For the love of bread

I love bread. There it is. i said it.  These days this confession feels like saying you eat meat from factory farming or that you like trans-fatty acids. With gluten being banished from our plates because it’s blamed to be unhealthy bread has earned a very bad reputation.

I disagree. It’s not that bread in its most natural form is unhealthy. Instead the highly processed loaves of bread that you find in supermarkets and – unfortunately – more and more fast food bakeries. That kind of bread indeed is not good for you. But not because of the bread itself but because of all the additives that make a bread last for over a week. What now?

I think bread is essential to our lives and a balanced diet. I grew up with bread, and especially in Germany, it is a crucial ingredient to a weeknight dinner with your family. For me, there is something special about sharing a fresh loaf of bread with your loved ones.

While i agree that you should cut down on simple carbs, I’d like to encourage you to enjoy a good slice of bread every now and then. And if I say ‘good bread’ i mean a bread that is made of organic wholegrain flour, water, salt, and time. Time is essential to bread making and the fermentation adds a lot of bacteria to the bread that is actually very good for you and your digestion.

I took several bread baking classes in NYC and Munich and am fascinated by the science of bread baking. It’s incredible how something that nourishing and fulfilling is made of a set of few very basic ingredients. For me, smelling the scent of freshly baked bread feels like a cozy warm blanket on a chilly fall day … just have a look outside and you know what I’m talking about.

When I started to bake my own bread I quickly realized that I was struggling with incorporating it into my daily cooking routine. Feeding a sourdough is work, and requires a lot of dedication and time.

Then one day I stumbled upon a recipe for “a life-changing loaf of bread” from my new roots. It’s rich, hearty, comes with a ton of seeds and nuts, and is super easy to make. I was intrigued, and after I baked my first loaf, I was hooked. This bread IS life-changing! Especially in combination with a creamy avocado spread on top – best avocado toast ever! It’s not like your typical sourdough bread, but is a great alternative for a cleaner bread version – and can satisfy your gluten-free friends at the same time.

The secret ingredient that holds all the seeds and nuts together is psyllium husk powder. It is a form of fiber mainly used to relieve symptoms of constipation and – in this case – as a food thickener. You can buy it at your local health store or online. In Germany, you can also get it at drug stores.

Once baked, you can keep the bread at room temperature for several days. However, I suggest to make 1-2 loaves and freeze the slices. That way you’ll always have a slice ready to eat …

I hope you enjoy this recipe and restart celebrating bread as an incredibly nourishing and fascinating food.

Love,

Marion

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Life-changing loaf of bread

July 20, 2021

Servings: 12

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 60 min

Difficulty: Easy

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A hearty gluten-free bread that is easy to make and delicious. Recipe slightly adapted from my new roots.

By: BAKE & NOURISH

Ingredients

• 150g gluten-free oats
• 140g sunflower seeds
• 90g flax seeds
• 70g nuts (any kind)
• 4 tablespoons psyllium husk powder (Flohsamenschalen)
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• 340ml water

Directions

• Step 1 In a large bowl mix oats, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, nuts, psyllium husk powder, chia seeds, and salt.
• Step 2 Mix melted coconut oil with water and add to the mixture.
• Step 3 Stir with a spoon until it becomes a sticky dough.
• Step 4 Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or use a silicon loaf pan.
• Step 5 Spoon the dough into the pan and press it down firmly
• Step 6 Leave to rest for at least three hours, ideally overnight.
• Step 7 Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 20 minutes.
• Step 8 Remove the bread from the pan and bake for another 20-30 minutes. The bread should make a hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the loaf.
• Step 9 Remove from the oven and let cool completely.