My Sourdough journey: Ancient Grains, a Standalone Mill, and a Lot of Help from AI

 I am certainly no expert baker, but I wanted a loaf that was custom-tailored to be gentle on my system. I wanted to use ancient grains to take advantage of the higher protein they provide. So, I asked Google AI to help me and she gave me this recipe! It combines old-world stone milling with a 24-hour cold ferment and a hands-free bread machine hack to make a truly gut-friendly masterpiece.

 I've recently made a lot of changes to my diet. I gave up all artificial sugars. I've been making most of my own foods fresh from scratch. I learned to make sourdough starter.  About every 2 weeks I make myself 2 loaves of bread. 

Making this bread has become a regular part of my life that I enjoy. 

 I have a redundant colon with a bend. This means my large intestine is longer than normal, so it has to loop and twist around to fit inside my belly. I have slower digestion and harder stools. I've been changing the way I eat to keep things moving smoothly.  I've learned a routine that works beautifully for my life, my time, and my body.

 

 I have a wonderful Kitchen aid mixer that I have had for 35 years.   But it couldn't handle the sheer density of ancient grains like KAMUT® or sprouted spelt.  I think my husband was in pain listening to my mixer struggle to grind the wheat berries.  He was afraid that it was going to burn out the mixer so he bought me a Mockmill 200. ... YAY! 

 It is able to grind fresh flour 3 times faster than the Kitchen aid. The Freshly milled flour is a total game-changer for flavor, nutrition, and baking results.

 After The flour is ground,  I sift it through a #40 mesh to trap all the sharp, wood-like bran flakes, leaving behind a silky, premium powder.  

Now it's time to mix the ingredients.  I love to make my own bread.  I just don't like to do all the work.  I much prefer the help of my old bread machine because it handles the heavy lifting of mixing, and kneading. 

I use a digital scale to measure my ingredients.

First in go the water and sourdough starter.

Then add all the other ingredients. 
It's ready to close the lid and press start.  

 

When the dough cycle has come to the "rise" part of its cycle.  After about an hour and twenty minutes. I take it out of the machine and tip it into a greased glass loaf pan.   

 24-hour cold ferment in the refrigerator. 
AI says: "This long, slow rest allows the sourdough cultures to slowly break down and 'pre-digest' the dense ancient grain proteins. It naturally softens the dough from the inside out, turning it into an incredibly light, gut-friendly masterpiece."   

24 hours later.  Time to put it on the kitchen counter for 3 more hours.  

  

Plenty of time to take Ida Mae out 

 and enjoy a quiet moment picking a bouquet of zinnias

 

3 hours is up... It doesn't appear to have changed very much.  But have faith it will. 

 Into the preheated oven it goes

 

set the timer

Await the wonderful smell of homemade bread wafting through the house . 
 

Yes!  It finally fluffed.
AI taught me : "A shorter, more compact rise is completely characteristic of 100% ancient grains. Ancient grains naturally contain a highly fragile type of gluten that behaves like a delicate web rather than a stretchy balloon. Instead of holding massive pockets of air and expanding high into the sky like commercial grocery store white bread, ancient grains naturally expand outward into a dense, rich, and intensely satisfying crumb."

Mmmmmmmm. 

 Smells so good

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This recipe is wonderful 

It's soft and moist on the inside, crusty on the outside, but not too crusty, nutty and just smells delicious. I eat a slice with my breakfast and then again at lunch every day.  

The recipe as AI gave it to me...  

Ancient Grain Sourdough Loaf

(Works perfectly for both KAMUT® and Sprouted Spelt)

🛒 Ingredients & Scale Weights

• 350g Freshly Milled Ancient Grain Flour (run through a #40 mesh sifter)
• 50g Fine Oat Flour (I buy this from Bob's Red Mill)
• 250g Cool, Plain Water
• 80g Active, Bubbly Sourdough Starter
• 10g Salt

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📋 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The Machine Mix & Knead: Pour the water and starter into your bread machine pan first, then add the sifted ancient grain flour, fine oat flour, and salt on top. Turn the machine to the "Dough" cycle.
2. The Early Pull (Stop the Machine): Let the machine knead the dough continuously for 20 to 30 minutes until it forms a uniform, cohesive mass. Turn off and unplug the machine immediately before it starts its warm internal heating/rising phase.
3. Pan & Shape: Lightly coat a glass loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Gently tip the freshly kneaded dough straight into the pan and smooth the top with wet fingers.
4. The 24-Hour Cold Sleep: Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap to trap the moisture. Place it straight into the refrigerator for 24 hours so the starter acids can slowly and thoroughly pre-digest the heavy grain proteins. 
5. The 3-Hour Counter Rise: Take the pan out of the fridge the next day. Leave it sitting completely covered on your kitchen counter at room temperature for 3 full hours. This allows the cold edge to leave the glass and gives the wild yeasts the perfect warm window to expand into a beautiful, airy texture. 
6. The Glass-Pan Oven Bake: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the loaf right in its glass pan for 40 to 45 minutes until the crust is a gorgeous, uniform golden brown. (The lower 400°F temperature ensures the crust stays thin, soft, and completely loop-safe).

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📦 Portioning & Tracking

• Baked Loaf Weight: ~648 grams total.
• Calorie Density: Exactly 2.43 calories per gram (A standard 38-gram slice is right around 92 calories) 
• Storage: Slice the loaf completely once cool, pack the slices flat into Zip-top bags, and keep them in your freezer to preserve those gut-friendly resistant starches. 
  (I just take out a slice as I need it.  A quick 20 second turn in the microwave and it's ready to eat)
  My breakfast
  (I made the greek yogurt too) 
  
  

  

  It's a  great feeling to look at my delicious 
  homemade breakfast thinking "I made this." 
  
   Wishing you a peaceful week ahead, a warm kitchen, and time to savor the simple things.
  

  ~Terry