Bread seems to be one
of those topics that insights a passionate response from everyone. When working
with weight loss clients, I often suggest that they eat less bread. Whoa. I
would probably get a better response if I suggested they run away and join a
cult. The look of horror on peoples face and the confused expression as they
try to work out else they’re supposed to eat… it always surprises me.
Why? Because I hardly eat bread. I certainly grew up on it,
in fact up until my mid-teens it was ALL I would eat. You’d never guess I was
so headstrong and fussy my diet was predominantly nutella sandwiches, a huge
thick layer of nutella between 2 slices of white bread, and if you zap it in
the microwave, it goes all runny and goopy. There’s a special way you eat it so
the nutella doesn’t drip out the side. Obviously building the basis of a strong
nutritional knowledge… hazelnuts are good for you right? *clears throat*
These days however, bread is a treat. I have no
physiological reason for not eating it often, it doesn’t make me feel sick, and
I don’t have an intolerance. For the most part my diet has evolved without
bread in it. I do however enjoy bread, love it even. Good bread, not the white
kind of my childhood. A café breakfast with a good thick crusty bread. Yum.
For many however, the fact they love bread is overshadowed
by their inability to eat it. Intolerances and allergies to common bread
ingredients such as wheat or gluten mean that it’s off limits.
From a health perspective, bread is a processed foods, and
should really be enjoyed as a treat, rather than a component of a meal. Consider
it a treat, something delicious to look forward to on a special occasion. If
you’re trying to lose weight, it, along with other grain products like rice,
would be the one of the first things I would reduce.
For all of us who enjoy a good bread, why not make your own?
You’re guaranteed to know what’s in it, and don’t things always taste better
when you make them yourself? Here are 3 gluten free bread recipes for you to
try. Enjoy the things you love without the worry.
Gluten Free Bread – a simple recipe
Recipe from BBC Food
Ingredients
- 25g-50g/1oz-1¾oz
golden linseeds
- 475ml/17fl
oz. warm water
- 1
sachet fast-action yeast (about 2½ tsp.)
- 100ml/3½fl
oz. natural yoghurt
- 450g/1lb
corn flour
- 1 tsp.
salt
- 1 tsp.
caster
sugar
- 50g/1¾oz
psyllium husk powder
- 50ml/1¾oz
olive oil
- extra
olive oil and corn flour, to finish
Preparation
method
- Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas
4 and bake the linseeds on a tray for 10-12 minutes, or until they darken
slightly (toasting will burst the husks slightly and allow the seeds to
release a sticky gluten-like gum when wet, making the crumb softer and
adding a wheat germ-like flavour).
- In a bowl, mix the water and
yeast and then stir in the yoghurt and seeds. In a large mixing bowl toss
together the corn flour, salt, sugar and psyllium husk powder. Pour in the
yeast mixture and olive oil and mix well to make a smooth thin batter.
- Over the next five minutes this
liquid will turn into a sticky dough, as the linseed, corn flour and
psyllium husk powder together absorb liquid and become gel-like. Once the
mixture is firm enough, knead it for 10 seconds on the worktop to mix
everything again, then return the dough to the bowl, cover and leave for
30 minutes.
- Line a tray with non-stick
baking paper. Shape the dough into a fat sausage, the length of the tray,
then brush with extra olive oil, cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 240C/465F/Gas
9, uncover the dough and slash the top with a small sharp knife, sprinkle
with a little corn flour to give it a floured look and bake for about 40
minutes, or until rich golden-brown in colour. Leave to cool on a wire
rack before slicing.
Gluten free Garlic Flat Bread – Using boxed Gluten free
bread mix
Recipe from Taste.com.au
Ingredients
- 7g sachet gluten-free dry yeast
- 480g gluten-free bread mix
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Gluten-free plain flour, for dusting
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
Directions
- Combine yeast and 1 1/4 cups warm
water in a large bowl. Add bread mix and 1 tablespoon oil. Stir to form a
soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface. Gently knead into a ball. Transfer
to a large greased bowl. Cover. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes
or until doubled in size.
