Whole Wheat Goodness

I was raised on whole wheat bread, my mom made it all the time, and taught me to make it at a young age. I LOVE whole wheat bread, and I have a sandwich bread recipe that's like a miracle, it's 100% whole wheat, very soft and moist, not at all crumbly. You can take a slice and fold it in half without it breaking. You can find that recipe on this blog.

But.... last fall I discovered no-knead breadmaking. What a revelation! It's so simple, you mix four ingredients- flour, yeast, water and salt, let them sit for a couple of hours, throw it in the fridge, and then at anytime over the next two weeks you can break off a hunk of dough and have a fresh, crusty, tender artisan loaf in about an hour. So that's how I, a lifelong whole wheat only lover, got seduced by white bread. I intially tried to substitute whole wheat, but the results were so dismal I gave up. But this week I decided to give it another try, and after several failures, finally have a pretty good working recipe. It needs a bit of tweaking yet, but it's very good as is. You can find it here. I doubled the yeast, and used more gluten, 40 grams total, but otherwise followed it as written. Now I have the best of both worlds, whole grain, and almost no work. It's healthier for me, and more in line with my own religious "health code", as found in Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they (animals) should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

Most people know that Mormons don't drink smoke, and don't drink alcohol or coffee. What most people don't know, is that besides banning things that are bad for you, the Word of Wisdom also tells you what a healthy diet should look like. Looking at the highlighted portions above, our diet should consist chiefly of grain, specifically wheat. In fact this is mentioned three times. Meat isn't abstained from, but used sparingly. This is repeated twice. Then herbs, or vegetables in season, and fruit in season. Even most members of the church focus solely on the alcohol, tobacco, and coffee restrictions. But the promised blessings:

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

are so great, that it seems a wise thing to more closely examine and adhere to ALL of the admonitions contained in the Word of Wisdom. Now that I've got the whole wheat no-knead thing worked out our daily bread will once again be the staff of life it should be, and that makes me happy.