Whole Wheat & Clean French Bread

Last night I was making spaghetti for dinner and decided it was a must to have french bread to go with it. A few weeks ago I found a whole wheat french bread recipe online, but it didn't turn out that great. (Probably because it took hours with multiple rises and I didn't have enough time. So I took some short cuts and it didn't turn out so well!) Anyway, for years I've been making my Mom's really yummy white french bread recipe. I decided to convert it myself to a whole wheat and clean recipe, since I now know enough about clean eating to do so! It turned out absolutely divine and the house smelled delicious! The recipe makes 2 loaves, so one loaf I made into clean garlic toast to go with our spaghetti!

Whole Wheat & Clean French Bread

2 loaves

2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

2 Tbsp Yeast

2 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Sea Salt

6 Cups Whole Wheat Flour 

(Consider using whole wheat pastry flour if you do not have a grinder that can grind the wheat really fine.)

1 Egg White

Sesame seeds (optional)

Dissolve yeast and honey in warm water. Let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Add oil, salt and 3 Cups of Flour. Mix well. Add the rest of the flour and mix well. Let rise for 10 min. and then punch it down. (Do this 6 times which makes a total of 1 hour rising, punching down every 10 min.) Roll into 2 long, thin loaves. (I just form the loaves with my hands covered in wheat flour.) Let rise for 30 min. covered with a towel. Carefully cut 3 slices on the top with a very sharp knife. If you are not careful your risen loaf will fall. Baste the top of each loaf with egg white. Sprinkle on sesame seeds if you like. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min.

Clean Garlic Toast

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Garlic Clove minced

1/4 Parmesan Cheese finely shredded

Mix all of the above ingredients in a small bowl. (I estimated the amounts because I did not measure when I made it. Add more garlic if you like a stronger garlic flavor - this version was more mild.) Slice your French Bread and baste each slice of bread with the mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake in 400 degree oven until the cheese has melted. (I didn't time it, but I believe it was about 10 minutes.)