Who else is a big fan of bread? And, who else doesn’t do well on gluten?

Although I don’t have Celiac disease, my body doesn’t thrive on a lot of gluten. When I need a fluffy, satisfying, delicious loaf of bread, this Gluten-Free Sourdough Loaf is my go-to.

One of the benefits of this bread is that it is fermented so it will be more easily digested and absorbed. Better yet, you don’t need to make and maintain a starter! Most sourdough bread requires a starter that involve some level of long-term commitment. I keep an einkorn starter, but when I need something GF or I want to rotate my food choices to avoid food sensitivities, having a starter-free option is fantastic.

This simple recipe has 4 ingredients, water, salt, quinoa, and buckwheat.

Despite the name, buckwheat is a wheat-free and gluten-free grain-like seed. It can be used for all various flour-based products, however, it isn’t my favorite because it can have a bitter taste (when not fermented), not ideal for cakes, cookies, or muffins. For my sweet gluten-free recipes I use tiger nut flour; you can learn more about it in my GF chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

Image via OpenPr.com

Fermenting the buckwheat eliminates the bitter taste and makes the nutrients far more digestible. Nutritionally speaking buckwheat contains high-quality protein that provides all of the essential amino acids, including lysine, which is usually lacking in grains. This grain-like seed contains two powerful flavonoids which act as antioxidants, rutin, and quercetin. It is very rich in vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), copper, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese, according to the USDA National Nutrients Database.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup buckwheat
  • 1 1/4 cup white quinoa
  • water for soaking
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • Optional: 1-2 Tbsp herbs

Directions

  1. Place buckwheat and quinoa in a large bowl, cover completely with water (add enough water so that the buckwheat and quinoa can expand and still be covered) and let soak for 4-8 hours or overnight.
  2. Strain. Sprouting the buckwheat and quinoa is optional.
  3. Add soaked buckwheat and quinoa, salt, and 1 1/4 cups of water to a high-speed blender and blend until the buckwheat and quinoa are broken down. The constancy should be similar to a wet pancake batter. If you don’t have a high-speed blender and immersion blender will do.
  4. Pour batter into a bowl, cover, and place in a warm spot. The fermenting time will vary on the time of the year and how warm it is. Sometimes it will raise in about 4 hours, sometimes it will take 10 or more. I like to place it in a sunny window or on a heating mat I use for plants.
  5. Generously grease a loaf pan. I use plant-based butter. I have tried with olive oil or using parchment paper and the crust ALWAYS sticks unless I use the plant-based butter.
  6. Once the batter rises, SLOWLY stir with a spatula. Don’t over mix. At this point you can add herbs if you like, and/or you can add them on top. Everything seasoning, oregano, or rosemary are some of my favorites.
  7. Gently and evenly pour the batter into the greased pan. Optional: sprinkle herbs on top of the batter.
  8. Place the loaf pan in an oven or toaster oven, set to 350 degrees F. DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN.
  9. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  10. Carefully remove the loaf. Leave it in the pan for a few minutes.
  11. With a butter knife, gently run the blade around the edges to loosen the loaf. If you greased well, you may not need this step.
  12. Gently, being mindful of the hot pan, remove the loaf and place it on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
  13. Slice and enjoy!

Don’t forget to chew each bite of food at least 30 times per bite for optimal digestion.

Let me know if you try this recipe! What kind of herbs did you add? Tag me in your loaf pictures on IG.