By Andrea Cullen
17th June 2014
Wow oh wow I hit the jackpot with this invention! I will do my best to recall the recipe for you as I was cooking for a stress break which means I was getting creative paying no heed to the volumes used and pretty much having a dance off with myself and some tunes as I was baking. Yea… laugh all you like; it works!
This bread has no added fats or sugar, contains an abundance of healthy and natural fats, minerals, and fibre and most importantly it tastes great! I mean really great; I cannot stop eating it. So far toppings have included almond nut butter and smoked salmon with mango chutney so it works with a savoury as well as a sweet twist.
I added a large scoop of vegan protein powder to raise the protein content of the bread and it is sweetened naturally with dates. You could use an egg instead of the protein powder to create a more traditional style bread if you prefer or don’t have vegan protein powder to hand.
I will remake the recipe a few times to get a more accurate gauge on the quantities and I may add some tweaks to see how adaptable the recipe can be. Quantities given here are approximate and written from memory so use your best judgement when baking your own loaf.
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop protein powder – I used Garden of Life Raw protein. Any good brand of vegan protein such as brown rice protein, pea protein, or a protein blend like Warrior protein will work well. Whey protein may create a more watery texture that is trickier to work with.
- 2 to 3 dates – stones removed
- 1/3 can full-fat coconut milk (if you want to choose BPA free canned coconut milk this is a handy article explaining why and how)
- 1 1/2 cups organic pumpkin seeds
- Water to desired consistency
- 1/2 cup flax seeds
- 3/4 cup chia seeds (whole seeds and not milled seeds)
- 1/2 cup shelled organic hemp seeds
- 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds; I used sprouted raw sunflower seeds you can use regular sunflower seeds as they are or toasted if these are all that is available
- 1 teaspoon salt (Himalayan, Celtic or Atlantic)
- 3 to 4 cardamom pods – shelled
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups Odlums tritamyl self-raising gluten-free white flour (you could use almond flour if you prefer but the bread may be a lot more dense. I chose to add some gluten-free self-raising flour to lighten the bread a little.)
- 2 tablespoons psyllium powder/ husks
Directions:
- Add the dates, pumpkin seeds, protein powder, and coconut milk to a blender and blitz until liquid in consistency. You may need to add more water to prevent it thickening excessively and the blade getting stuck. You have a lot of leeway so don’t worry that you are adding too much water
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (flax seeds, chia seeds, shelled hemp seeds, toasted sunflower seeds, salt, cardamom seeds, coconut flour, tritamyl self-raising gluten-free white flour and psyllium powder husks). Mix well using a large spoon or fork.
- Add the wet ingredients from the blender and mix through adding more water as necessary. Allow the mixture to settle for a few minutes adding more water as necessary to create a dense mixture with the consistency of regular bread.
- Place in a standard bread tin that has been lined and greased.
- Bake at 220 C / 430 F for ten minutes and then drop the temperature to 180 C/ 350 F for approximately another 40 minutes depending on the temperature of your oven (I bake in a convection oven).
- The baked bread should come out slightly on the moist side when a knife is run through it. It will dry further in the following hour.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!!
- This bread will slice and freeze well.
Love
Andrea
Summer in my heart
Do you ever sit still in the evening sun
Just to feel the warm breeze on your skin
Or to engulf yourself in evening jasmine or honeysuckle?
Do you ever silence your mind with distant mumbles of lawnmowers
or children’s final moments of joy filled play?
While the golden-red hues gather to welcome the moon.
The gentle breeze connects you to me
She moves with silent determination between continents.
She carries the resonance of beating hearts
And the silent words of daydreams.
The gentle breeze that carries the sun sets warmth whispers untold “I love you’s”
and parents proud thoughts.
The birdsong of dusk gives thanks for the day
With a gentleness that differs to the dawn chorus.
It as though she knows our hearts need soothing.
In the silence the trees rustle;
They celebrate the joy of another day and whisper of tomorrow’s dreams.
Stop a while and listen
Feel every moment with your heart
This is love
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