SOURDOUGH BREAD & The Power in the Sourdough

100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

I've got a new-to-me whole wheat sourdough bread recipe that unlike

the recipe I've sold at Farmer's Markets all over east Tennessee  doesn't use any white flour. I'm still amazed at its simplicity, as I worked months to master my old recipe! The hogs REALLY enjoyed the flawed dough, and my men folk go to great lengths at times to describe the scene! (Though now I know the problem was immature starter!)

After almost 40 years of making whole wheat bread with yeast, I stand amazed each time I stir in my lil' bubbly sourdough starter and it begins to work.

The 5 hour resting period pre-digests the portion of the wheat that makes it difficult for some people to enjoy eating bread. In so doing it lowers the carb count of this bread! Low carb bread! (Plus a "zillioin" other benefits!)

This morning as I was reading and praying over Zechariah 4, when verse 6 rested in my heart to think about.

 "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts."

The Spirit's sweet voice assured me of His prescence and power to complete that which He had begun in me. Like the sourdough starter supports the dough and grows it, His prescence in my life does the same! It's no great feat on my part...it's the power of God within!

When our weary self feels the sting of disappointment, striving daily to overcome our latest "challenges" we need to run to the Savior and allow the Spirit by faith to empower us. Only when we're still in His prescence, holding out all our wasted efforts to Him can we truly rest and be empowered to go on in His strength!

"Utterly abandoned!

O the rest is sweet,

As I tarry waiting,

At His blessed feet."

Unknown

12 of my 13 children!

We're nearing our "finish line" with the last 3 of our children at home.

So what does this look like for me, a Momma to 13 children and soon to be 12 grandchildren? My days, like yours are full ..being a helpmate to my husband as he renovates our home and moves the equipment off our old farm to our smaller one, home schooling 3 middle and high school children, planting spring crops, planting & maintaining over 50 plug flats of tiny seedlings, and MORE. 

It also takes in my attitudes in each of these things...my thoughts towards resistant sons, finishing our school year WELL, bare studded walls in my home and a makeshift sink...it's all about my attitude. When I hand it ALL to Jesus, He permeates me, empowers me, and lifts me up above my circumstances! I'm finding that's when I can ENJOY life...when my emotions don't rule, but the Spirit does! He makes each little advancement on the house a GIFT! (This morning I could rejoice over two sets of dangling wires being cut out of my kitchen! Did I have pretty counters yet or a baking center today? No, but the wires gone was a JOY!)

These wires have been dangling from the ceiling ever since we moved in in January. I had to "remove my emotions" from them with the Spirit's help.

Steve and Charity painted and put flooring down in her new room here on the lil' farm.

My kitchen is fully functional, but not renovated yet. My sink's "counter" though is made of packing materials from shipping my new sink! A frugal choice on the Farmer's part, but I pray it holds up till the new cabinets get made. 

When I was a young mother with 3 children, 3 and under, I hadn't learned many lessons about how my attitude/emotions could be under the control of the Holy Spirit. It was increasingly difficult to daily hold things together on my own. The Lord sent an older Titus 2 woman to pray with me on my front porch. She showed me the strength of praying the Psalms and of giving each moment of my day to the Lord. 

As the years passed and the Lord blessed us with more children (and teenagers) I often have to pray that the Lord will cover my emotions with His hand so I can continue to serve Him in my home.

 Things WILL NOT go as you and I plan in our day...in our week...in our school year...in our lives, BUT they will go in the direction God needs them to go to build our faith and make us more like His Son Jesus Christ. 

As He blessed me with more and more children He increasingly showed me that I could ENJOY the journey with Him if I would just let Him take over every aspect of my day.

2000 with the addition of my 10th child

So like the sourdough's power over the rest of the ingredients in my bread, the Holy Spirit's power and control over our life needs to be all encompassing. We can make it through this rough day and week! We can give Him our wishes, dreams, and expectations and see what He'll do with them...they won't be ours anymore! We can look at every problem or frustration in our lives as a lesson He's created for us to grow in. It's an exciting life! 

You'll be pleasant to be with (like the aroma of fresh bread baking!) to your family and friends. 

Give your life to the Lord and watch Him permeate every corner of it! You'll rise and give nourishment in your home, "just like" a fresh, warm loaf of sourdough bread!

Baking sourdough bread doesn't have to be complicated! 

This new recipe came from the Around the Family Table Cook Book by Glenda Groff, sourdough and low glycemic recipes for your whole family. Visit her website and try her even easier no-knead loaves!  They don't require hand kneading (perfect for busy Mommas!) or a heavy duty mixer. 

I have all the Trim Healty Mamma cook books, but it took Glenda's website and cookbook to help me make the THM "fit" us. Now we can eat just about anything I've always made (within reason) and fit them into a new low glycemic lifestyle. The Farmer bought Glenda's cook book for me Valentine's Day, and we've been exploring it ever since. 

HOME SCHOOL MOMENT FOR OLDER CHILDREN:

* If your family has a vision for healthier eating, order her cookbook, which comes with a free mature sour dough starter. Then let everyone pick a recipe to make that week. We did this and everyone had fun tyring out something new...from fried pickles (14 year old son) to pretzel dogs (12 year old daughter) to my baking of sourdough brownies! (Her sourdough recipes are great, but she also shares recipes for scrumptious sugar free cakes, satisfying main dishes, and even canning and freezing recipes. 

*Go to Glenda's website and follow her recipe for starting your own sourdough starter. This chemistry experiment is an ongoing exciting learning experience with ingredients in your pantry.

*Now I did say, "older children", but the best way for littles to learn is to jump in with the family! Allow them to watch, stir, count scoops of flour out loud, knead a small piece of dough to make their own loaf or even "cookies" like my little ones did. Guess what? They grew up to love baking and can make anything they put their minds to from about 10 years on up! 

 

This bread does take a heavy duty mixer, or about 10 minutes of hand kneading....a great lesson for home schoolers too! BUT if you are a newbie with sourdough, start with her no knead recipes! (I'll try and get permisson to share one with you soon!)

BASIC BREAD DOUGH

2 cups active sourdough starter

1 3/4 cups water

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon leithin, optional

1/4 cup dough enhancer OR 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

In mixer bowl, combine starter, water, butter, honey, lecithin, dough enhancer, and 2 cups flour. Mix until smooth. Add remaining flour in 1/4 cup increments until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes. Add salt and knead for 8-9 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add slightly more flour but dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not dry and stiff. Place in greased bowl turning dough to coat top. Cover and allow dough to proof for 5-6 hours or until nearly doubled in size. (She uses a large Tupperware bowl with lid, I use plastic wrap on a large bread bowl.)

Divide dough into two pieces. Shape into loaves and place in two well greased bread pans. If a round loaf is preferred, place on greased pie pan. Cover bread pans with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours. When dough has risen 1 1/2 inches above the pan, wet the blade of a sharp knife and slash each loave. Bake at 350 degrees for 28-30 minutes. 

   

This dough is very versatile! I've made pizza crusts, braided loaves, boulles, rolls and so much more from it. Give it a try!

Pizza Rolls for Movie Night!

Artisan Seeded Twisted Loaves

Unbaked & Rising Meal-in-a-Loaf

Cranberry Boulle

Sun Dried Tomato Twists

Sourdough Sesame Seed Rolls

Artisan French Loaves

Braided Loaves

Boulles

 Sticky Buns!

Pizza!

You can do this! Give it a try! If you have any questions, just comment below and I'll try and help you. I hear this phrase often as of late, "We're all in this together!" and we are! Stick around by subscribing, and we'll learn together! 

Are you interested in learning anything in particular about being a helpmeet, mother, or homemaker? Just drop me a note! 

Abundant Blessings,

The Farmer's Wife,

Val