Would you like to add more whole-grain bread to your meals? There are some healthy options in many grocery stores, such as Ezekiel Bread, Simple Truth Sprouted Wheat Bread, or bread made with 100% whole wheat. But if you’d like to reduce your grocery bill by making your own bread, no-knead Peasant bread is an easy way to do it.
I borrowed this recipe from a friend, who runs a vegetarian bakery and cafe in Kentucky called Kristina’s Kitchen. I also wanted to try out a new whole wheat flour. If you’re one of the thousands of Americans who have a sensitivity to gluten or wheat, you might be interested in this flour from Sunrise Flour Mill in Minnesota. They sell heritage grains that are often easier to digest than the standard wheat flour on the market.
Why do I love Peasant Bread?
- It’s a delicious artisan-type bread, perfect for making sandwiches, pizza, or subs.
- It is quicker to make than traditional recipes for homemade bread.
- You don’t have to knead it–a lot of people steer away from making their own bread because they don’t like to knead the bread dough.
- It is a soft bread but still loaded with 100% whole-grain flavor and goodness.
What do you need to make Peasant Bread?
- Dry instant yeast
- Honey or maple syrup
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Whole Wheat Flour (I used the whole wheat blend from Sunrise Flour Mill but you can use a mixture of whole wheat and white whole wheat flour)
- Salt
Whole Wheat HealthBites
Whole-wheat flour is made from hard red wheat, which has a hearty nutty taste. White whole-wheat flour is made from another variety of hard wheat–a white one. The white whole-wheat flour is lighter in texture with a milder flavor, but it has the exact nutritional benefits as the whole-wheat we are accustomed to. Whole wheat flours have an incredible array of perks for our health including stronger bones from phosphorus, more stable blood sugars from magnesium, better brain health from niacin, and even cancer protection from vitamin B6.
Here’s how easy it is to make whole-grain peasant bread!
No-Knead Peasant Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp dry instant yeast
- 2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups whole wheat bread flour
- 2 cups white whole wheat bread flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Mix yeast, water, sweetener, applesauce, and salt into a bowl.
- Add 2 cups of the white whole wheat flour and mix gently.
- Add 2 or more cups of the whole wheat flour--enough to make a sticky but moldable bread dough.
- Set aside for 15 minutes for the flours to absorb the liquid and to begin the process of rising.
- Add additional flour, if needed, to make a round bread. Then divide the dough into two round balls.
- Smooth each ball into a round loaf. Put both of them onto a baking sheet. I line my pan either with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This eliminates the need for using any oil or spray.
- Cover with a towel and allow the bread to rise ON TOP of the stove (the heat from the oven will help it to continue to rise). Allow it to rise til doubled (this step takes about 30 minutes).
- Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake the peasant bread for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until the bottom of the loaves are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool thoroughly. I usually wait until the followng day to serve.
