Whole Wheat French Bread

I’ve made it a point to steer clear of white or processed foods, so even though I LOVE white breads, I’ve learned to love whole wheat breads even more.  This recipe makes 2 large loaves and are great for sandwiches, bruschetta and garlic bread (my favorite).  They’re super easy to make and WAY more cost-effective than the loaves I find at Whole Foods.  And if you store they loaves in the fridge they tend to last close to 2 weeks!

5 cups whole wheat flour (plus 1 tbsp  for coating)

2 cups warm water

1 tbsp yeast

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp sea salt

• In a bowl, mix water with yeast and sugar and let sit for 15 minutes
• Add salt, 1 tbsp oil and 2 1/2 cups flour and mix and knead for a few minutes or until everything is evenly distributed
• Stir in remaining flour and knead until soft and doughy, about 5 minutes
• Use 1 tbsp oil to coat the dough and the bowl- cover and let sit in a warm place for 1 hour
• After an hour, split dough in half and roll out into 2 long loaves
• Sprinkle baking sheet with 1 tbsp of flour and place loaves on sheet
• Cover and let sit for another 30 minutes
• After 30 minutes, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minute