Fresh Milled Whole Grain Bread

Whole grain bread isn’t as exciting as all the holiday goodies on our Pinterest boards BUT the holidays are approaching and we’ve been cleaning up our diets significantly to prepare for the celebrations.

With winter in full swing, we tend to turn to heavier, heartier foods to get us through the cold months. As much as we’d all love to think that pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls and coffee cake suffice for a healthy winter diet, our bodies need more!

I know there is a lot of conterversy when it comes to grains – some see it as a baking nessecity, while others believe it’s the devil. I believe that winter is a time to enjoy whole grains. Grains like wheat, spelt, barley, rye and oats have incredible health benefits – especially when milled fresh! Milling your own grain sounds scary, but it’s simple! If you have a high powdered blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix, you can whip up wheat flour or spelt flour in a pinch.

It’s popular to shun these hearty grains to achieve better health or healing through popular diets like the Paleo diet or Whole30. These elimination diets or cleanses are amazing and can have incredible impacts on the body, but it may not be right for everyone to abstain from these grains entirely. Unless you have a sensitivity or have a diagnosis that forces you to avoid grains or gluten, I’ve found whole grains to be a positive addition to my diet. Fresh milled grains are amazing sources of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fiber.

This recipe includes some very healthful ingredients, including a secret source of protein from kidney beans. This bread recipe is also yeast free, so it can be eaten under yeast/sugar cleanses. It may seem strange, but whole grains can help digestion and energy.  Since this recipe has so much protein, it’s great for vegans, vegetarians or dairy-free eaters. This fresh bread is hearty and homey and with some softened coconut butter – totally delicious!