Seed and Nut Bread by Sarah Britton

My mother-in-law in Copenhagen makes a wonderful seed and nut bread from a mix that is bound together by eggs and cheese. It is delicious but I don't dare have too much as I am lactose intolerant. So, I've been searching every since for a recipe that was similar. I found the perfect recipe one day on a food blog called mynewroots.org by Sarah Britton. And, I just had to share it with you. She is an American who lives in Copenhagen and she calls this bread The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread and it is. If you are searching for a gluten-free bread that is like the wonderful dark rye and seed breads of Northern Europe, this is the recipe for you. It's very adaptable and full of fiber, which does wonders for your digestion! That's mostly due to the Chia Seeds and Psyllium Husk powder. And, the seeds and nuts are all soaked before baking, which enhances digestion as well.  

Of course, I did have to tweak the recipe just a bit. I like my bread a little saltier so I added more and Martin loves pumpkin seeds so I added them instead of sunflower seeds in the second batch. Then, instead of using Almonds, I added Hazelnuts. I also cooked it a bit longer too so it was more crusty and a little drier. I have to say that it tasted completely different but also delicious. It was also a darker loaf and looked more like Danish Rye Bread.  Next time, I'm going to try Quinoa Flakes and/or Millet to see what happens. I'm also going to use my Danish loaf pan which is narrower and deeper to make the slices more like regular bread.

We like this bread toasted and I like it with Butter and I sometimes add Ham (with a bit of Dijon Mustard) and I love it spread with a Basil Pesto or a Sun Dried Tomato Pesto or  to top it with Chicken or Tuna Salad. Martin likes his best with Smoked Salmon. And, I've been told it is great with Cream Cheese and Cheddar Cheese too. However you serve it, this is a brilliant recipe and I wish I had invented it.  So, thank you Sarah Britton!

Seed and Nut Bread by Sarah Britton

1 cup Sunflower Seeds (or Pumpkin Seeds)

1/2 cup Flax Seeds

1/2 cup Almonds (or Hazelnuts) chopped up

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats

3 Tablespoons Psyllium Husk Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup (or Agave Syrup or Honey)

3 Tablespoons melted Butter or Ghee (or Coconut Oil) melted

1 1/2 cups water

In a loaf pan, combine all the dry ingredients except the salt. In a small bowl, stir together the Maple Syrup, melted Butter or Coconut Oil, salt and the water. Add to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly. Smooth top and leave for 2 hours up to overnight

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the bread for 20  minutes and then remove bread from the loaf pan. Put loaf directly onto the rack and bake for another 45 minutes until lightly 
browned. Let cool completely before slicing.  

Five Element Analysis

Since this bread is made primarily with seeds, it is considered a mostly Water Food. By adding the Almonds or Hazelnuts, you bring in some of the Earth Element and the Oats add even more. Although the Butter adds a hint of the Metal Element, that element is a little deficient. And, both the Fire and Wood Elements are missing. So, the best way to create balance is in the toppings - change them and vary them or serve a lot of them to create a Five Element balance.