Mill 8 grain and then with the 10 grain.  I liked the 8 grain better.  The 10 grain was definitely just more cornmeal- and maybe millet?- so it was more gritty.  The 8 grain had more of the chewy whole wheat berry texture that I liked. 

My favorite way to eat the bread?  Toasted, lightly buttered, with sliced avocados and a little salt and pepper on top.  Heavenly!