Whole Wheat Yogurt Bread

I have a thing with food expiration dates. They are like big brick walls for me. I do not cross them. If something says it expires on the 6th and it is 12:01 AM on the 6th, you'd better believe I will no longer be eating it. Ridiculous, I know...like my food has some sort of time clock on it. Anyways...it's just one of my "things" and I don't think it's likely to change anytime soon.

With that being said, I always buy my Fage plain greek yogurt at Costco in the big container. It is cheaper that way. About a week ago I picked some up and noticed that they were selling it for. $1.52. HELLO!! I was dying...so cheap. Well I didn't notice until after the purchase that it expired in a week's time, I'm assuming is why it was so darn cheap. I used some to make some greek yogurt protein shakes this past week, but I didn't barrel my way through the whole container like usual. Today was the date of expiration, and I HATE wasting food, so I decided to find something to use it for.

I have replaced fat in recipes with yogurt before, and it has worked fabulously, but I have never done it in bread. I searched and searched online for a good recipe that used yogurt AND whole wheat flour, and I realized this combo was very hard to come by. So, I ended up making up a little recipe of my own.

Whole Wheat Yogurt Bread


Ingredients  
1 cup non fat plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup honey 
2 1/4 cups whole wheat four (divided)
1 instant rise yeast packet 
1 teaspoon salt 
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1/2 cup of water (optional)

Directions
Combine honey and yogurt in a microwave safe bowl and microwave together for about 30 seconds. Just enough time to allow you to easily combine the yogurt and the honey; you want it to be at room temperature not hot. Add that mixture to two cups of your whole wheat flour as well as your yeast packet. Stir to combine and cover with plastic wrap for about twenty minutes. Once twenty minutes is up add in the rest of the flour and combine. Add in the salt and the butter and continue to knead. I kneaded mine by hand, but a kitchen aid standing mixer with a bread hook would work wonders here. My dough was a little dry at this point, so I added in a little bit of water at a time and kept mixing until it was a good consistency. Cover your dough with plastic wrap once more and let it raise for about an hour and a half. Prepare a baking sheet with a dusting of cornmeal. Work your dough into your desired cooking shape and place on the cornmeal baking sheet. Cover once more with plastic and let it raise for another 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 325 and bake your loaf for 40 minutes. 

Here are the stats: 

This bread was REALLY tasty. I actually thought the density of it was very similar to my easiest whole wheat bread recipe.


November 19th: Today I am thankful for a warm shower. After my morning workout I stayed in my workout clothes while I decorated my house for Christmas. By the time it was shower time...(it may or may not have been 3:00 PM) I was freezing, and my shower warmed me right up and cleaned me right up. Double goodness. Have I mentioned that I hate washing my hair? Cause I do.


A year ago today...Workout Playlist Jams

Do you make your own bread at home? I LOVE the smell of homemade bread. I don't make it very often because I think I could polish off the whole loaf on my own. Maybe if I had more people to cook for.  Do food expiration dates make you nervous?