By Wendy

I love bread. And baking bread is probably one of those things that everyone should learn. It’s one of the simplest foods you can eat but it really can go with every meal. And it holds tons of those essential nutrients to keep you full and energized for the entire day. Usually we pack sandwiches for lunch, which means going through at least one store bought loaf of bread a week. Instead of buying bread this week, we decided to bake it. You’ll be eliminating all those unknown ingredients that come with commercial food production but also more environmentally friendly.

What you need:

3 cups warm tap water, about 110 degrees Fahrenheit
2 envelopes (0.25 ounces) of active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey

5 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon salt
3 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

What to do:

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups all purpose flour, and stir to combine. Let it set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

Combine 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour.

Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until it’s not too sticky – just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough.

Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes.

Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard.

With your freshly baked bread, you can make toast, sandwiches, or even enjoy with soup. Here are some healthy soup recipes the whole family will enjoy.

Roasted Carrot Soup- this soup is good for you and fun for the kids to decorate and create their own designs.

Simple Tortellini Soup- healthy and easy to make, this simple tortellini soup is all about comfort and warming the soul.

Have you ever tried making your own bread?

****

Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.