Superfood Bread

I am again exploring recipes that can accommodate all types of eaters and dietary needs. I saw variations on this bread popping up all over the interwebs on many healthy-delicious-food blogs. Eventually, I had to succumb and give it a try. With research, testing, and tweaking over the past two months or so, I think I’ve finally hit upon it. Now, this is not your traditional quick bread made with white flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and butter. So cast that bread aside and open your mind to an alternative that’s dark, dense, and full of rich flavor. It’s also gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free (it’s not nut free but could be tweaked to be so). It’s a great base for add-ins like dried fruit and is wonderful with all sorts of toppings. It holds its own with sweet toppings like jam, honey, and nut butter. It’s also great with a savory schmear like hummus or guacamole. It is easily transportable for bringing to work or on a trip when you need a filling snack or lunch. This bread is super hearty, and one small slice really fills you up with whole grains, seeds, and nuts. Hello, fiber!

Unfortunately, it’s not a “quick” bread as the ingredient list is embarrassingly long but well worth the effort. To combat the long ingredient list and multiple steps, I’ve discovered that it’s best to mix up the dry ingredients ahead of time and then finish it up and bake it another day. Somehow between the measuring and mixing and waiting and baking, it’s too much to do all in one day unless you’re blessed with a snow day without any plans for an outing. Otherwise, split up the tasks and leave the kitchen to do other activities. Come back and bake when it suits you. This bread should be stored in the fridge for maximum freshness and keeps well for about two weeks, at which point it’s all gone anyway. You could also freeze it for later or bake it in muffin tins for a grab-and-go option.

I was amused when I first made this bread, as what goes into the oven is what comes out. This may seem obvious, but if you’re used to a leavening agent, it might take you by surprise as well. With no baking powder, baking soda, yeast, or eggs, the final bread is in the exact same shape as the batter. So if you under-fill your muffin tin, you’ll have half-sized muffins. Maybe good for satisfying a half-appetite?

Superfood Bread

• 2 c. sunflower seeds
• 1/4 c. buckwheat flour
• 1/4 c. millet flour
• 1/2 c. rice flour
• 1 c. almonds
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans
• 1/4 c. psyllium husk powder
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 c. cold water

1. To a food processor, add 1 cup of sunflower seeds and all the almonds. Process for a few minutes until smooth flour forms. You may need to stop and stir it a few times, so nothing gets left behind.
2. Add this mixture to a large bowl. Add in all the remaining dry ingredients.
3. Stir well to mix everything up.
4. At this point, you can store the mixture for later use.
5. When ready to cook, add the cold water. Stir well to fully combine and make a nice paste. Let sit for an hour or so until the water is absorbed and it firms up.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F
7. Grease a loaf tin with oil and pour in the mixture. Press it down with a spatula or your damp fingers and smooth it out nicely. This bread does not rise or change shape, so whatever shape it’s in when you put it in the oven is the shape it will be when complete. Take note of this when choosing your pan.
   
8. Bake for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes – until the top begins to brown, and you can pull a knife or tester out of the middle, and it’s dry.
9. Let cool and remove from pan.

Adapted from Deliciously Ella