Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

It was a low-key weekend around here. I worked on Saturday, and Sunday we stayed inside because it was gloomy and rainy outside.

I did make a couple loaves of homemade bread and this super easy Strawberry Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam recipe. No boiling the fruit, no pectin, and no hot-water bath to seal the jars. The easiest jam I’ve ever made. It didn’t set up quite like regular jam, but it is pretty good nonetheless. (I did not follow the recipe to the ‘T,’ which is why mine is darker. There are cherries and blueberries in my mix.)

I also made two loaves of homemade bread. We always had homemade bread to eat growing up, and this is the recipe my mom used every single time.

Whole Wheat Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups warm water

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup honey

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2-1/2 cups white flour

Directions

1. Add water to a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top.

2. Add oil, honey, and salt. Stir to combine, and let set for 5-10 minutes.

3. Add flour and knead for 10 minutes.

4. Cover and place in a warm area. Let rise until doubled in size. Punch down and let rise again until doubled in size.

5. Separate dough into two equal pieces. Fold into a loaf and place in greased bread pans.

6. Let rise.

7. Bake at 350* for 35 minutes.

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Once again there was very little running for me this past week. I am getting really cranky over the fact I can’t run and don’t know how I am going to survive until November if I can’t run anymore (or much more) during this pregnancy.

I know I shouldn’t run, but that’s like saying you can’t do your favorite hobby or pastime for the next 4 months. You wouldn’t like it either!

I made it outside for a 3.5 mile run this morning in the rain, and while I thoroughly enjoyed being able to get out, I still have pelvis pain and have been sore the rest of the day.

Workouts for June 30 – July 6

Monday

1.5 miles/14:33/average pace – 9:38

I was really optimistic I would be able to resume running. I was good for the first 0.5 miles, but then the pain hit me. At one mile 1 turned around and walk/ran back home.

Tuesday

40 minutes – swimming laps

Swimming is the next best cardio option for me.

Wednesday

25 minute walk with the dog + biked to work

Thursday

60 minute yoga class + walked Sadie for 30 minutes

Friday

2.5 miles/23:24/average pace – 9:21 + 60 minute hike

I finally was able to purchase a maternity support belt. It definitely helped but was not the magical token to alleviate all the pain. I tried running at a slower pace too, but that didn’t seem to make a difference.

Saturday

45 minutes weight lifting + 30 minute walk with the dog

Sunday

3.5 miles/29:50/average pace 8:31

4 x 400 meters

I was itching to do something at least some-what fast(er). These went quite well—not that I had high expectations to begin with, but I was able to run a 7 minute pace for these.

Total: 7.5 miles

After posting the pictures of me wearing the maternity support belt, someone commented that I should be wearing it lower. Instead of it supporting the weight of my belly, I should try wearing it around my hips to hold those in place since the ligaments are probably starting to stretch. I can’t wait to try it out on my next run! I’m really hoping it makes a difference.

I did purchase this belt from Motherhood Maternity here in town. Initially I was going to order one through Amazon, but they would not ship to my Alaska address because this item would “require special handling.” Seriously?!? It is a piece of fabric! Apparently certain baby/maternity items cannot be shipped “outside of the U.S.” Last time I checked, Alaska was a part of the U.S.—despite the petitions to secede from the union.

This week I was getting a little fed up with shipping policies and extraneous costs to have things sent to me in Alaska because I was also going to order diapers through The Honest Co. and they were going to charge me $35 in shipping fees. But if I lived in The Lower 48, shipping would have been free. I understand that they have to travel further, but can’t you put the diapers in a flat rate box through the USPS and send them to me for the same cost it would be to mail them from CA to NY? (Okay,  so they probably wouldn’t have fit in a flat rate box but you get the idea.)

I think companies have gotten better about shipping to Alaska over the years, but it still drives me crazy sometimes.

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Questions

1. What family recipe is made on a regular basis in your own home now?

2. Have you had problems with companies shipping you items?