Homemade Whole Wheat Bread - What you need to get started

About a year ago, I began grinding my own wheat and making my own bread. Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have thought I'd be the "hippie-healthy" type, if I may call it that. But, nonetheless, I am loving eating healthier, naturally, and organically. I purchase my wheat in large buckets through a local co-op, then I grind it to make flour for breads, muffins, and any baked good. I have almost completely eliminated white flour from my pantry. I use it only for guests... who may not be as excited about wheat flour as our family is.

If you've ever been interested in being super homemade and grinding your own wheat, then this is the post for you! First of all, you'll need a grinder. When I was shopping for a grinder, I talked to all of my "hippie-healthy" friends (you know who you are) to find out what they had learned in their experience with grinding. And after talking to them, I looked into several options for a grinder and came to the decision to purchase a WonderMill Whisper Mill. This was NOT the least-expensive option and there are other non-electric grinders as well. However, I was in this for the long-haul and decided to get a long-lasting grinder. And hey, maybe my kids will inherit it someday!I cannot agree with the name that this machine whispers because actually it sounds like a plane taking off when it starts. However, after a year or more of using it pretty regularly, it works just like the first day I got it. I love that it has a separate container for storing your wheat flour and very little clean-up is necessary. You pour your wheat berries in the top and your flour comes out the side and into the canister. It only takes a minute to grind my wheat and the health benefits to it are wonderful!

Now, for my electric mixer, I have a Cuisinart Mixer. I will not recommend what I ended up getting as I don't know how long it will hold up. It was a Christmas gift and free to me, so I use it, and so far it does the job. I know there are better options on the market for regular bread-making machines, though the old-fashioned kneading method works as well! (and it's free)

To add to my bread-making en devour, I purchased the book, "Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day" by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. I'm making my way through the book slowly, and have incorporated their 100% Whole Wheat Bread into my weekly bread-making routine now.

On a side note... I'm pleased to say that after much persuasion, my husband is even on board with our healthier lifestyle. If you've been with me for long, you'll know how for years, my husband was addicted to Pop-Tarts. Can you believe he doesn't buy them anymore?! And instead, he has replaced his sweet carbohydrate with a healthy banana each morning for breakfast. Granted, I'm still working on him with vegetables, but this is totally a step in the right direction! Woohoo!!