irene and the staff of life

Irene’s long gone, but her crippling effects made quite an impression on the East Coast this past weekend.  For some people it meant good surf or more time to putz around in the kitchen.  For others it meant great loss.  My thoughts are with the latter and I pray that as they piece their homes and lives back together, they will eventually bear some semblance of that which was.



When I think of survival and food, bread is the first thing that comes to mind.  It is an accessible and unembellished staple that dates back over 30,000 years.  Anthropologists assert that bread, nicknamed the “staff of life,” is actually one of the first prepared foods and some even argue that it is the primary reason agriculture came about. Historical significance aside, it’s far-out to think that, while the recipe and heating apparatus may vary greatly, I’m conceptually making the same food in my oven that someone during the Neolothic era was making over a fire thousands and thousands of years ago.

Enough history.  Let’s fast forward to present day.  Recently, I had been growing more and more frustrated with the bread I purchase in the market.  Yes, it’s organic, whole grain, and there’s no high fructose corn syrup, but somehow that wasn’t enough anymore.  Its texture is spongy and the ingredient list is much longer than I would like to mention.  Then, miraculously and as if she sensed this frustration, Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks, one of my favorite food bloggers, posted a recipe for an “easy little bread.”  Every week I anxiously await and then furiously read her latest blog post, but this one in particular had me over the moon.  It was exactly what I’d been yearning for:  a simple and wholesome whole wheat bread that I could throw together in no time at all.  Putting delicious and healthy recipes out there is nothing new for Heidi, though.  It’s something she consistently does every week and that is why I consider her an inspiration on so many levels, her photography and recipes constantly making an impression on the cook I am and the blogger I want to be.  After making her latest recipe for the “easy little bread,” I was so impressed that I couldn’t help but leave my latest ode to Heidi on her site (see right).

Anyhow, I’ve already made the recipe three times since she posted it and have consistently been pleased.  As a matter of fact, I see no reason to purchase the market bread anymore when she’s made it this easy and delicious.  I’ve adapted her recipe to suit my needs and made it a bit more wholesome by subbing white whole wheat for all-purpose white flour, tossing in some ground flax seed for omega-3, and, finally, adding some sunflower seeds for crunch.  I’m not a baker but this bread somehow manages to turn out just perfect every time….  Bravo, Heidi!

Basic Whole Wheat Bread
Slightly adapted from Heidi Swanson’s recipe
Makes 1 loaf

1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
One packet active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
3 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. sunflower seeds (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted, for brushing

In a medium bowl, mix the yeast with the warm water and stir until it dissolves. Mix in the honey and set aside for a few minutes until the yeast blooms and swells, about 5 – 10 minutes.