It's as tasty as it looks.
It also keeps longer than plain French Bread, because of its oat flour content.
More water-soluble and insoluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids.
Toasts like a dream, too.
Try it if you have a bread machine.
Try it if you don't -- have fun kneading!
====
Oat-Flax Seed French Bread
Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups water (warm, 96 to 110 F degrees)
2 TBSP. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. sugar (do not omit, necessary for yeast activity)
3 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup oat flour
3 TBSP. ground flax seed meal
1-1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
Follow machine directions for making French Bread. If you are making by hand, follow recipe for any traditional French Bread but add flax seed meal and oat flour along with unbleached bread flour. Use organic ingredients whereever possible for healthiest results.
This recipe makes a 2-lb. loaf or (2) 1-lb. loaves; can be molded into traditional baguettes.
Enjoy!
1:59:11 PM 
My post yesterday about two buried bills intended to protect women after mastectomy surgery brought up another important related topic.
Women are increasingly under siege in this country; note this excerpt from a diary at DailyKos on proposed legislation in Virginia:
VA Legislative Sentry: Have a Miscarriage, Go to JAIL?
by Maura in VA
Thu Jan 6th, 2005 at 19:44:34 EST
Imagine the following scenario. You are at home alone at 8:00 on a Friday night. You are 8 weeks pregnant. All of a sudden, you begin to experience heavy cramping and bleeding. You realize with shock and sadness that you are probably experiencing a miscarriage. You are overwhelmed with grief and surprised by the intensity of physical pain involved. When your partner comes home, you break the sad news to him. Over the next few hours, you suffer pain, cramping, and intermittent bleeding. Exhausted, you finally fall asleep in your partner's arms around 4 AM. You sleep until noon.
Guess what? You just earned yourself up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. Why? Because you failed to call the cops and report your miscarriage within 12 hours.
True? Not yet. But if Delegate John Cosgrove (R-78) has his way, HB1677 will become law in a few short months, and this scenario will be reality for many women in Virginia. Incredulous? Outraged? Read on below the jump for more information on this odious bill.
You can read the rest of Maura's diary post here.
The potential damage this kind of bill could wreak is far-reaching. Should women avoid all sex, for fear of having a miscarriage? Should women hide from medical care at risk of their lives after miscarriage, to prevent further physical and emotional trauma foisted on them by the legal system?
Although there is an assault underway by right-wing religious ideologues on childlessness that impacts both men and women, it becomes clear that greater resources are aimed against women, in the form of legislation against their rights or burying legislation that will protect women.
Karen of Bread Crumbs mentioned recently that Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" is prescient. I'll say; VA HB 1677 makes it all too clear that some portion of American society already believes women are second-class citizens and little more than reproductive vessels.
Welcome to mandatory paternity and forced motherhood.
12:12:21 PM 
