Honey Quinoa Bread

Cook the quinoa over medium heat in 1 cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks, cook the oatmeal over medium heat in the ¼ cup water and ¼ cup milk until liquid is absorbed.

Let both cool.

Place 6 Tablespoons of warm water in a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) and sprinkle yeast over the water. Let rest 5 minutes. Stir honey, oil, and milk into the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon (or with dough hook on low speed).

Add 1/2 cup of the bread flour and the salt and stir well. Add the cooked quinoa and oatmeal and stir.

Add all of the whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup more of the bread flour and stir. When the dough starts to get stiff, turn out onto floured surface and begin to knead. (If using a standing mixer, continue to knead with dough hook). Keep adding flour and kneading until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes with a mixer, or 10 to 15 minutes by hand. Dough should feel slightly sticky but should not be wet and slack. You should be able to form it into a ball and it should hold its shape.

Lightly oil a large bowl with vegetable oil and place bread in the bowl, turning to coat lightly with the oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Let bread dough rise in a warm spot until double in size, about 2 hours.

Oil a 9×5 loaf pan. Punch down dough and shape into a ball. Pat/flatten into an oval shape about the length of the bread pan. Fold long sides in and tuck them underneath as you place the bread into the pan, so that the top surface of the bread is smooth and without seams.

Let rise in warm place until bread has almost doubled in size, 45 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

When oven is hot, place bread in center of oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes into the bottom of oven (or in another dish, on the bottom rack) to create steam. Bake for 20 minutes. Cover bread loosely with foil if the top is getting too brown and bake 5-10 minutes more. Bread should sound hollow when tapped.

Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack and let cool completely.