After an oven fiasco that came as a result of a move, I have modified my Healthy Loaf and it is more appealing than ever! Have I told you yet how much I love this loaf?! Really, my kids too! The moment it comes out of the oven they mull over it like hawks on fresh prey! One day my 18 month old walked into my room gnawing on a half loaf. . . A HALF LOAF!! I suppose he wanted some? :o) But of course, why wouldn't he? It has a great flavor!
So let's talk about what sets this loaf aside from other loves out there. First, it was my first bread creation. As I became familiar with the ingredients of the typical Gluten and Dairy Free loaf, I discovered there really was no nutritional content in the breads that were most visually appealing. Is that ridiculous? Are we really so dense that we need to give up nutrition for visual appeal? Isn't the reason why we all turned to gluten free living, for the purpose of our health anyway? That is, for one reason or another, we cannot eat these proteins and have chosen to protect our bodies by eliminating them from our diet. Why then would we choose to accept a less than nutritious bread as a staple of our diet? That just does not make sense now, DOES IT? Well, I did not think so.
All the store bought breads were typically Tapioca Starch or Rice Flour or other starchy based flours. They were missing essential nutrients that were so easily found in Wheat, like fats and protein. So I sought out replacements for these elements. Flax took the seat for the fats because of its Omega 3 boost; and we all know our society is crying out for sufficient Omega 3's. Wild rice was the winner for protein, it was the purest and most potent of all grain. It is said Wild Rice is so nutrient dense (protein, vitamins, and minerals) that 1 pound can feed thirty!! How's that fact for a tremendous superfood?! (Read Here)
A fellow health nut and friend of mine gave me a simple tip to reduce the graininess that is sometimes present in whole grain breads and quite prominent in Gluten Free baking. Believe it or not her class was for a whole wheat, but I was able to learn and apply it to Gluten Free baking too. She used the technique to keep her doughs soft enough so that it felt like you were eating breads and other baked items made of white flour. She let her dough set out over night. I only left my dough to set for an hour or so. By doing this, the whole grain softens as it begins to break down. (It also adds nutrition to the loaf as enzymes and pro-biotics increase through the time it is left to sit; these elements are very helpful for a body worn with Celiac, because they aid in digestion) So though this recipe does have two rice flours and whole grain flax in it, you won't even know it taking a bite!
Delicious and Healthy Loaf
1/2 cup Rice Flour1/4 cup Fresh Ground Flax
1/4 cup Fresh Ground Wild Rice Flour
2/3 cup Coconut Cream or Milk1/4 cup Rice Milk
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 cup Honey or Agave Nectar
* * * *
1 TBSP yeast*3 TBSP warm water (not hot)
2 tsp sugar
* * * *
5 beaten Eggs
1 Tbsp Xanthan Gum
2 tsp Gelatin
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 TBSP Baking Powder
1 TBSP Baking Powder
2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Sugar**
1/4 cup Sugar**
1 3/4 cup Sorghum Flour
* * * *
2 cups of one or many of the following purees-- baked
sweet potato, roasted pumpkin, roasted butternut squash,
roasted acorn squash or bananas, applesauce, mango, etc.
(I prefer the vegetables over the fruits)
sweet potato, roasted pumpkin, roasted butternut squash,
roasted acorn squash or bananas, applesauce, mango, etc.
(I prefer the vegetables over the fruits)
Take care that all ingredients are at least room temperature at the time you are preparing to bake the bread. A few hours before making it, I put the cold ingredients like eggs and perhaps the vegetable puree in the oven. You want to try to avoid having any ingredients going strait from the fridge to the mix. Being gluten free, a successful rise will depend highly on warm conditions.
1) Mix 1st group in Large bowl and let set for at least 4 hours (overnight or all day is best).
2) Mix 2nd group in small cereal bowl or cup and set aside until thickens
3) Mix dry ingredients of 3rd group in medium bowl and then add the wet ingredients to the 1st/overnight mixture.
4) When yeast mixture is bubbly and thick, combine mix 2 & 3, along with the fruit/vegetable puree, with 1st mixture.
5) Pour into two 9x4 or 9x5 bread pans*** and let rise in warm oven for 30 mins
6) Remove from oven to preheat and bake 375 for 30-35 minutes and then cover with tinfoil (don't let it touch the bread) and bake additional 10-15 minutes. I check done-ness with a skewer the same way you may check other baked items with a toothpick.
7) Remove from oven and let cool on its side for 10 minutes. For thicker crust return loaf w/o its pan to the oven for 10 more minutes.
3) Mix dry ingredients of 3rd group in medium bowl and then add the wet ingredients to the 1st/overnight mixture.
4) When yeast mixture is bubbly and thick, combine mix 2 & 3, along with the fruit/vegetable puree, with 1st mixture.
5) Pour into two 9x4 or 9x5 bread pans*** and let rise in warm oven for 30 mins
6) Remove from oven to preheat and bake 375 for 30-35 minutes and then cover with tinfoil (don't let it touch the bread) and bake additional 10-15 minutes. I check done-ness with a skewer the same way you may check other baked items with a toothpick.
7) Remove from oven and let cool on its side for 10 minutes. For thicker crust return loaf w/o its pan to the oven for 10 more minutes.
*If you prefer not to use yeast, you can substitute 1 1/3 cup starter. Just remove the yeast along with a 2/3 cup liquids and a 2/3 cup sorghum flour if using sorghum starter. If not, I recommend reducing multiple flours rather than taking from only one.
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