This Rich, Wholemeal Bread has all the good stuff and is one of the Tastiest and Healthiest Breads that I have ever tried.
In general, when I consume grains, I usually prefer wholemeal.
The one grain I usually avoid is Wheat, as it doesn't help metabolism and the amount of antioxidants and fibre that it offers is very small compared to the amount of carbohydrates it has. Plus, one of the many problems is Gluten, which is not bad for people who are not allergic to it, but too much of it can create allergies and intolerances.
Still, I like to have in the kitchen some good bread and some wholemeal pasta, for whenever is necessary.
The last months I started using Buckwheat Flour, as it is a great source of Antioxidants, Fibre, Protein. Also, Buckwheat is not a cereal, but a Pseudocereal, which is the same category which Quinoa and Millet come from. It is not related to Wheat and for that reason it is Gluten-Free.
Up until now I'm very satisfied with the results that I got in recipes of Breads, Cakes and Homemade Pasta, so at this moment this is the only Flour I buy. And, it's easy to get it at home, many Organic Stores do deliveries and they sell normal packages of 1kg or bags of 10kg.
Nutrition Facts
Buckwheat contains a variety of healthful nutrients. It is a good source of protein, fibre, and complex carbohydrates with low-medium Glycemic Index (GI). Actually studies have shown that it helps diabetics to maintain the blood sugar low and not get the regular spikes in the sugar levels which we usually get when we eat carbohydrates.
Buckwheat is a source of vitamins and minerals, such as Manganese, Copper, Magnesium, Iron, Phosphorus, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Vitamin K, Vitamin B-6 and has protein of a very high quality, due to its amino acid profile. It is also richer antioxidants than most of the common cereals and pseudocereals.
You can also see all the nutritional profile of Buckwheat Flour by clicking here.
The Recipe
Preparing time: 10-15m | Time to let the dough rest: 1.5h | Baking time: 40-45m
For better results, the quantities of water and flour/oats should be exact. Make sure you have a baking mold, because the dough is more liquid and it needs it (mine is 22x10cm).
Ingredients:
- 300 grams Buckwheat Flour
- 1 sachet Instant Dry Yeast for Bread (8 grams)
- 100 grams Oat Flakes (or other Cereal Flakes, but NO flour)
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt (or some other Natural Salt)
- 100-120 grams Seeds/Nuts (in the photos I use pumpkin seeds and walnuts)
- 1 full tablespoon Honey for the fermentation of the yeast or 1.5 teaspoon Sugar
- 500 ml Lukewarm Water (should be easy to put your finger in, in order to help you I checked it with my thermometer and it showed 31.9°C)
- optional: Curcuma or Paprika for colour, Herbs, olives, sun-dried tomato, 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil, or anything else to add flavour/colour. Some Seeds to spread on top.
Process:
1. Place Flour, Oats, Seeds/Nuts in a big bowl and mix.
2. In another bowl or cup, place Yeast and Lukewarm Water and mix very well with a fork or whisker, to make sure that the Yeast is 100% dissolved. When the yeast is dissolved add Honey or Sugar and mix very well to dissolve it completely. The temperature of the water should feel comfortable to put your finger in, if you have a thermometer check that the temperature is between 32°C and 36°C.
3. Add the Water in the bowl with the Flour and start mixing. I always use my clean hand to mix. The mixture will be very sticky and liquid, it won't be like a normal dough and that's normal.
4. You need to keep mixing for 10 minutes. That is very important to make sure that the Yeast reaches everywhere! It is only 10 minutes, just play a Youtube video and time will fly. 😉
5. When you finish mixing, cover the bowl with a towel (no plastic wrapping) and put it in a warm place to rest for at least 1.5 hour. You can cover it with your blankets to stay warm and if you have a place at home that's usually warmer that's the perfect spot. Or, what I do is preheat the oven for just 1 minute or so in the maximum temperature and then turn it off and put the bowl with the towel inside.
6. When it's rested take it from the warm place and remove the towel. If the mixture is risen, has small bubbles and smells a bit like beer, then it means that the Fermentation of the Yeast worked well! (check photos in the end of the post)
7. Preheat your over at 190°C (no air).
8. Add Salt and your optional ingredients for colour/flavour and again mix well. Adding the salt and the optional ingredients in the end is important, because at an earlier stage it could affect the fermentation process.
9. Add the mixture in a baking mold, if you want spread with extra seeds and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
10. When it's baked, remove it from the baking mold and let it cool down completely (check the photos below to see what is the best way to let it cool down). Maintain for up to 2 days outside of the fridge, or for up to 10 days in the fridge.
Enjoy! 😚
UPDATE 01 Oct 2020: I made it with 2 teaspoons Red Curry Powder, 1 tablespoon of Virgin Coconut Oil, Pink Salt, Black Pepper and a mix of Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds. Topped with Black and White Sesame.
Album:
The content of this blog is personal intellectual property of the website healinginfluence.com (previously belonged to thefoodmakeover.com). Therefore, any republishing, copying or modification of it, is prohibited without my consent. If you are interested in the content, you can contact me to discuss a possible partnership.