‘The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight’
I was recently advised to give up Gluten. There are lots of Gluten Free products on the market these days, so this has definitely become more common place. The gluten is normally replaced with refined starches however, which from a nutritional standpoint as definitely not as nutritive as wholemeal flour, or something that you want in high amount in your body. As a chef, the obvious next step was to find a better substitute, or to make one, which is just what I did.
If it is to be sustainable that I make my own bread, the process needs to be easy, the taste needs to be great and the nutritional density must be high. This recipe ticks all these boxes.
I found this recipe on David Lebovitz’s website and he based this recipe on Josey Baker Bread, noted as a bread that stands on its own versus trying to imitate traditional wheat breads.
This is Mr B approved recipe, who has been using the bread to make avocado toast and noted that he would happily have this as the only bread in the house.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, this bread is grounding and so great for Vata and has high fibre and low GI, so great for Kapha.
Nutritional benefits:
Flax – Protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids
Chia – Protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids
Psyllium – Prebiotic, fibre
Oats – Soluble and insoluble fibre, high mineral and antioxidant content
Sunflower seeds – Vitamin E, Selenium, Linoleic fatty acids
Pumpkin seeds – Iron, Zinc, Magnesium
Nuts – Potassium, Zinc, Oleic Acid
Ingredients
Serving: 12 slices
- 2.5 cups (235g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (160g) sunflower seeds
- ½ cup (65g) pumpkin seeds
- ¾ cup (90g) nuts (pecans and hazelnuts)
- ¾ cup (120g) flax seeds
- 1/3 cup (20g) psyllium husk powder
- 3 tbsp (25g) chia seeds
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tbsp. (40g) brown rice syrup
- ¼ cup (55g) extra virgin olive oil
- 2.5 cups (600g) water
Method
- Toast the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and nuts, let cool
- Add the seeds and nuts to the rest of the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together
- Add the wet to the dry ingredients and combine well
- Oil a bread tin (9×5) and pour the mixture in. Pat down and level out the mixture
- Place the tin in the fridge overnight. This allows the psyllium husk and flax to absorb the water and brings the mixture together
- Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C
- Bake on the middle shelf for 60 minutes, until the loaf turns golden brown
- Tip out of the tin carefully onto a cooling rack (this should be easy as it should have pulled away from the tin a little)
- Let cool for 2 hours before slicing
- The bread tastes great as is, but also stands up well to being further toasted
