This heart healthy bread recipe provides the perfect amount of whole grains to reduce the risk of heart disease. The combination of oats and whole grains create a beautiful texture, which can be baked into delicious sandwich bread, and a glorious round loaf.
Research has shown that eating just 15 grams of whole grains a day, can lessen the risk of heart disease by 15%. Other studies also suggest that the higher amount of grains eaten per day (3 or more servings), can reduce the risk by 20 to 30%. How amazing! This recipe includes 1/2 cup of whole grain flour, equaling 60 grams of whole grains, plus 1 cup old fashioned oats. If you are wanting even higher amounts of whole grains, add 1 cup of whole grain oats instead!
I love to mill my own whole wheat flour at home, which adds additional nutrients and protein since it is coming straight from the source, the field. Of course, you can always buy wheat berries online, or whole wheat flour from the store. Any flour with whole grains (brown rice, oats, rye, etc.) will add to the nutritional value. Whole grains have three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. This is where the fiber and main source of nutrients are found. Refined grains are striped of the bran and germ, and therefore, are not as nutritional. Use whole grains in this heart healthy bread recipe to take advantage of the full nutritional value!
Tips for Making Heart Healthy Bread
- To ensure your yeast activates, make sure it is mixed thoroughly in hot water (not boiling). You want it to feel hot enough to touch, but if it is too hot, it will kill your yeast.
- Allow your dough to rise for 2 hours in a warm area. I like to have my dough rise in the oven at 95 degrees. If you have a cold house, and your dough is rising at room temperature, it may take longer for your dough to rise.
- To avoid burning the top of your bread, cover the bread with tinfoil. If you are creating an artisan loaf, cover the top of the Dutch oven with a lid.
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Tools You May Need
- Stand mixer with dough hook or hand knead
- Medium sized bowl for dough (not affiliated)
- Danish dough whisk
- Cast iron Dutch oven
- Cast iron loaf pan
- Banneton bread basket
- Measuring spoons and cups
Heart Healthy Bread Ingredients
- 1 cup oats (whole grain, old fashioned, quick, etc.)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups hot water (not boiling)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 cups bread flour (whole wheat, rye, einkorn, unbleached, etc.)
How To Make Heart Healthy Bread
1. In a medium sized bowl or stand mixer, combine oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined.
2. Pour melted butter into the dry ingredients. In a small bowl on the side, combine yeast and hot water. Whisk together until yeast has dissolved. Add and mix yeast and water mixture to the dry ingredients.
3. Slowly mix flour in, and knead dough with a Danish whisk. Continue to knead the dough with your hands, or by using your stand mixer until the dough is no longer sticky. Adjust flour (add more / use less), depending on dough.
4. Knead dough into a ball, and place back into the bowl. Allow dough 2 hours to rise, or until doubled in size. For quicker results, place your bowl in a warm oven at 95 degrees F.
5. Remove risen dough from the bowl, and cut in half with a metal scraper. Shape one half to fit into a greased loaf pan. (I love cast iron loaf pans.) Shape the other half of the dough into a ball. Place the ball in a rice flour coated banneton bread proofing basket. Let dough rise for 40-60 minutes, or until it has doubled. TIP: Your dough will continue to rise once it is baking in the oven, so it doesn’t need to rise to the full height you want.
6. Preheat the oven, along with the cast iron Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. Flip the bread over from the banneton basket onto parchment paper. Add a design if desired with a scoring blade or lame. Once oven is heated, remove the Dutch oven, and place the parchment paper into the Dutch oven.
7. Place the lid back on top of the Dutch oven, and tinfoil over the loaf pan dough. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. If you want the top of the bread to brown, remove the tinfoil for the last 3-5 minutes. Watch the bread carefully so it doesn’t brown too much.
8. Allow the bread to cool before cutting. Enjoy your heart healthy bread!
Storage
Once cooled, remove the bread from the Dutch oven and loaf pan. Store in a bread poly bag, paper bag, thin tea towel, or air-tight container. If there is moisture building in the bag or container, open it up. Moisture will lead to mold.
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Sources: “Whole Grains Help Your Heart” by Jeanie Lerche Davis
ADDITIONAL SOURCE: Jensen, M. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2004; vol 80: pp1492-1499. WebMD Medical News: “Eat Whole Grains, Gain Less Weight.”
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Heart Healthy Bread Recipe
This combination of heart healthy oats and whole grains create a beautiful texture, which can be baked into delicious sandwich bread, and a glorious round loaf.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats (whole grain, old fashioned, quick, etc.)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups hot water (not boiling)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 cups bread flour (whole wheat, rye, einkorn, unbleached, etc.)
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl or stand mixer, combine oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined.
- Pour melted butter into the dry ingredients. In a small bowl on the side, combine yeast and hot water. Whisk together until yeast has dissolved. Add and mix yeast and water mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Slowly mix flour in, and knead dough with a Danish whisk. Continue to knead the dough with your hands, or by using your stand mixer until the dough is no longer sticky. Adjust flour (add more / use less), depending on dough.
- Knead dough into a ball, and place back into the bowl. Allow dough 2 hours to rise, or until doubled in size. For quicker results, place your bowl in a warm oven at 95 degrees F.
- Remove risen dough from the bowl, and cut in half with a metal scraper. Shape one half to fit into a greased loaf pan. (I love cast iron loaf pans.) Shape the other half of the dough into a ball. Place the ball in a rice flour coated banneton bread proofing basket. Let dough rise for 40-60 minutes, or until it has doubled. TIP: Your dough will continue to rise once it is baking in the oven, so it doesn't need to rise to the full height you want.
- Preheat the oven, along with the cast iron Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. Flip the bread over from the banneton basket onto parchment paper. Add a design if desired with a scoring blade or lame. Once oven is heated, remove the Dutch oven, and place the parchment paper into the Dutch oven.
- Place the lid back on top of the Dutch oven, and tinfoil over the loaf pan dough. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. If you want the top of the bread to brown, remove the tinfoil for the last 3-5 minutes. Watch the bread carefully so it doesn't brown too much.
- Allow the bread to cool before cutting.
Notes
You can make two standard loaves of bread, or two artisan loaves.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30 slicesServing Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 82Total Fat: 1.1gSaturated Fat: .7gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 85mgCarbohydrates: 16.1gFiber: .8gSugar: 2.4gProtein: 2.2g
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