Pam's Diet Bread

Multigrain bread machine loaves don’t need a long ingredient list to taste like real bakery bread. This one stacks bread flour for structure with whole wheat flour, stone-ground cornmeal, and whole millet for a crumb that’s tender on the inside and lightly nubby from the grains. The cornmeal lends a faint sweetness and golden color, while uncooked millet softens during the bake and gives each slice tiny pops of texture, almost like poppy seeds with more chew. There’s no added fat, no sugar, and no salt, which is why it earns the diet name, but it still rises tall thanks to the high-protein bread flour and active dry yeast doing the lifting. Toast a slice and the millet crisps up beautifully under butter or jam.

Kitchen Tips

• Add the water first, then the flours, with the yeast on top away from the liquid. This keeps the yeast dormant until the machine starts kneading.
• Use the whole wheat or multigrain cycle if your machine has one. The longer rise gives the wheat and millet time to fully hydrate.
• For a softer crust, brush the top with a little water or melted butter the moment it comes out of the pan.
• Store cooled bread in a paper bag at room temperature for up to two days, or slice and freeze for longer keeping.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup for a touch of sweetness without breaking the low-fat profile.
• Swap the millet for flax seeds, sunflower seeds, or rolled oats for a different grain texture.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of caraway or fennel seeds for a deli-style aroma.