The Life Changing Loaf

When I found this recipe, it really did change my life. We all love bread, but sadly, bread doesn’t always love us. Processed white wheat flour, yeast and next to no protein is a recipe for blood sugar imbalances and gut problems.

Enter, “The Life Changing Loaf” from My New Roots blog. It’s wheat and gluten free (if you use gluten free oats) and packed with protein (from the nuts and seeds) to leave you feeling satiated and balanced. Added bonus, the psyllium husks that bind the loaf together, are a fantastic source of fibre for your bowel health.

You get it, this is an incredibly nutrient dense loaf. But what you really want to hear is that it’s so damn easy to make! No need to knead and no waiting for things to rise. This recipe will become a staple of your diet.

Try topping your life-changing slices with avocado and sliced tomato for a quick, nutritious snack. Or with poached eggs and sauteed greens for a balanced breakfast. Or try a lashing of nut butter with sliced banana for a sweet treat.

If you find that you and oats are not a good match, and you’d prefer to be strictly gluten free, you can swap out the oats for buckwheat flour or buckwheat groats. Check out an alternative recipe here. Nadia Lim has also created a version of this recipe, using gluten free flour, check it out here.

Even better, you can now purchase ready-made Life Changing Loaf made by The Midnight Baker. They call it the Freedom Loaf and you can get an oat or buckwheat version - soooo yum and soooo easy! You can purchase online or at Farro stores Auckland wide.

The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds

½ cup / 90g flax seeds

½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds

1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats

2 Tbsp. chia seeds

4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)

1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)

1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)

3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee

1 ½ cups / 350ml water

Directions:

1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.

3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).

4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!