Raw gluten-free bread recipe (or bake it in the oven!)
Is it just me, or does anyone else feel a twinge or guilt or remorse when reaching for a simple slice of bread these days? Whether you are gluten-intolerant, diabetic, or weight-watching you can now eat bread again and feel good virtuous at the same time!
Wherever we click it’s now easy to find all types of bread recipes using healthier ingredients. In part this is due to the ‘mainstreaming’ of ingredients once only seen at health food stores. When I began working for Canada’s health food magazine in 1986 ingredients such as chia, flax, hemp seeds, stevia and quinoa where unknown to all but the “crunchy granola” crowd. Not so anymore. It’s finally trendy to take control of our diets and talk about it out loud. So here we go!
Thermomix is a great tool for bringing together people of all culinary and dietary persuasions. The super kitchen machine that is best-loved around the world is valued for a wide range of applications ranging from raw foodism, basic family fare, to Haute Cuisine and molecular gastronomy. And as we share experiences with other Thermomix fans to expand our own horizons, we’re all learning, motivating, and having more fun than regular cooks (imho)! Case in point is this raw bread recipe ;-)
Thanks to a inspiring video by favourite raw food chef Russell James, I’ve moved on to develop my own recipe for a perfectly flexible gluten-free bread that can be made raw — or not. Start with the raw version and for those who are not raw purists, put a few slices in the toaster! Or if there’s no dehydrator at your house, bake it at your oven’s lowest setting for a quicker, lightly baked version. Slice it thin or thick, depending how greedy hungry you are. I love this recipe because it uses almonds, chia seeds, and psyllium husk for a higher-protein, higher-fibre result that should help lower cholesterol. If you enjoy the dense texture of a traditional vollkornbrot or pumpernikel, you’ll be in sensory heaven (even without rye). Those who prefer a dryer, lighter sandwich slice can toast it for more ‘crunch’. Either way, this is an exquisite full-flavored sensation that is as healthy as it is versatile. (My own preference is the savoury “Raw Onion Bread” version below, but it’s just as easy to turn this into a raw or toasted Cinnamon-Raisin bread for breakfast occasions.)
The photo at the top of this page shows the “Raw Onion Bread” used in a sandwich. The raw bread seen directly above this paragraph used young coconut flesh instead of onion, dates instead of raisins, and fewer seasonings. Either way, the dough is very pleasant to work with. Yields 2-3 small loaves, but don’t be fooled by the tiny size — they slice easily and each slice is very satisfying! Tastes great with raw, vegan or meaty fillings. Add protein such as cheddar, goat cheese or chicken for a quick well-balanced meal. Try it toasted with peanut butter. Or forget the peanuts and just add butter.
Raw (or low-baked) Onion Bread
Includes substitutions for Cinnamon-Raisin Bread. See notes below recipe for making an unflavoured version.
Yields 2-3 tiny loaves
(use organic if possible)
200 g. raw almonds
100 g. raisins (or dates)
60 g. flax seed
60 g. psyllium husks
25 g. Chia seeds (any colour)
200 g. onion (quartered)
2 cloves garlic
½ lemon (peeled and seeded)
25 g. sun-dried tomatoes (if your dry tomatoes are steeped in oil, use 20 g.)
1½ tsp salt
optional seasonings for onion bread: pinch garlic flakes, rosemary, oregano, sage
optional for both versions: cold-pressed flax oil for coating loaves prior to drying.
For cinnamon raisin bread: omit garlic and tomatoes. Substitute fresh young coconut flesh for the onion. Omit optional seasonings above and add: 2 tsp cinnamon, additional 50 g raisins.
- Put almonds and raisins/dates into a bowl and add water to soak for a few minutes or more. (I soak mine for all long as it takes to prepare the other ingredients and do the next two steps. By the time we add these to the Thermomix, they’ll have soaked long enough. But if you want to soak yours an hour ahead, that will work too. This recipe is quite forgiving.)
- Add flax seed, psyllium and chia to a dry Thermomix bowl. Mill for 8 seconds/speed 8. Remove from Thermomix and set aside. (No need to clean the Thermomix.)
- Put onion, garlic, lemon, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and any optional seasonings in Thermomix. Mince for 7 seconds/speed 7.
- Strain the almonds and raisins and shake off excess water. Add these to Thermomix and mince for 10 seconds/speed7. Push food down sides of bowl and repeat.
- Set timer for 1 minute of kneading (intermittent/wheat symbol). While the machine is kneading, continue adding the reserved dry seed mix through the hole.
- Turn Thermomix upside down over baking mat or work surface to release the dough. Press dough together into a large ball. (Notice how “spongy” it is? It should have a nice semi-dry, semi-wet consistency and should just hold together when pressed. It’s a surprisingly lovely dough that almost feels yeasty, but without the addition of yeast or flour, simply because of the psyllium fibre.) Continue to turn the dough while pressing into a ball. The goal is to make it stick together as much as possible. If your dough feels wet, then sprinkle with a little more psyllium. (I’ve never needed to do this, but if too much water was in the nuts, this might happen.)
