Holy! whole wheat burger buns

These are "holy!" because I got the recipe from "Holy Cow!" a vegan blog full of recipes, many with an Indian influence. These were very easy to make and were soft and delicious with the homemade veggie burgers I also made today. I bet they'd be great toasted with some nut butter and jam for breakfast. I stuck a few leftovers in the freezer to use later for lunches. Here is a link to the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs vital wheat gluten flour (optional- use it if you can because it gives the bread a great texture and a better rise)
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
2 tsp sugar
3 Tbs vegetable oil (I used olive!)

1. Mix the sugar, 1/2 cup warm water and the yeast in a mixing bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to froth, indicating the yeast is alive and well. Be careful that your water is not too hot- use the "wrist" test- it should be wrist temperature. If you have freezing cold hands like I do, be careful with how you test the water.

2. Sift all the flours and baking soda into the bowl (I skipped the sifting). Knead on low speed in a stand mixer or by hand for about 3 minutes, trickling in 1 cup of water until you have a dough that's smooth but slightly sticky. If you are leaving out the gluten, knead at least 2 more minutes.

3. Add the oil and continue to knead until the oil has been absorbed by the dough, about 1 more minute.

4. Now place in an oiled bowl, turning over once to coat all over with oil, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 2 hours until the dough has risen (1 hour in a warm oven).

5. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 balls. I found it actually made 9- make them however big your veggie burgers are.

6. Shape them into smooth balls. Place the buns on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet (or a silpat!!), at least a couple of inches apart. Flatten the tops slightly with your fingers, and let the buns rise for an hour.

7. Preheat the oven to 370ºF. Place the buns in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes.

8. Brush the tops with a little oil for a pretty, glossy look. Sprinkle some sesame seeds or poppy seeds on the top, if desired.

9. Remove to a rack and allow the buns to cool before breaking them off.

Here is one of the burger buns with our delicious, homemade veggie burgers and toppings!