High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread

one and a half cups warm water
1 table spoon brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 table spoon red star, high acting yeast
1 table spoon wheat gluten (optional)
4 tablespoons ground flaxseed
half a cup wheat bran
3 cups whole wheat flour sifted (total of dry ingredients = 4 cups)

Makes one, 1, 5 lb loaf or 16 large pretzels or rolls. The serving size depends on how thicky the bread is sliced (1 oz. slices = 24 slices from a 1.5 lb. loaf).
Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray one loaf pan with cooking spray.
Place warm water, salt and sugar in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved.
Sprinkle yeast over the liquid and stir to dissolve.
Add flaxseed, wheat bran, whole wheat flour and gluten; about 1 cup at a time and stir until the dough is firm yet slightly sticky.
Kneed the dough by hand for about 5 minutes until dough is smooth. Place in the loaf pan. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm place until the dough reaches the top of the tin (about 30-60 minutes).
Bakein a hot oven for 20-25 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
Alternatively this recipe can be made in a bread maker. Place all the ingredients (water, sugar, salt, flour, flaxseed, bran, gluten and yeast) into the bread machine. Run on dough cycle. Remove dough, place in loaf pan, allow to rise and then bake.
Note: Some people can be allergic to (ground) flax seed. You might want to test a little ground flax seed sprinkled on cereal before making bread if you have allergies. If you are than omit the flaxseed from the bread recipe and replace it with more wheat bran. The total amount of dry ingredients (flour, flax seed, and/or bran) is 4 cups.

 Servings - 24