- Punch dough down. Divide into 8
portions. Roll 1 portion out to a 20cm round. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Heat a greased barbecue plate or chargrill on medium-high heat. Add garlic to remaining oil. Brush 1 side of dough rounds with garlic mixture. Cook 2 rounds for 4 minutes. Turn. Brush with garlic mixture. Cook for 4 minutes or until browned and lightly puffed. Place on a plate. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dough rounds and garlic mixture. Serve.
Farmhouse Seed Bread
Recipe from The whole life nutrition kitchen
Notes from the recipe author
There are so many
variations to this bread. I've made it into an Olive-Rosemary bread using 1 cup
pitted kalamata olive sliced thin and 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh
rosemary. You could also try a Garlic-Seed bread by adding in chopped fresh
garlic and seeds. I am sure there are many more variations. If you have a corn
allergy, try replacing the cornmeal with almond meal. I have made this bread
with many different flour combinations so feel free to experiment, but this one
is my favourite for flavour and texture. The bread gets its crusty crust from
being baked on a stone pan with a pan of water on the lower oven rack. The
steam from the water helps to form the crust. The bread will be a little gummy
hot out of the oven so be sure to let it cool a bit before cutting into it.
Slice it and serve with a good quality olive oil for dipping. It is also
delicious spread with either almond butter or hummus!
Wet Ingredients:
2 ½ cups warm water (105 to 110
degrees F)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
(1 package)
1 teaspoon maple syrup or
organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin
olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup ground chia seeds
1/3 cup whole psyllium husks
1 cup teff flour
1 cup sorghum flour
½ cup sweet rice flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
Topping:
extra virgin olive oil
Poppy seeds
Sesame seeds
Directions
1.
Place the warm water in a bowl or 4-cup liquid
glass measure. Add the yeast and teaspoon of maple syrup, whisk together. Let
rest for 5 to 10 minutes to activate the yeast. The mixture should get foamy or
bubbly. If not, dump it out and start over.
2.
While the yeast is activating, mix together the
dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3.
After the yeast is activated whisk in the olive
oil, maple syrup, ground chia seeds, and phylum husks into the water-yeast
mixture. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes (not any longer) to let the chia and
psyllium release their gelatinous substances. Whisk again.
4.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix
together with a large wooden spoon until thick. Then knead the dough on a
floured wooden board to incorporate the flour. Add more teff and sorghum
flours, a little at a time, until the dough holds together and isn’t too sticky
(about ¼ to ½ cup total). Don’t add too much flour, otherwise the dough will
become very dense; it should still be slightly sticky. Form dough into a ball,
place back into the large bowl, and cover with a damp towel. Place in a warm
spot to rise. I like to place the bowl over a pot of warm water. Let dough rise
for an hour or until doubled in size. Rising time will depend on the
temperature of the environment around the dough.
5.
Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly
floured wooden board. Knead the dough for about a minute. Then form into a
round ball. Place on a square of parchment paper and use a sharp knife to cut a
shallow “tic-tac-toe” pattern on the top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with
poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Let rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place
while the oven and stone are preheating.
6.
Carefully lift the parchment paper with the
risen loaf and place it onto the stone in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool 30 to 60 minutes before cutting into it. The
bread will be very gummy hot out of the oven. The texture is perfect once
cooled. It reminds me of a hearty whole wheat bread.
7.
Tip: Be sure to buy whole chia seeds and
then grind them very finely in a coffee grinder or the dry container of your
Vita-Mix. If using a Vita-Mix, it is best to grind at least one cup at a time
so they grind properly. Store them in a glass jar in your fridge for no longer
than a week.
8.
Note: If you are adding garlic or olives
to this bread, add them in when you are kneading the dough the first time.
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