Basic Whole Wheat Bread

Yields one loaf

Ingredients
2.5 teaspoons yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 ¼ tsp salt
1 cup warm water (not too hot or the yeast will die)
¼  cup Agave nectar
¼  cup olive oil
¼  cup soy milk
3 ½ cups flour (a mixture of whole wheat pastry and white whole wheat) –I used 2 cups pastry and 1.5 cups white whole wheat

Directions
Mix first four ingredients in a big bowl. If your yeast is “alive”, it will bubble and you will smell it. (If it does nothing, try another packet.  Don’t waste the other ingredients because the bread will not rise. When purchasing yeast, buy the one with the furthest date of expiration. Then store in your refrigerator.)

Let it “activate” for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined and sticky.

Now the fun part! it’s time to use your hands.  Roll up your sleeves, clean and oil a bread board or counter.  Rub oil on your hands as well to avoid sticking. Pick up the dough and start to knead it on the counter.  (If it is too sticky, add a little flour at a time.) You can start a timer for 7 minutes are just knead until you can tell it’s become rubbery and smooth.

Place in a well oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm oven and let rise for hour.  (I turned my oven on at 200 for 5 minutes and then turned it off while I was kneading).

Remove from oven and knead the dough a couple of times.  (Again, heat the oven for 5 minutes at 200) Only knead it once or twice. Then shape the dough the size of your bread pan and drop it into a well oiled bread pan.

Put the bread pan (with dough) back into the warm oven. Let it rise for another 30 minutes to 1 hour (or until it dough rises above the edges of the pan).

Take the bread out and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 40 minutes to 1 hour (or until bread is lightly browned).

If you can stand it, let it cool for 30 minutes before slicing.  Otherwise it will crumble.  To slice, turn the bread on its side and then cut with a serrated knife.