Hello, Greyart! Yes - the stuff in parenthesis is optional. Lots of people use soy protein isolate, e.g., but I don't much like the taste of soy, and don't like using soy products very much.

But let me also suggest these flour formulations:

For bread baking:
Jena Marie's Bread Flour Blend
Ingredients:
120 grams (4 1/4 oz) Vital Wheat Gluten
110 grams (4 oz) Resistant Starch
70 grams (2 1/2 oz) all purpose unbleached flour or bread flour
50 grams (1 3/4 oz) Wheat Protein Isolate (Arise 5000)
30 grams (1 oz) Oat Fiber
30 grams (1 oz) Oat Flour
The original author of this recipe, Jena Marie, made this comment about the use of regular flour in the recipe:

Q: Why is there flour in this recipe?

A: In order to make bread, it must be allowed to ferment, better known as proofing or rising. In order for the yeast and bacteria to stay alive and active during this time, there must be food available. Yeast and bacteria need sugar in order to ferment. The starch (carbohydrates) in the flour supply the perfect food. If you remove all of the starch carbohydrates, there is nothing to feed the yeast and bacteria. I’ve found that by adding a slight amount of flour to the Bread Flour Blend, it provides enough starch to keep the yeast and bacteria living long enough for one, perhaps two, good proofing, meaning the carbohydrates are used for food. The actual carbohydrate content is lower because the nutritional information reflects the total carbohydrate count without deducting the carbohydrates used in the fermentation process.


Also, for cakes, cookies, muffins, and other "finer" baking:
Jena Marie's Cake Flour Blend:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Resistant Starch
1 1/4 cups Wheat Protein Isolate (Arise 5000)
1 3/4 cups Oat Flour
2 1/2 cups Oat Fiber

Put all ingredients in large bowl and mix well with a large whisk.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): Per cup: 323 Calories; 1g Fat (2.7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 103g
Carbohydrate; 84g Dietary Fiber; 19 net carbs; 0mg Cholesterol; 52mg
Sodium. NOTES: This is a lighter flour to use in cakes, muffins and cookies.

Finally, here are three bread recipes from Jena Marie's website:
Jena Marie's Basic White Bread: Serving Size : 20 slices
Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups Jena Marie's Bread Flour Blend
2 teaspoons active dry yeast


1. Add ingredients to bread machine in order listed.
2. Bake on white loaf cycle, 1 1/2 pound loaf, desired loaf color.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 51 Calories; 1g Fat (18.3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 163mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fat.
NOTES: This makes a wonderful soft loaf of bread.



Jena Marie's Hearth Loaf - Serving Size : 1 large rustic loaf; Preparation Time : 5+ hours
Ingredients:
Dough Starter (Sponge)
1 cup unbleached bread flour (this is real bread flour)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/8 teaspoon instant yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/3 cup water, at room temperature (70 to 90 degrees F)

Flour Mixture
1 3/4 cup low carb flour blend
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (do not add with the flour mixture)


1. Make the sponge.
In a mixer bowl or other large bowl, place all ingredients. Whisk until very smooth and to incorporate air. About 2 minutes. Whisking in the air is a very important step, so don't skip it. The sponge should be like a very thick batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and set aside, covered with plastic wrap, while you mix up the flour.

2. Flour Mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk only the JM Flour Blend and yeast. Gently scoop it onto the sponge to cover it completely. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to ferment from 1 to 4 hours at room temprature. The longer the fermentation time, the more sour the bread will be and the fewer carbohydrates it will have.

3. Mixing the dough.
Mixer Method - Using the dough hook, (#2 if using a KitchenAid) mix on low speed for about 1 minute until the dough is moist and has formed a rough dough. Scrape down sides and press any little bits into the dough. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. This 20 minute rest is important because it give the gluten a chance to relax.

After the rest, sprinkle the salt on top of the dough and mix on medium speed (#4 on KitchenAid) for about 7 minutes. The dough should be elastic and smooth, but sticky to the touch. Add water a few drops at a time if needed. Towards the end of the mixing, you should listen for the "slap, slap, slap" noise made by the dough. Learn this sound because it is the sound the dough makes when it is ready for proofing.

Hand Method - Add the salt and with a wooden spoon or your hand, mix the batter until the flour is moistened. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together, then scrape it out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, enough to develop the gluten structure and adding up to 2 tablespoons of JM Bread Flour Mix to keep it from sticking too much. This bread dough should be sticky, so resist the temptation to add more flour! Cover the dough ball with the bowl and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. This step must not be skipped. It allows the gluten to relax and the dough will be less sticky.

Knead the dough for another 5 or 10 minutes until it is very smooth and elastic. It should be just slightly sticky.

4. Letting the dough rise.
Both Methods - Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 2 quart bowl or container, lightly greased with oil, for the dough to rise. Spray the top of the dough with oil and cover with with a lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise (ideally at 75 to 80 degrees) until doubled, about 1 hour.

Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough onto a floured counter (or on parchment or silpat and use no extra flour) Gently press the dough down and either shape it and place in a greased loaf pan, or shape into a free form loaf on a parchment or silpat covered baking sheet. I make mine into a round loaf about 2-3 inches high and 8 inches in diameter. Spray the top with oil and cover well with oiled plastic wrap. Let loaf rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees 1 hour before baking. Place the oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone or heavy baking sheet on it before pre heating.

6. Slash the dough and bake.
With a razor or sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf about 1/2 inch deep. For a traditional loaf slash right down the middle. For a round artisian loaf, slash a tic-tac-toe type of mark on top. Mist the top of the bread. This will give a thicker, crisper crust. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temprature to 425 degrees and bake until the internal temprature is 200 degrees. (use an instant read thermometer and insert into the center) This should take an additional 20 minutes or so.

7. Cool the bread. Remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack until it is cooled completely.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items):

NOTES: An instant read thermometer can be found at almost any store that sells kitchen tools - even the grocery store. A good thermometer can start at less than $10 dollars and is an invaluable tool when baking bread. This is NOT a candy thermometer or a meat thermometer. It should have a thin, nail type end that is pushed into the bread.


Jena Marie's Cinnamon Bread - Serving Size : At least 16
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups water, warm
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup Jena Marie's Maltitol
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 each egg, room temp
1 cup Jena Marie's Resistant Starch
1/2 cup Jena Marie's Wheat Protein Isolate
1/2 cup whole wheat flour, white
1/2 cup Jena Marie's Oat Flour
3/4 cup Jena Marie's Oat Fiber
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Add ingredients in the order listed to bread machine. Set on dough cycle and let machine knead dough through one cycle but don't let it rise in the machine. I just use my machine to knead the dough. It's a sticky dough, but after the proper kneading it comes together in a smooth ball. You can also knead by hand or with a mixer. Resist the temptation to add more flour!

2. After the kneading, shape bread into rolls or into 2 loaves of bread.

3. Lightly butter top of bread and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until doubled.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

5. Let cool in pan for 10 - 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 135 Calories; 2g Fat (14.6% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 17g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 227mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES: This makes great french toast.
Optional: Make dough into rolls and after baking, spread with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped, roasted nuts.