Bulgur, oats, flax, and bran bread for bread machine

**This is not a gluten-free recipe and was posted before I eliminated gluten from my diet.**

For months I've relied on the same bread recipe, only changing subtle things (like using different nuts and seeds). It's incredibly good, so I figured there was no reason to veer from it, but Kalyn managed to change my mind when she posted a recipe for whole wheat bread with lots of yummy additions, including bulgur (one of my favorites!).

Bulgur, oats, flax, and bran bread (adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen)

1/2 cup bulgur

2/3 cup boiling water

2 1/4 cup whole white wheat flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

2 Tbsp wheat bran

2 Tbsp flax meal

2 Tbsp wheat gluten

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp raw sugar

1 cup lukewarm water

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp honey (or agave nectar)

2 tsp instant yeast

Soak bulgur in boiling water for an hour. Combine flour, oats, bran, flax, gluten, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Stir in bulgur. Add ingredients to bread machine in order suggested by manufacturer's directions (I added liquid ingredients, then dry ingredients, then yeast). Use whole wheat setting if you have one. Keep an eye on it during kneading, and add more water or flour if it's not typical dough consistency. Makes 1 1/2 lb loaf.

This was incredibly good. It didn't taste remarkably different than my usual bread, but had a great texture from the bulgur and oats. It didn't rise quite as much as my usual recipe, but it isn't a big deal and isn't heavy and dense at all. I didn't use dough enhancer, and I'm curious if this would have made a difference. If I can find a cheap version, I may try it out to see. I'm happy with how my loaves turn out, though, so it's definitely not necessary.

I missed the nuts/seeds that I usually add, and I'll add some next time. But, as is, I couldn't stop eating it. In fact, I didn't let it cool very long before I sliced into it because it smelled so good. The only downside is that this takes a little bit more time because you have to wait for the bulgur to soak. It's not a huge deal if you're at home, but it would be tough for me make this after getting home from the lab (unless I ate the whole thing and didn't have to wait for it to cool to store it!). This bread will definitely be making another appearance in my machine.