Happy Marvelous (I might change my mind on that one as I take my first step out of bed :P) Monday! Thanks so much to everyone who sent me a message yesterday. I am sure you saw that 2:45 was not what I wanted at the Chicago marathon, but it is a step in the right direction, and I know my time is coming. I will explain more in my recap posts. I have a lot to tell you, it was an incredible few days! 
For now, you can enjoy Meatless Monday, please join Confessions of a Mother Runner and I in our weekly linkup!
Over the last year, I have been working on trying to remove processed products from my life as much as possible. I realize when I go out to eat, most places will use many processed items, and I am okay with that, but while I am at home, what I can make from scratch, I will.
My favorite thing to make from home is definitely homemade bread. The smell when it is fresh out of the oven is heavenly, and having a slice with almond butter while it is still warm, is one of my favorite things to enjoy. We are now in a routine of making a loaf every sunday, which lasts about 5 days, and usually do not need sandwiches on the weekend. Making bread is really not as difficult as most people think, although I would definitely recommend using a kitchen aid to mix the dough. If you can do it by hand, then more power to you! Bread making does take some time, but not much effort, which is why a Sunday afternoon is the perfect time to make it.
I have adapted the recipe many times until I found one that was just right for us. I like a seeded loaf, but Steve prefers simple whole wheat, so while I am not working, I have been making this for him. Hopefully you enjoy this bread as much as we do!
Whole Wheat Bread
Makes 1 large loaf*
Preparation time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup warm water (I run the water till it is just a little too warm to wash my hands in)
2 1/4 tsp yeast (or 1 packet)
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bread flour
2-3 cups whole wheat flour**
Optional 1/4 cup oats, 1/8 cup quinoa, 1/8 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
Add the yeast, warm water, and honey to the mixing bowl. Stir to combine. The yeast will not completely dissolve, but should be well distributed, and the honey melted into the water.
Add the 1 1/2 cups bread flour, and 1 cup whole wheat flour.Using the bread attachment hook for the mixer, and stir until well combined.
Scrape what you can off the mixing hook, and cover the dough with greased cling film/saran wrap, followed by a kitchen towel/tea towel. Turn on the oven for around 1 minute, until it reaches 110 degrees F (or feels slightly warm), turn off, and place the dough into the oven.
Leave for 30 minutes, until it is bubbly and has doubled in size.
Remove, saving the greased wrap, and place back onto the mixer. Add the melted butter and salt. Stir using the bread hook over a low speed. Add the 1/2 cup bread flour, and 1 cup whole wheat. Once most of it has mixed in, turn the speed up to medium (on my kitchen aid that was a 4-6/10. Add optional ingredients, followed by additional flour until the dough is just peeling itself away from the pan. It will be moving fast, but you will notice it will come away from the edge slightly, leaving an almost clean bowl. Keep the kitchen aid running for a few more minutes. And remove from the pan. It should be very elastic, and will stick to your hands if you do not keep it moving.
Transfer to a large, greased mixing bowl, and cover with the cling wrap and towel. Turn the oven on for another minute, or until warm, turn off, and place back into the oven until doubled in size (around 45 minutes).
Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a long, rectangular shape. It should be less than 1/4 inch thick. Starting at one of the short sides, roll the dough up on top of itself, so it creates a log.
Place the dough into a greased large loaf pan. Cover with the cling wrap and towel, and place back in the oven for 30 minutes, until risen above the top of the pan.
Boil a cup full of water, and place into the microwave. Without removing the wrap or towel, transfer the loaf to the microwave (NOT TURNING ON!) while the oven heats up to 350 degrees F.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of 190 degrees has been reached. It will be golden brown. Immediately remove from the pan, and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before 
cutting (although this will be difficult!).
*Requires large loaf pan
** How much your bread needs changes each time depending on the moisture in the air. Read instructions to see how much to add.
Recipe Adapted from All Recipes
How often do you make homemade bread? What is your favorite food to make from scratch? If you are not joining our linkup today, have you been participating in meatless monday?
29 Comments.
I have not made homemade read in a long time and I do love that smell! Thanks for the new recipe to play with! Have a great week!
My family and i used to make homemade bread all the time at our lake house…in a breadmaker! I wish we had known that homemade bread really isn’t that difficult. I would have love to make it from scratch!
And I said congrats yesterday, but I’m gonna say it again. I’m just so excited that you know that you are capable of more–that hunger is what fuels greatness, for lack of a better word. The danger is in letting it eat you up. Eat the bread instead 😀
Your loaf looks good! I like to make whole wheat bread, too!
I want this!! It makes me wish I had a large loaf pan.
