Whole Wheat Sunflower Oat & Agave Poppyseed Bread

Prep Time & Rise Time: 90 Minutes
Time: 30-35 Minutes
Yield: 12 Servings or 1 Loaf

Ingredients:

3 Cup Organic Whole Wheat Flour (I prefer and use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 1/4 Cup Purified Hot Water
2 Tablespoons Organic Agave
1 Packet or 1 1/2 Teaspoons Perfect Rise Yeast aka
1/2 Cup Organic Oats
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Raw Unsalted Organic Sunflower Seeds
1 Tablespoon Organic Poppyseeds

Directions:

In a large bowl add your oats, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and the whole wheat flour on top.

Next you are going to need your perfect rise dry active yeast.  This one has worked just wonderfully if you have another type you prefer that is fine as well.

Take your bowl flour bowl and top it with the packet of perfect rise yeast.

Next you are going to measure out the hot water.

Now pour the water into the bowl and then measure out the agave and olive oil.

Pour the Agave and Olive Oil into the water and flour mixture.

With a fork mix well distributing the contents evenly.  You want to mix it with a fork until it begins to create a dense consistency.

Next you want to flour your surface or oil it or you can put gloves on and squeeze the dough a few times and then roll it into a ball.  It doesn’t have to be a perfect ball as these imperfections give the bread its character. If you want to roll it with a rolling pin and make it perfect.

Next you want to cover the ball and let it sit on your kitchen counter for 45 minutes while it proofs.  During this stage it will rise and should become at minimum double in size.

Next you want to uncover the dough you will see that it will have risen.  Push your knuckles into the dough flattening it a few times.  Then squeeze it kneading it with your hands for a couple seconds. Then cover it back up.

Let sit on kitchen counter again covered for another 45 minutes so it can rise more.
Preheat the oven to 350 10 minutes before it will be done so you can pop it straight into the oven when it is done rising one last time.

Uncover the dough and get a bread pan ready. I sprayed mine with olive oil spray you can do that or just rub it with olive oil or vegan butter.  Next place the dough into the pan.  I just allow it to fit and try to make it even so that the bread is full and the same height as it cooks.  It doesn’t need to be perfect, however, if you want it perfect that works too.  I like the rustic look of my imperfect bread it looks like hands made it and not a machine.

Pop it into the oven on 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Depending on the heat of your oven it may need a little more or less time.  You are looking for a golden brown bread.

Once the bread is golden pull out of oven.  Empty the bread pan upside down allowing bread to fall out.  Next you want to elevate the bread on a rack or something allowing it to cool for 5-10 minutes.  Doing this will help it stay in one piece when you cut it.

Once the bread is cooled you can prepare to cut it.  If you have a bread cutter you can use it if not cut it.  You can make slices if you intend to use if for sandwiches.  You can make cubes if you are going to eat it with a meal like a roll.  I found it cut best from the bottom side up.  The bottom is much more flat which helped keep the slices intact without crumbling.

I used this to cool the bread and it worked great too. I was making this at families house which they had one of these.  When I am home I cool it on our oven rack which works just fine.
Keep in mind the size of slice will determine whether it crumbles or stays together.  The larger slices tend to be easier while the thinner slices are difficult to stay together.  You will find it takes getting use to.  We made a lot of crumbles which we used to top on soup and salad and also used some for bread crumbs for chicken.  Don’t waste anything and enjoy the bread making process.

Note:

Oftentimes we make more then one loaf since it goes fast and we like to take the 2nd loaf out of the oven about 20  minutes into the cooking process and then cool and refrigerate or freeze. Then you can have fresh bread anytime and you will only need to pop it in the oven for 15 minutes until golden and you have delicious fresh bread anytime.  I have made this bread in a bread shape, round pan as well as in muffin tin.  All work well it just depends on what you are going to do with it.  If you are making muffins or little rolls you won’t need to cook it the full 30-35 minutes. Hope this helps. Enjoy!

Affordability Factor:

With the high cost of food and bread these days especially for something fresh, healthy and delicious you can easily make your own and prepare it in advance for substantially less.  I like to utilize a few hours a week usually on Sundays to make food, cut up salad and veggies for the week which makes my week go much smoother and gives me the healthy fresh and affordable options at my fingertips. I find I can make my own healthier bread option for about 1/2 of what the store price is and when I buy larger bags of flour and make more at a time I can lower the cost even more.  It does take an investment of time but it also saves.  I try to make the bread when I am busy doing other things.  So it can proof without me waiting on it.  I will be busy and then it will be ready I will knead it wrap it and let it sit then go back to what I was doing.  If you make the time you can fit it in with ease and also enjoy it while you do it.  This is a fun one to do with kids and the whole family.