Everyday Vegan Bread

Hi and welcome back to Ria Lives Well!

This weekend just felt like a bread baking weekend. Let me preface by saying I’m terrible at making bread. Like, unbelievably bad. To the point where no words can tell the story of my crap-titude.

But on Saturday, I rolled up my sleeves and tackled this project, one I’ve been meaning to do since moving to Oregon. When you can’t find a loaf of vegan bread that costs less than $4.99, and doesn’t come with an ambush of seeds {so bad, you think the manufacturer added pebbles to the dough}, then it’s time to reevaluate your bread decisions.

Homemade is better anyway. I was reading a book for one of my courses, and the author summed up store-bought compared to homemade perfectly: INFERIOR.

Bread manufacturers have us conditioned to appreciate a loaf of bread that resembles the weakened texture of cake, when bread should be thick and hearty, tough and laced with artistic cracks. Like the Jewish rye or French artisan breads still found at select bakeries. Now that’s the bread I want to eat.

And get rid of all those seeds. Blagh. Too many seeds.

My one regret is that I reduced the original size in half, concerned that I would screw it up. Well, the recipe is so easy to prepare that even a novice can produce a success. And it’s delicious to the point of addictive. You’ll want to double the recipe below.

Everyday Vegan Bread:

2 Cups whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 7 ounces water

Directions:

Pour flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Stir until combined. Create a hole in the middle and add water. Now oil. Stir until you create a tacky dough. On a floured surface, knead dough for 10 minutes. Place into an oiled bowl and let it sit for 1 hour.

5. Punch the dough down and knead for a few minutes to release air. Shape it set it on a greased baking sheet.

6. Bake at 350 deg. F. for 40-50 minutes {the recipe says 30-40, but for my oven, 50 was best}.

It’s the funniest thing; the joy I get from taking a bite out of a buttered slice of toast, sprinkled with cinnamon.

Or peanut butter–chunky; the best.

And if you’ve never entertained the idea of chunky peanut butter drizzled with maple syrup…do so now.

Of course this bread will also work fantastically with homemade strawberry chia jam.

Or pretty much anything you can think of. It’s as versatile as the name “Everyday Vegan Bread” sounds. So enjoy!

~Live Well!