Boston Brown Bread

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Gretchen

I blame this one of my mother. I grew up with her making brown bread and I used to buy it after I moved away but until I talked to her this weekend had forgotten it was a love of my youth. She altered it to spelt and I changed up the buttermilk to coconut milk and you can do this gluten free too. Truth be told there are always dishes that remind you of your mom, for good or bad I will always think of her when lemon meringue, liver, goulash or brown bread is mentioned.

You can either make this in the oven or the stovetop, with a loaf pan or a metal coffee can. If you are using the oven method, preheat the oven to 325° and bring a large pot of water to a boil. If you are using the stovetop method, set the steamer rack inside a tall stockpot and fill the pot with enough water to come 1/3 of the way up the sides of your coffee can. Turn the burner on to medium as you work.

Grease a coffee can or small loaf pan with olive oil spray. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, rye flour, corn meal, baking powder and soda, salt and allspice. Add the raisins if using.

In another bowl, mix together the coconut milk and vanilla. Whisk in the molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well with a spoon.

Pour the batter into the coffee can or loaf pan taking care that the batter not reach higher than 2/3 up the sides of the container.

Cover the loaf pan or coffee can tightly with foil. If you are using the stovetop method, set the can in the pot, cover and turn the heat to high. If you are using the oven method, find a high-sided roasting pan that can hold the coffee can or loaf pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches one third up the side of the coffee can or loaf pan. Put the roasting pan into the oven. Steam the bread for at least 2 hours and 15 minutes. Check to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into it. If the toothpick comes out clean, you’re ready. If not, recover the pan and cook for up to another 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before putting on a rack. Let the bread cool for 1 hour before turning out of the container.

Slice and eat plain, or toast in a little butter in a frying pan.

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Posted in agave, Bread, breakfast, Cakes & Desserts, Coconut Milk, dairy free, Dessert, Eggs, Honey, Olive Oil, Recipes, wheat free | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fluffy Pancakes

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Gretchen

Breakfast is a big deal at our house. Part of what I do with clients is a breakfast experiment to see what type of breakfast you feel the best eating. For me it is what my mother calls a toad in the hole, for the rest of us that is an egg in the middle of slice of bread. For my husband it is blueberry pancakes.

Original recipe makes 12 small pancakes

1 1/4 cups spelt flour or 3/4 spelt and 1/2 buckwheat
1 tablespoon honey, agave or maple syrup
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups coconut milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all with a whisk, add more coconut milk if needed for proper consistency. Besides blueberries you can also do chocolate chips, sliced bananas and/or pecans. My son is also trying out ham and bacon in them. Heat some real maple syrup up with bananas and toasted pecans for some over the moon topping.

Posted in agave, Blueberries, breakfast, Chocolate, Coconut Milk, dairy free, digestive issues, Honey, Recipes, Sugar Free, wheat free | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Oatmeal Bread

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Gretchen

I am always on the hunt for better bread. This one has nice texture, freezes well and holds up better than most by not drying out. It also starts in the mixer which saves some time but I do finish it by hand.

2 cups very warm water
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup honey or agave
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp salt
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 large egg
4 1/2 -6 cups spelt flour

In bowl of mixer (fitted with dough hook), combine water, oats, honey, butter and salt and let sit.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup luke warm water (110 degrees) and a drip of honey. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes to proof. Run the hook in your mixer during this time to cool off the water otherwise it will kill your yeast.

When water is lukewarm, add yeast mixture to the bowl of a mixer and mix well. Add egg and mix, then add 5 cups of flour and mix until dough is smooth and elastic. If it’s sticky, add about 1/2 cup just till it is balling up. Turn out onto flour board and using a spatula or pastry cutter work a bit more flour in until it isn’t sticky. Remember not to over work as the spelt gluten is fragile.

Lightly oil a large bowl and add dough, turning to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place until dough doubles, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, place on lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 balls. Form into loaves and place into 2 lightly oiled loaf pans. Let rise again for about 40 minutes (until doubled). Preheat oven to 375.

Bake about 30 minutes, until top of loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you thump it. Remove from loaf pans gently and let cool.

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Posted in agave, Bread, breakfast, dairy free, Eggs, Featured, Honey, milk intolerance, oatmeal, Olive Oil, Recipes, Sugar Free, wheat free | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment