Seeded Bread

This is an easy bread recipe that is so delicious!  I really love this bread - good for toast, sandwiches, or just slathered with a little butter.  The flax and sunflower seeds make it especially lovely.  I hope you give it a try!

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons fast acting yeast
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons flax seeds
3 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds

Throw everything except the sunflower seeds into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer  stir until combined.  Then knead on medium speed for a minute or so. Lightly grease mixing bowl with spray or oil then cover and let it rise on the counter for a couple of hours.  Then move the bowl to the fridge and let it sit for another couple of hours. Move the dough to the counter and knead it for several minutes  on a lightly floured surface while adding the sunflower seeds. Form into a loaf and place seam side down on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle top lightly with flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour.  Forty minutes into this rest, place a cast iron pan on the lowest rack in your oven and preheat the oven to 425.  When the hour is up, get 1 cup of water ready to pour into the cast iron pan (to create a bunch of steam and a lovely crust on your loaf) and slash the top of your loaf with 3 cuts (1/2 inch deep).  Place dough on middle rack, carefully pour the water into the cast iron pan and then close the oven door (it will steam a lot). Bake about 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet then move to a cooling rack to allow it to cool completely.