Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone...

...and it's a good thing, because making homemade bread takes some time and work.  Having said that, I've just really wanted to try to make some homemade, wholesome, organic-y treats.  All you hear about these days is reducing additives, eating healthy, making it yourself, blah, blah, blah.

Well I got the hankering to make not only bread, but some homemade granola.  It all turned out really well so I'll share the recipes.

The granola is a variation of Ina's recipe. (I omitted her suggestion of dates and apricots, substituted agave nectar for the honey, and used flaxseeds in place of wheat germ. )

I made this yesterday afternoon and between the five of us, we've just about wiped out the top (square) container of granola (and an entire carton of vanilla yogurt). What can we say, we parfait.



This was really relatively simple to make and it is DELICIOUS. DELICIOUS. The only downside is probably the expense. I have everything on hand to make another batch, but to go out and re-buy all of the ingredients would be a bit costly.

And while I was at it I made some whole-wheat, oat and flaxseed bread. I don't know what came over me yesterday except to say that I go through moments of wishing I was Caroline Ingalls. I want to go all primitive.

Here are my yeasty loaves. They were rising and waiting to go into the oven.

I got them into the oven and back out just before church started. I let them cool while we were at church at when we got home I got out my electric bread knife.

I used this recipe here and substituted whole wheat flour and added the oats and flaxseeds. It is delicious. Especially with a bit of butter and/or apple butter slathered on it. This was fairly easy and doesn't require any special ingredients or tools like a bread machine. Time is probably the thing you need the most of since you have two waiting periods for the yeast to rise. 

I'm going to go and braid my hair and put on my kerchief. It was a long day walking to the mercantile and working the fields.