Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread

MLK Day Monday. Kids off. I drove Tuesday-Wednesday, Des Moines. Home.

Gayle was better this week. Ate more. Slept less. Walked to the sunroom on her own twice. The doctor was pleased at her check-up Friday. "Ups and downs, Brenda. The shape of the disease."

Book two revision started. I am working on the first three profiles — Doris Meeks, Carla Rinaldi, Lynette Carroll. Sarah wants them tightened. I am tightening.

Justin has started his second semester as a GISH senior. Coasting academically (his words). Lifting still. Counting down to UNK in August.

Tyler is in shop classes and a few electives. Counting down to Milford in August.

Josie is in 8th grade and more interested in 9th grade than 8th. She tours GISH next month.

Sunday: pot roast. Gayle ate a full plate for the first time in three weeks.

The pot roast had been in the oven since noon, and I needed something to go alongside it — something with enough weight to it, enough warmth, that it felt like a real Sunday meal and not just a weeknight scramble. This whole wheat quinoa bread was what I reached for. It’s the kind of loaf that fills the kitchen with the right smell, the kind that makes the table feel set even before everyone sits down. Gayle tore off a piece and used it to finish every last bit on her plate, and I don’t think I’ll forget that.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes rise time) | Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled to room temperature
1 1/4 cups warm water (105–110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon flaxseed or sesame seeds (optional, for topping)

Instructions

Proof the yeast. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, honey, and yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, start over with fresh yeast.
Mix the dough. Add the olive oil and cooked quinoa to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the whole wheat flour and salt, mixing until incorporated. Add the bread flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. Add flour a tablespoon at a time only if the dough is too wet to work with.
First rise. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the loaf. Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a log roughly the length of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place seam-side down in a greased loaf pan.
Second rise. Cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until the dough crowns 1 inch above the rim of the pan. Preheat your oven to 375°F while the dough rises.
Top and bake. If using, brush the top of the loaf lightly with water and sprinkle with flaxseed or sesame seeds. Bake for 30–35 minutes until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer should read 195–200°F at the center.
Cool. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Cutting too early will make the crumb gummy.

Nutrition (per serving)

Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread — The Loaf I Baked Alongside the Pot Roast That Brought Gayle Back to the Table