Do you struggle to find organic breads that you love at the stores and local bakeries? Here's a good alternative: try making them yourself! This recipe for organic barley and oat bread is easy to follow, even if you have never made bread before. And the result is a hearty loaf that is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1 package active, dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup organic barley flour
  • 1 cup organic oat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups organic, whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

Combine the water, yeast, whole wheat flour, and agave nectar. Stir well until a soft dough forms, and then cover this mixture and place it in the refrigerator. Let it rest in the fridge for about 3 hours. This will slow down the fermentation process to add more flavor to the final loaf.

Remove the dough from the fridge, and let it come to room temperature, which should take about another hour. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to form a stiffer dough. Then, transfer the dough onto a floured surface, and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and drizzle a little more oil over it. Place plastic wrap over the bowl, and let the dough rest for about two hours. Then, press down on it gently to remove the air, and divide it into 12 equal portions. Use your hands to shape each portion into a ball, pulling the dough under itself as you go.

When the balls are shaped, lay them out on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the dough balls lightly with plastic wrap, and let them rise for another 60 minutes. 

Place the rolls in a 400 degree F oven, and immediately turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the rolls are nicely browned and crispy on top. 

Remove the rolls from the oven, and immediately remove them from the baking sheet and transfer them to a wire cooling rack. If desired, you can brush some melted, organic butter on the top of each roll. Let them cool until you can handle them comfortably, and then enjoy as desired. They make excellent sandwiches. 

If you'd like to learn more about organic bread, you can find more information here.

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