These are so good!  I love that I can make the dough the night before and cook them up in the morning!  Very simple and versatile!

Recipe

1/2 cup natural yeast starter

2  cups purified water (non-chlorinated (kills the natural yeast))

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup avocado or coconut oil

4 cups whole grain flour of choice

3-4 cups whole white wheat flour

You can make this dough by hand or in an electric mixer.  Whisk together the starter and water.  Add the oil, salt and honey.  Add the whole wheat flour and whisk.  Change to a dough hook if using an electric mixer.  Add the 3 cups of bread flour and knead for a few minutes.  If the dough pulls away from the bowl cleanly than you don’t need to add anymore flour.  If it is still to sticky add more flour 1/2 cup at a time.  Transfer dough to a large glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let stand for 6-24 hours before using.  This allows the bread to go through the fermentation process and decreases the gluten and harmful enzymes in the grain.

Heat about 1/3 to 1/2 cup coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Oil the counter and divide dough in half.  Roll out the dough and cut with a pizza cutter into rectangles and stretch a little before cooking.  Once the skillet and oil are hot place the rectangle shapes into the pan.  It should sizzle.  Watch carefully so they don’t burn and flip when ready.  Place finished scones on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.  Repeat until all dough is used.  Serve with peanut or almond butter, jam, honey, syrup, cream cheese or whatever sounds good to you! Note: you can use the second division of bread to make a loaf if desired.  Just shape into a loaf, let raise until double and bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

It’s so good you could almost call this a dessert!  Tender and chocolatey, this bread is a nice treat!

Recipe

2 cups water

1/2 cup starter

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 cups whole wheat flour

4-5 cups all-purpose flour

In a large electric bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment, mix together the water and starter.  Add the oil, honey salt and cocoa powder.  Add the whole wheat flour then the remaining flour one cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Place the dough into a large glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let stand and raise for 12-24 hours.  I like to let mine sit overnight.

Once raised to double in size push down the dough and divide in half.  Make into round boules.  Sit them on their own piece of parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap.  Let raise until double, about another 2 hours.  Heat the oven to 500 degrees with a cast iron dutch oven.  Remove the hot pot from the oven and place the bread with parchment inside.  Cover the pot with lid and place in the oven.  Turn the heat down to 425 degrees and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and cook for another 20 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Repeat for the second loaf.

I found a great basic sourdough recipe and altered it in many ways.  Here’s just one way!

Recipe

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup sourdough starter

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt

3-4 ounces cubed cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 cups whole wheat flour

4-6 cups all-purpose flour

The evening before you bake the bread mix together the water, starter, oil, salt, and cheese.  Add the 2 cups wheat flour and mix well.  Add 4 cups all-purpose flour and additional 2 cups if needed one at a time.  The dough should pull away from the bowl.  Allow to rise in a large glass bowl covered with plastic wrap over night, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.  On an oiled surface divide the raised dough into 2 parts.  Roll into round boules.  Place each loaf onto its own parchment paper and sit into a shallow frying pan to maintain shape.  Let rise for 2-3 hours, covered with plastic wrap.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a large dutch oven as the oven heats up.  Slice vents into the dough loaves and dust with flour.  Place dough and parchment into the dutch oven and put the lid on.  Turn the oven down to 425 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.  Take the lid off and bake for another 20 minutes.  Remove bread from dutch oven and bake the second loaf.

I found a great basic sourdough recipe and altered it in many ways.  Here’s just one way!

Recipe

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup sourdough starter

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato

1/2 cup feta

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 cups whole wheat flour

4-6 cups all-purpose flour

The evening before you bake the bread mix together the water, starter, oil, salt, tomatoes, feta and Italian seasoning.  Add the 2 cups wheat flour and mix well.  Add 4 cups all-purpose flour and additional 2 cups if needed one at a time.  The dough should pull away from the bowl.  Allow to rise in a large glass bowl covered with plastic wrap over night, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.  On an oiled surface divide the raised dough into 2 parts.  Roll into round boules.  Place each loaf onto its own parchment paper and sit into a shallow frying pan to maintain shape.  Let rise for 2-3 hours, covered with plastic wrap.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a large dutch oven as the oven heats up.  Slice vents into the dough loaves and dust with flour.  Place dough and parchment into the dutch oven and put the lid on.  Turn the oven down to 425 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.  Take the lid off and bake for another 20 minutes.  Remove bread from dutch oven and bake the second loaf.

This recipe is from my mother’s kitchen.  I love the soft chewy inside and crusty outside of this bread!  It’s a perfect companion for many meals including soups and Italian dishes.  Sometimes I like to replace one or two cups of all-purpose flour for a cup(s) of barley flour, giving it a lighter texture and flavor.  You can make it anyway you want, but I recommend at least using half the amount of flour called for as all-purpose flour for rising purposes.

Recipe

makes 2 loaves

2 1/2 cups warm water

1 tbsp. active yeast

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. sea salt

6 cups flour

In an electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment mix together the water, yeast, oil, sugar and salt.  Allow yeast to dissolve.  Add 2 cups flour and mix together.  Switch to a bread dough hook and add the remaining flour.  Let rest for 10 minutes.  Stir down and repeat 4 more times.  This process of rising and stirring builds gluten and gives the bread great texture!  Divide dough into two equal parts and roll out onto an oiled surface into 9×12 rectangular shapes.  Roll into a log, pinching the edge and sides down to seal.  Let rise until doubled.  Just before baking cut slits into the top of each loaf and brush with melted butter.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool slightly and serve.