Soaked Granola, GF

I have always enjoyed granola. Unfortunately what you buy at the store is highly processed and full of high fructose corn syrup. Most of the recipes for home made granola are still full of phytic acid because the grains need to be soaked first. Some even call for canola oil or have you bake the nuts/seeds in the oven at high temperatures. Then you just end up consuming rancid fat, which is toxic to your body. So here is my recipe for a properly prepared granola.

Some great reasons to eat buckwheat: Help lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure. It is high in fiber and magnesium. Contains high quality proteins.It has antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals.

Some great reasons to eat oats: Help lower blood sugar and cholesterol. They are full of heart healthy antioxidants. They have plenty of selenium, manganese, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.

It can either be dehydrated or baked in the oven at 200 degrees

Granola without any additional nuts, seeds, or dried fruit.

Granola with soaked/dehydrated walnuts, dried cranberries, and raisins.

Keep it stored in an airtight container to stay fresh! 

Soak:

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup buckwheat

1 3/4 cups filtered water

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

Add before baking:

1/2 cup melted unrefined coconut oil

1/2 cup raw agave or honey

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (grade B)

1 Tbs cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla 

Directions:

1. The night before mix the oats and buckwheat together with the water and vinegar in a large bowl.
2. In the morning preheat the oven to 200 degrees and prep two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This can also be made in a dehydrator. 
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small pot and whisk in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Pour the coconut oil mixture onto the soaked grains and use a spatula to gently mix them together.
5. Scoop the wet granola onto the two baking sheets and evenly spread the mixture out.
6. Put in the oven and bake for 4 hours. Be sure to stir  the granola every hour and rotate the baking sheets.
7. When it's done store in an airtight container. Add dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or coconut flakes if desired. 

Find more great recipes and tips over at Kelly's blog during Real Food Wednesday!

Soaked GF Whole Grain Bread

I've been making and messing around with gf breads for a looong time now. Finally, I've come up with a recipe that is easy, healthy, tastes great, and seems more like whole wheat bread than gluten free. There is no need to have the "right" flours because I've used a lot of different gf flours and had great results every time. I use 3/4 a cup of 4 different flours. Make sure to use 3/4 cup of tapioca flour and the other 3 can be whatever you like or have on hand. I've used a mix of brown rice, quinoa, sorghum, millet, teff, and garbanzo bean and the bread has always turned out.

Reasons why you want to soak your grains (as well as seeds, nuts, and beans).
1. Phytic acid is found in all grains, seeds, nuts, and beans. Phytic acid combines with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and zinc in the intestines and blocks your body from absorbing them. So you're not really getting all the nutrients you think you are when you consume whole grains!
2. The lack of absorption can lead to mineral and bone loss because these nutrients will be taken from your body instead of supplied to your body.
3. Soaking the grains will break down and neutralize the phytic acid. We are then able to properly digest the grains and use the nutrients.
4. Water should be mixed with some lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, whey, or yogurt to effectively break down the phytic acid.
5. Sprouting grains, dehydrating them, and grinding them into flours don't need soaked because the sprouting process already broke down the phytic acid. To save time you can buy sprouted flour. However it's cheaper to do it yourself!

I participated in Real Food Wednesday, go there to find more great recipes!

Parchment paper makes the removal of gf bread super easy

This was a blend of Teff, Sorghum, and Brown Rice

No more dry and stiff gf bread, this one has flexibility to it!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c brown rice flour
• 3/4 c teff flour
• 3/4 c sorghum flour
• Note: the above 3 flours can be switched to whatever gf flour you like! 
• 2 c filtered water
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
•  
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbs sugar
•  
• 3/4 c tapioca flour
• 2 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 Tbs xanthan gum
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. The night before, use  a large bowl whisk together the brown rice flour, teff flour, and sorghum flour. In a small bowl mix the 2 cups of water with 2 tsps of apple cider vinegar.  Pour the vinegar water into the  flours, mix well and let soak overnight
2. Next, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and olive oil together.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the tapioca flour, yeast,  xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt.
4. Pour the yeast and egg mixtures into the bowl with the soaked flour. Stir them together with a hand mixer. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat for 1 minute. Add more tapioca flour if runny.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a bread pan with parchment paper and grease the paper and pan. Scoop the dough into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Brush some olive oil onto a piece of plastic wrap and cover the top. Set aside in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until it has a nice brown color. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a towel to cool.