I remember in the beginning of the year when you were telling me what foods you were trying to cut out. Crazy to think it’s already been this long. Obviously things are working out to your advantage =)
I know your time isn’t what you want, but just know I’m proud of you girl! Keep it up.
YUMMMM. My aunt makes a homemade bread that is amazing, but I’ve never made my own. I bet your recipe would be a good place to start.
This looks amazing!! I’ve been making a whole wheat bread similar to this one but I’ve been looking for another recipe to try. Have you ever tried making it 100% whole wheat? And what about adding the seeds to it? I LOVE seeded bread!
Yes, I have tried with 100% whole wheat, and it always falls flat as soon as you take off the cover. I am on the hunt for whole wheat bread flour, but for now I would use the bread flour for part of it, as the whole wheat is too heavy. I LOVE adding seeds, and definitely would do that!
you have me craving real bread… sigh
Homemade bread is the best!! The smell, taste, texture…all of it! Yum!!! I haven’t made any in awhile but at the beginning of the year it was all we had! I had more free time then but need to make the time!
Chicago was another race on your path. We learn from each one and keep pushing forward. You can learn from mistakes, the things that went perfect and grow as an athlete! I just wish I could run a 2:45!
I never make my own bread but I could! Thanks for the recipe
I really want to link up every week I just get caught up in so many other topics that the recipes don’t always happen. Ugh. So I was waiting all day and thinking of you yesterday and totally missed I guess whenever or wherever you posted about the marathon! I can’t wait for a recap and I am so sorry to hear you are disappointed with your time. Ugh. I am sure you still did amazing and gave it your all which to me, counts enough for ice cream : )
I know 2:45 wasn’t what you wanted, but I’m still proud of you–amazing time and there’s lots more good marathoning ahead of you, to be sure!
I wish I liked to bake more than I do b/c I truly would love to have homemade bread around the house. But I am a cook, not a baker, so I stick to what I can do and not what I can’t! (or don’t enjoy)
Sorry your marathon didn’t go well.
So the one thing I don’t make… bread! I do make sweet breads or breads that don’t require following directions or yeast but when it comes to bread my husband is the bread maker. It started long ago when we met and I could not make bread, why well because it involved measuring and following directions. I grew up eyeballing and not measuring things for recipes and it didn’t work well for breads. I am sure now with my blog and having to measure things so others can recreate my recipes I could make bread but I usually leave that to him as he enjoys it. I will have to give thing one to him to make.
Alternatively you can make Tiny bread with a muffin tin using the same recipe! 🙂
I accidentally linked up a fish recipe. Fish doesn’t count as meat, does it? LOL! Hope your marathon went well. I understand the time frustration. Believe me, I get it. I’m still struggling with my recovery. My ankle is now giving me problems. I feel like I sprained it. Not sure how since I’m doing so little compared to how much I used to do.
oh yum! Homemade bread is so much better. This reminds me of having sleepovers with my friends as a kid and my mom would wake us up with fresh bread…amazing
Nothing better than fresh baked bread! Love it hot out of the oven.
Well this just looks marvelous and yes with the almond butter and maybe even some jelly or honey! Thanks for sharing and maybe one day I will give bread a try. 😉
This bread looks like it came out perfectly!! I bet the best thing to come home to after a long run is homemade bread! Looking forward to your Chicago Marathon recap 🙂
I love making my own whole wheat bread! I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to store bought!
Sorry you didn’t get the time you wanted but 2:45 is awesome! I hope more than anything that the race was a better experience for you – looking forward to your recap!
And, that bread looks amazing – I never make homemade bread.
I have never made homemade bread using yeast before but this really does look quite yummy! I am sure my family would love it!
Mmm, that bread looks good! There is nothing like freshly baked bread, still warm from the oven. I’m so sorry Chicago didn’t go like you had hoped. I know you’ll take a lot from the entire experience, though. Looking forward to reading your posts about the weekend!
Omigosh! That loaf looks PERFECT! As someone who’s totally intimidated by the idea of working with yeast, I ‘m always impressed with anyone who makes homemade bread. It’s something I’d love to do at some point, but for now I stick to the quick breads. And I’m looking forward to reading about your marathon! 🙂
Looking forward to the race recap!! An amazing time, although I also understand the disappointment of not hitting ago a goal. The bread looks awesome! I used to make all of our bread. Lately my husband has been into making sourdough- so good!
I definitely have some issues making bread. It’s one of those recipes I just can’t get right… even like banana bread I’ve been struggling at making my own. I have a beautiful KitchenAid mixer to make bread and never use the poor thing.
I have the worst luck with bread, but I think I have to give this one a shot!
I love homemade bread! I use a bread machine to make it easier but it is still delicious! Thanks for the recipe!