Given Up Bread--Think Again!

No, you have not entered the Twilight Zone.  Bread can be had paleo-style with such simplicity and omg results that perhaps we are in another dimension!  I call this dimension Dangerously Delicious Delectables!

What's the danger?  Well, gluttony for one.  It is hard not to over-indulge with something so hard-wired into our brains as bread (dude--it was an essential part of my every meal growing up in New Jersey suburbia).  When I first made a loaf, I totally sat down and ate half of it.  No kidding.  I was just crazy with glee that bread could be had while not breaking the tenets of no sugar, no grains, and no dairy.

Here is my inspiration: Elana's Pantry's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread.  Her recipe creates a great bread, but to me, I wanted more flavor and rise since mine came out more biscotti-shaped than loaf-like.  I don't have a mini loaf pan or her mail-order almond meal, so perhaps that led to a good, but not great loaf.

I wanted to create a bread the masses could enjoy (paleo and non-paleo alike) with store bought almond flour/meal (I use Trader Joe's since it is the cheapest and that stuff can get quite pricey!) and a flavor profile I have been dying for.  Onion Bread.  Oh yeah, it is just like, nay, BETTER than that onion bagel you probably haven't had in years or that soft onion bread that makes a to-die-for sandwich bread.  And ready in 45 minutes with minimal prep and cleanup--doesn't get much better than this!  Sink your canines into:

(shown toasted and crunchy!)

Paleolicious Onion Bread
Dare you to try this and not close your eyes and revel in its soft, moist onion-breadiness!
Cooking Time: about 45 minutes start to finish!

The Dry
2 c almond flour/meal (I used Trader Joe's)
1 c arrowroot powder (you can find this at New Leaf and perhaps Whole Foods in the bulk bins)
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 t cream of tartar
1 T dried onion
1/4 t (or 10 fine grinds) of black pepper

The Wet
4 eggs (room temperature or place in lukewarm water while you prepare so they come to room temp)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c or 4 stalks of scallions/green onions, chopped thinly

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grab your loaf pan and cut two pieces of parchment paper to line the pan: one should span the narrow sides and extend past the lip and the second should do the same on the wide sides.  Why?  No mess!  No worry about stickage!  You can just pull the tabs to remove the loaf when finished without playing pop out the loaf onto the floor as you shake it or jimmy it out of there.  Definitely a time and effort saver!  I just cut two pieces of parchment to accomplish this, but here is another way that creates a pattern out of the parchment.  I will have to try this next time!

Ready for the action?  It is so easy it is embarrassing.  Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl (Note: to avoid the use of a sifter with the cream of tartar that likes to clump, just break it up between your fingers as you add it).  Mix well.  Add the wet ingredients to a second bowl.  Mix well and get some air into those eggs by whisking with a whisk or fork to create some bubbles.  Hey, since we can't use baking powder (contains corn) and don't want to bother with whipping egg whites, we'll take all the leavening we can get!  Now for the hard part.  Just kidding!  Dump the wet into the dry and mix to incorporate.  Now scoop into your loaf pan being careful to keep your parchment liners in place, and whack it in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  I turned my oven up to 355 upon adding the loaf so that it would kick on.  Check at 30 minutes (or 25 if your oven errs on the hot side).  You are looking for a hard top crust and a skewer that comes out mostly if not completely clean.  There should be NO wiggle to the loaf.  Once done, remove from the loaf pan and set on a wire rack to cool for a good hour or so.  Slice and enjoy once you can wait no longer!  Store in the refrigerator wrapped in paper towels and placed in a plastic bag.  It'll last a week (or more?) if you can ;)

Endless Serving Suggestions:

Yeah, go ahead and have that sandwich you have been dying for.  Now you don't have to feel guilty!

Oh, imagine it dipped in Basic Meat Sauce (perhaps with the addition of some veggies to make the sauce a meal)!

Or, if you are indulging on dairy, slather it in raw, grass fed butter!

How I have been indulging lately:

Yes, those are farmer's market eggs and Aidell's chicken apple sausage (processed yes, but still fits the requirements and is really good) atop toasted slices of Paleolicious Onion Bread.  Oh yeah!

Bread Worth Craving

As a paleo dieter, bread is out.  Grains are the enemy, and "eat meat, not wheat" is our battle cry.  However, I have found a bread to fill the void.  It is one that I actually prefer over all but the most crusty and homemade of breads.  Rival to naan in its simplicity, versatility, and delectability.  I give you Flaxbread!

Italian Flaxbread

inspired by Paleo Focaccia, Sandwiches and Cakes by Nikki Young.   
Cooking Time: less than 30 minutes

2 cups ground flaxseeds (store these in the freezer since they go rancid easily)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (see NOTE)
4 eggs (room temperature is best, so put out early or warm in a warm water bath)
1/2 C water or chicken broth
1/3 C olive oil with Italian Seasoning Mix mixture leftover from Roasted Turkey Breast


Italian Seasoning Mix:

3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped), 1T each of rosemary (crushed), oregano, basil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder/chopped dried onion, 1tsp each of pepper, red pepper flakes
(NOTE: make more of this seasoning than you need, add olive oil, and store in the refrigerator for other uses like salad dressing and Roasted Turkey Breast seasoning)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in the other.  Mix each well.  Add the wet to the dry and mix to evenly incorporate the ingredients.  Using a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat, scoop out the batter and distribute over the sheet.  Using a spatula, try to make a nice even layer without holes.  This is difficult since the batter is sticky!  Wack it in the oven for about 20 minutes and see where it is around 15 minutes in.  You are looking for browning on the bottom of the edges and a more golden look to the surface of the bread.  Once finished, cut into slices, cool on a rack, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Uses:

Sandwich bread--this flavorful bread beats wheat bread hands down

Bread to accompany spaghetti night or curry night (try using an Indian spice mix instead of Italian)

Snacking

Open-faced sandwiches


Since this is nearly ALL fat, try to use it with meals that don't have any other fat or when you are splurging paleo style.  Making your meat without using fat such as on the grill or searing in a pan will allow you more leeway with fats in other parts of the meal, such as this bread.  This is definitely worth the indulgence!

NOTE: The original recipe from the paleo cookbook called for baking powder.  Baking powder is not technically paleo since it is made from corn.  Another alternative to using baking soda and cream of tartar is to whip the eggs into stiff peaks and fold them into the batter, or add baking soda and an acid to make it work, perhaps a honey bread, cocoa bread, or lemon bread.  The first picture is from an experiment in that realm using coconut milk.  I think this would make a great sweet application, so more experimentation is needed.