Honey Wheat Oatmeal Bread - All Whole Grain Version

This is now our daily bread -- my daughter makes it several times a week in our bread machine. This has replaced the earlier version that I have posted because we've tried to eliminate white flour from our diets wherever possible. The vital wheat gluten is what makes it possible for the bread to rise nicely. Gluten is the protein part of the wheat kernel, and you can buy a powdered form of it at most health food or whole food stores -- that's what you need for this recipe to work. Without the gluten, it'll be a brick. So, get the gluten unless you want to build a bread wall. Cooking time is for the white bread cycle on our machine. Your time may vary.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 10 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 10  fluid ounces warm water
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup honey
• 1  teaspoon salt (we use Real Salt)
• 1  cup rolled oats (freshly rolled by DangerBoy at our house)
• 3  cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground, if possible)
• 2  tablespoons vital wheat gluten
• 2  teaspoons instant yeast

Directions

1. Put ingredients into bread pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer of the bread machine.
2. If you're going to use a timer, it is vital to keep the yeast away from both the liquids AND the salt.
3. I make this on the white bread cycle and it comes out great, but you may wish to use the whole wheat cycle.
4. I never noticed any difference except that the whole wheat cycle took a lot longer.
5. Your machine may yield different results, tho.
6. If you like crusty bread, just let the finished bread set on a rack to cool.
7. If you want a softer crust, slip the hot bread into a plastic bag so that the crust will get steamed and be nice& soft- and good for sandwiches.