- Once the dough is compressed and holds together nicely, divide into three small loaves. Press these firmly as you form to prevent “cracking”. (see note below) If using a dehydrator, dry at 115°F for 15-16 hours. If using a conventional oven, place loaves on a raised cookie rack to ventilate while baking at 100°C for 3-4 hours. (This helps ‘dry’ the bread as it bakes.)
Notes about oil: It’s not necessary, but I’ve fallen into the habit of brushing smearing smoothing over the loaves with a drop or two of a nutritional (raw) flax oil
Notes for unflavoured raw bread: Substitute 280 g. young coconut flesh for the onion. Eliminate the garlic, lemon, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and spices. Instead of using ½ lemon,
Want more?
- see more raw recipes on this blog
- click to meet Russell James (The Raw Chef)
- New to raw? Here is a list of dehydrators on Amazon that can be shipped internationally
Wow! That sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Bee — it’s not traditional bread by any means, but I’ve been feeling so healthy since starting my (anti-diabetes) diet and using only this bread. A surprisingly satisfying substitute whenever those yeasty bread cravings hit. At least I can still eat this with cheese ;-)
Any substitute for psyllium which I can’t tolerate. Sounds yummy.
Hi Marian — sorry you can’t tolerate psyllium, and thanks for asking this question. Some people use flax seed as a substitute, but in this case it wouldn’t be my first choice. Other substitutes for psyllium include oat bran and this would be my preference, of the two — but only for those are gluten-tolerant only. In this recipe the psyllium does two things, it serves to dry out the other ingredients and it adds a light fluffy quality to the dough, rendering it almost sponge-like. Neither of these can be quite done in the same way by substituting flax.
Here’s what I would do. You are looking to replace 60 g of psyllium which is very light and fluffy, so ideally, you want something equally light and fluffy. I would increase the Chia to 40 g., and increase the flax to 75 g, then I would add either 40 g. dried coconut OR (if gluten is tolerated) 40 g. oat flakes OR 30 g. oat bran.
Hope this helps!
Will let you know how it goes. Much to hot to cook or do anything at the present. Almost 40c in Tasmania!!!!!!
Yumm Helene …… this looks delicious. I made his macadamia cheese recipe, it would be perfect with your bread :-) .
My coconuts are waiting in the fridge for the cinnamon bread recipe….
Hi Tebasile — I have wanted to make Russell James macadamia cheese recipe too! Not had a chance yet but can’t wait to try. You’re right, it should be perfect with this bread!
It looks nice but I think I’m going to keep doing my regular bread at home, all the ingredients are pantry staples. Many of the ones you list above I had never heard about until right now! Thank God we have no celiacs, no diabetics and nobody watching their weight just yet. But it does look good. And by reading I just got a craving for peanut butter so I think I will buy peanuts on monday to make some. Thanks!
Hi Mara — Oh how I wish I could eat doughy white bread with abandon! It’s take a bit of effort to transition away from regular bread, but it gets easier all the time — especially with Thermomix of course. Here is an interesting fact –> Do you know where most Google searches for “raw food” recipes come from? Of all the cities in the world where there are raw foodies, most are in Vancouver, Canada. Fascinating fact, for me at least ;-) (Too bad all those Canadian raw foodists don’t know about Thermomix… yet.)
Oh my goodness, Helene! This recipe is amazing, and just what I needed!! I’ve developed an addiction for young coconut water, and can’t keep up with the coconut meat, so this will be perfect! (Not to mention that i’ve been trying to avoid grains!) Now I’m really going to have to get that dehydrator I’ve been wanting – my old one died. Thanks so much for this recipe!! xx
Hi Jo — yes, it’s a great way to use up coconut flesh! I was making it with coconut flesh at first but each young coconut costs $3 here! Onions are cheaper and oh so savoury, plus they’re always plenty in my pantry ;-) Young coconut water is addictive — such a crazy good treat. I can just imagine that you might have to sneak it when your kids aren’t looking because I’m sure they would love it too. Hope you get a new dehydrator soon!
This sounds great! We’ve been experimenting with grain free bread with varied success. Do you have an unflavoured recipe? Also, I thought that oats weren’t suitable for coeliac (although we’re still very new to coeliac).
D’OH — you are so right about the oats Cathy. Thanks for reminding me and I have now clarified my comment accordingly — thanks! I am also going to add a note into the recipe above to help folks who want to make an unflavoured version. Cheers!
Im going to make this bread for me tonight. Just one question though, what could i substitue the almonds with as i have 2 children that at allergic to nuts. Makes it hard when i try to make anything “raw”.
Cheers :)
Wow Oriana, that’s a great question. I’m sure Quirky Jo could answer it very well, but me… ummm …not so sure. Can they eat coconut? (some people with nut allergies can still eat coconut) If so, I’d make some coconut flour/meal and try that first, though it will alter the flavour for sure. Otherwise, I’d try grinding sunflower seeds to replace the almonds. For the primary ingredients you could try tweaking them something like this:
175 g. raw sunflower seeds
100 g. raisins (or dates)
70 g. flax seed
70 g. psyllium husks
30 g. Chia seeds (any colour)
Would love to hear about your success as you find a way through this ;-)