Gluten Free Quinoa + Chia Bread
What's great about it
This bread is gluten-free - dairy free - egg free + sugar-free. Perfect for anyone with a food allergy or intolerance. Technically quinoa is not a grain but a seed and is also a complete protein, which means it contains all the 9 essential amino acids that the body needs for repair. Quinoa is also a good source of lysine, an amino acid important for tissue growth and repair and the formation of collagen which is important for healthy skin.
Ingredients
300 g whole uncooked white quinoa
60 g white chia seed
250 ml water
60 ml additional water for blending
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
juice from 1 lemon
Method
- Soak quinoa in plenty of water overnight in the fridge.
- Soak chia seed in 250 ml of water until gel-like this can be done overnight as well, but just give it a few stirs at the beginning.
- Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced.
- Drain and rinse the quinoa under running water.
- Place the drained quinoa into a food processor.
- Add chia gel and extra 60 ml of water, plus the olive oil, baking soda, sea salt and lemon juice.
- Mix in a food processor for 3 - 5 minutes. The bread mix should resemble a batter consistency with some whole quinoa still left in the mix.
- Spoon into a loaf tin lined with baking paper on all sides and the base.
- Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until firm.
- Remove from the oven and cool.
- Serve delicate slices only when cold with a serrated knife. Delicious lightly toasted on a pan.
Notes and Inspiration
Store wrapped in the fridge for up to 1 week (Can be frozen for up to 3 months)
What I love about the raw batter before I cook it is that it also lends itself to a variety of dishes. You can bake it as a thin flat bread and use it for a pizza base and top it with sun-dried tomato, roasted pumpkin chunks and ricotta or you can cook spoonfuls in your cast iron pan just like pancakes or crumpets and drizzle with pure maple syrup and sliced banana.
Serve topped with macadamia nut butter.
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds before baking.
Hulled millet or buckwheat can be used in place of quinoa in this recipe.