Total Time: At least 2 days

Ingredients

• 2 cups lukewarm water

• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 1/2 cups dark rye flour

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 3/4 cup cracked rye berries

• 1/2 cup whole rye berries

• 1 1/4 cup whole flaxseeds

• 1 1/3 cup sunflower seeds or combination of sunflower seeds ,pumpkin seeds and/or chopped almonds

• 3 teaspoons salt

• 1 cup of full cream milk

• 1 cup buttermilk or kefir (vegan: 1 cup almond milk mixed with 2 tablespoons cider vinegar) (I often use homemade kefir in place of buttermilk)

• Traditional rolled oats for sprinkling

Method

1. Stir the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm water and let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast is frothy.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl. Add the yeast mixture, milk and buttermilk. Stir to combine.

3. Knead the bread for up to 10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky and not remotely malleable.

4. Put dough into a very large non-metallic bowl with plenty of head space (the dough will bubble up).

5. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 24-48 hours (be sure to ferment it for at least 24 hours to ensure enough of the liquid is absorbed).

6. Line a bread loaf tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 175 Degrees Celsius.

7. Brush the top of the dough with water and sprinkle over with the rolled oats evenly

8. Bake on the middle rack for 100-120 minutes or until the center is done and not sticky.

 

Rye bread is packed with magnesium, which helps control blood pressure and optimize heart health. Eating rye leads to better blood-sugar control compared to wheat. Most of all, rye has a higher fiber content than most flours and can help with healthy bowel movement. Healthy bowel movement can be detrimental if you are constipated, as constipation can worsen your urinary incontinence symptoms. 

 

If you like a rich, fibrous, seeded bread – you will love this!