I am genuinely so excited about this recipe! I have been eating gluten free for a few years and I seriously miss eating good bread. I find the commercial gluten-free bread is far too processed to be healthy, and as I try to eat a mostly unprocessed, grain free, whole food diet I tend to steer away from these anyway. I have tried lots of gluten-free bread recipes but find that often they don’t quite work. But this recipe is easy, actually works AND tastes like proper bread! I don’t mean the sliced white processed stuff, but this recipe gives a good, dense, slightly nutty loaf, similar to a rye bread.
I have made it twice, and it has kept in my fridge for 6 days and freezes well. You can also toast it (slowly on a low heat, turning often) but as the centre is moister than the outside I find the edges of the toast burn. I think perhaps cooking the loaf in the oven for longer on a lower heat might solve this – I will experiment more and let you know!
In the recipe, I have used sprouted buckwheat flour. But did you know that buckwheat is a not wheat at all, it is part of the rhubarb family and is actually a seed and not a grain (remember – tiger nuts are not nuts and buckwheat is not wheat?!!).
The extra nuts in this recipe add great taste and texture – you can use any kind of nuts you like. What I loved was that the tiger nuts stay whole, and because of the soaking they turn nicely soft and yet crunchy when cooked.
If you are following a strict paleo diet you will know that buckwheat is considered a pseudo-grain, and as such is not allowed. However soaking and sprouting the grain increases nutrients and makes the seed easier to digest, and some people such as Pete Evans of The Paleo Way, suggest that sprouted grains can form part of a modern paleo diet. But whether it is strictly paleo or not – what matters is that this bread is delicious and good for you!
I was also majorly excited as I made the most delicious raw raspberry chia jam ever to accompany it! I don’t have a sweet tooth, but every now and then I do fancy something sweet- and this little healthy version of the old-school snack of bread and jam really does hit the spot. Better still there is no messing with hot pans, and no refined sugar!
If you are not familiar with psyllium husk – don’t be afraid! Psyllium husk is made from the seeds of Plantago Ovata, a herb grown in India. It is an amazing source of soluble fibre that is incredibly beneficial and is said to help lower cholesterol, reduce blood sugar and help with weight loss. It is widely available and a little goes a very long way.
Tiger Nuts Superfood Loaf
Ingredients;
200g almond flour
120g Rude Health sprouted buckwheat flour
100g tiger nuts flour
90g pumpkin seeds
90g sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
3 tablespoons psyllium husk powder (or simply process husks with the flour to make powder)
handful each of walnuts, almonds, tiger nuts (I used our tiger nuts naked)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons mixed herbs or any herbs of choice
600 mls cold water
Method;
Mix the flours, and process briefly with the seeds. Then add the nuts and process for a couple seconds making sure to leave some texture (the tiger nuts will stay whole).
Now mix with remaining dry ingredients.
Add the water, and mix well.
Leave for 1 hour to absorb.
Then either shape into two small loaves approximately 6cms high, or use two loaf tins (I use silicone ones) filled halfway.
Bake at 180C for 50-60 minutes or until you can pull a clean knife out f teh middle.
Place upside down on kitchen roll to cool – this helps absorb any moisture.
Raw Chia Jam
Ingredients;
raspberries (or any fruit you like)
chia seeds (approx 2 tsps)
psyllium husk powder (approx 1 tsp)
maple syrup (optional)
method;
this is a bit of a ‘throw it in and see what happens’method rather than a recipe – it is honestly almost impossible to go wrong!
Place some raspberries (I used 3/4 punnet) in a processor. (I used a hand blender and a small bowl), and blend with chia seeds, psyllium husk and a splash of maple syrup (optional) if needed.
Leave to thicken for an hour in the fridge. Then check taste and consistency, and adjust until you have the right consistency and taste. This depends entirely on the sweetness and moisture content of the fruit used.
Leave in fridge and try not to eat it all before the bread has cooled! It should keep for 5-7 days in the fridge.
Enjoy
x
