Tag: gluten-free bread

Vegan Gluten-Free Nut-Free Bread Mk IV – the best yet!

28866432_UnknownI know I keep saying this, but each one keeps getting better in terms of how much it rises and slices. The taste and texture also vary a little, too, because of the different combinations of flour used in each new version.*

The amount of tiger nut flour is greatly reduced here compared with previous ones – it can be a bit gritty for some – and we substituted it with the finer-milled tiger nut powder, which seemed to work well. We may increase the proportion next time.

Mk IV turned out very smooth and close-textured, very easy to slice. I was delighted with how much it had risen – always a problem with gluten-free bread, but can’t really put my finger on why it did so well! The amount of golden linseeds was almost doubled from previous recipes – when they are pre-heated in the oven, they become sticky and help form a gel when mixed with the yeast and water – and the coconut yogurt – which is a bit too thick – was replaced with live soya yogurt.

This loaf has plenty of healthy nutrients without the additives etc. of commercial gluten-free bread which often resembles a chemical experiment and tastes like cardboard! Tiger nuts are tubers (not nuts) and contain vitamins, minerals, protein and both pre- and probiotics for a healthy gut. Chickpea or gram/besan flour, is a good source of iron, magnesium, protein, B6 and fibre. The loaf has healthy fats from the olive oil and the seeds, while the seeds also give it a little nutty bite.

Here’s the latest list of ingredients – organic where possible, all vegan and gluten-free, measurements very approximate!

45g golden linseeds (pre-grinding a little helps)
Approx. 475mls warm water
1 sachet fast-action yeast (about 2½ tsp)
100ml live plain soya yoghurt

450g g/f flour made up of:
100g cornflour, 100g maize flour, 100g self-raising g/f flour, 100g chickpea (gram) flour, 50g fine tiger nut powder**

1 tsp salt
11/2 tsps coconut palm sugar*** (ordinary sugar will work of course, but reduce to 1 tsp)
50g psyllium husk powder
50ml olive oil
extra olive oil and cornflour, to sprinkle on top

Method

Heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4

Pre-heat the linseeds on a baking tray for about 10 minutes to make them split slightly and become sticky – ours are ground up slightly beforehand to enhance the process. Try not to burn them!

Turn off the oven.

Mix together the water and yeast, then stir in the yogurt and seeds. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl sift together the flours, then add the salt, sugar and psyllium husk powder.

Add yeast mixture and olive oil and mix well.

The mixture will quickly turn into a sticky dough. When it’s ready, knead it for a few seconds, then place in a bowl, cover and leave for 30 minutes. We covered it with a damp tea towel and put it in the still-warm oven.

When it’s risen, either make the dough into a fat sausage shape and place on a lined baking tray or shape to fit in a lightly-oiled loaf tin – we found the first time we put it on a tray it spread too much and produced very narrow slices, so we use a loaf tin now.

Lightly brush with olive oil, cover and leave for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 240C/465F/Gas 9, make shallow diagonal cuts across the top of the dough, sprinkle with a little cornflour and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden-brown and crusty on the outside. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

When completely cold, slice and enjoy! We had some while it was fresh, left some for next day and sliced the rest up to go in the freezer.

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The sandwich in the top photo comprises of Natex low salt yeast extract on two slices, sliced avocado with a little lemon juice and black pepper, peppery baby lettuce leaves, spring onion and thinly sliced cucumber, topped with homegrown alfalfa seeds.**** It was lush!

*(For my other recipes and the original Dan Lepard recipe on which they are based, see Vegan Gluten-Free Tiger Nut Bread Mark ll

Vegan Gluten-Free Tiger Nut Loaf/Bread Mk III

Dan Lepard

** Tiger nut flour and powder available from The Tiger Nut Company

***Coconut Palm Sugar available from The Raw Chocolate Company

****See Sprouting for Health, Energy and the Environment! for how to grow your own beansprouts.

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Vegan, Gluten-Free Carrot, Beetroot & Basil Soup

28865984_UnknownWe just had one of those midweek days when you have some bits of vegetables that are less than fresh and there’s not quite enough to use each on their own. When this happens, we don’t discard them, we make soup. In this instance, the weather had gone from scorching hot to wet, windy and distinctly chilly, so soup would be very welcome.

We never know how it’s going to turn out beforehand, we just cross our fingers and hope for the best! This is one of those experiments. The spring greens were beginning to turn yellow at the edges, there was about 2″ of white cabbage – mostly stalk – 3 pods of broad beans, 3 spring onions and half a small head of broccoli, the middle of a bunch of celery that was mostly leaves – but there were plenty of carrots! In the pan they all went, with some stock and some lovely fresh basil from the plant my husband had just brought home from the bargain section of the supermarket.

This is a mineral-rich meal, with protein, fibre and healthy carbohydrates.

Basil is rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, promotes good cardiovascular health and contains Vitamins A, C, K, iron, manganese, copper and healthy omega oils.

Apologies for no photos of the prep or cooking, I didn’t think it was going to be a blogable meal! However, it turned out well and there was enough for me to have a serving and freeze two others.

Ingredients

Organic, vegan, gluten-free. All measurements very approximate.

1 Tsp Coconut Oil

3 Medium Carrots, unpeeled, scrubbed and chopped

1 Small Beetroot, unpeeled, scrubbed and chopped

3 Spring Onions, washed and chopped, including green part

A few Sprigs of Broccoli and stalk, washed and chopped

Small piece of Celery Stalk and a good few Leaves, washed and chopped

 Cabbage/Spring Greens, washed and chopped

3 Pods of Broad Beans

Handful of Fresh Basil

1/3 Cup Puy Lentils, rinsed and soaked while the veg are prepared and sweated, to make them more easily digested. Discard the soaking water before adding them to the soup.

Approx. 600-700mls Vegetable Stock (enough to amply cover the vegetables)

Good Squeeze of Tomato Purée 

A Little Tamari

Black Pepper, Pink Himalayan Salt.

In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil. When hot but not smoking, add all the vegetables, stirring thoroughly as you add them. Add some black pepper. Put on the lid and allow to sweat on a low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make up the stock if using a stock cube. Add to the pan with the lentils, tomato purée, tamari and basil. Add more black pepper if liked. Gently bring to a simmer, replace the lid and cook for about 45-50 minutes until the lentils are cooked.

Adjust the seasoning.

Remove fom the heat and cool enough to blend a little with a stick blender, just enough to thicken a bit but leave much of the soup chunky.

Serve in hot bowls with extra fresh basil. I had it with some homemade gluten-free bread with peanut butter! (See Vegan Gluten-Free Tiger Nut Bread Mark ll and Vegan Gluten-Free Tiger Nut Loaf/Bread Mk III and watch out for Mark IV coming soon!

(There’s a clip from The Marx Brothers’ ‘Duck Soup’ at the end of this post for your entertainment, enjoy).

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Copyright: Chris McGowan