14 July, 2007
Nut-Free Bread
My Mediterranean Almond Bread caused quite a stir when I posted it, getting me some very kind comments on various discussion boards. It’s so fantastic to know that something I’ve created has helped someone find a piece of the puzzle that they so needed to help them live a healthier life, in this case, an alternative to bread. That tactile feeling of holding something when eating (get your head out of the gutter!) is very important to me, as it is to a lot of people.
When I mentioned, what seems like ages ago, that I was developing a nut-free version of my bread I had quite a few emails asking me for the recipe. So here it is, and I have to say I’m very pleased with it and have been enjoying mushroom sandwiches for weeks now, they’re so great - once you have the bread made it’s so quick and easy to build a sarnie! Enjoy!
Nut-free bread
Makes 18 ’slices’
1/2c olive oil
1 ½c sun dried tomatoes
3c sprouted buckwheat (2 ½c dry & unsprouted)
1 ½c flax meal
3 ½c peeled courgette, roughly chopped
2c apple, cored and roughly chopped
3T lemon juice
2 avocados
1 large onion
½c minced parsley
- Process the olive oil, sun dried toms, sprouted buckwheat, courgette, apple, lemon juice, avocados, onion and herbs until thoroughly mixed.
- Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the flax meal by hand. The reason you do this separately (not in the processor) is that you are likely to have too much mixture for the size if the processor at this point, and when you add the flax meal it will become quite heavy and sticky and overwork your machine.
- When mixed, process the whole batter in the machine again, but in small batches to achieve a light fluffy texture.
- Divide the mixture in half and place on Paraflexx sheets on dehydrator trays.
- Use a spatula to spread the mixture evenly to all 4 sides and corners of the Paraflexx sheet. If mixture is too sticky you can wet the spatula to make things easier. With a knife score the whole thing into 9 squares.
- Dehydrate for 2 hours and then remove the Paraflexx sheets by placing another dehydrator tray and mesh on top and invert so that your original sheet of bread is upside down. That will allow you to peel the Paralexx sheet off and continue to dehydrate the underside of the bread.
- Dehydrate for approx 8 hours more (do this overnight so you’re not tempted to eat it before it’s ready) or until bread feels light in your hand. If the pieces don’t fully come apart where you scored, use a knife to cut them.
Cashew Mayo
1c cashews
2T lemon juice
½t salt
2T chopped onion
¼c water
½t agave
- Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.
For the mushrooms pictured…
- Cut portabello mushrooms into thick 1cm wide strips. Marinade them for a couple of hours or overnight in equal parts of tamari and olive oil.
- Arrange them on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate overnight.
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I am trying to find out if Xylitol is considered raw. Can you help me with this? Would you use it in raw cooking?
Thank you
nae on / 14 July, 2007
Mmmmm mmm mmmm.
Can personally vouch for the 100% yumminess of Russell’s bread (and all his recipes come to think of it!)
Many say it is the best bread they ever tasted…
(Me included)
Karen Knowler on / 14 July, 2007
Nae, I would hazard a guess that Xylitol isn’t raw as it has to be extracted and reduced from maize (or a number of other sources).
I wouldn’t consider using it as it’s a sugar alcohol that has been hydrogenated - therefore, in my opinion, has undergone too much refinement and processing.
Hope that helps.
Russell James on / 15 July, 2007
I’m fairly new at eating raw foods. Can you tell me what and how to make sprouted buckwheat? I would very much appreciate it. Thanks! Love your blog - it is a great resource.
Ellen on / 31 July, 2007
must try this bread when i get back to usa. here in brazil i have no access to ingredients and do not have a dehydrator here.
jessica on / 1 August, 2007
Ellen,
The good news is that sprouted buckwheat is so easy.
You’ll need some buckwheat which comes in the form of a seed - should be available in a health food store wherever you are in the world.
Soak them overnight and rinse the next morning, leaving them without the water. Rinse a couple of times a day until they form little tails that are as long as the seed itself.
The whole process should take 2 - 4 days, depending on your local climate.
Russell James on / 1 August, 2007
Mr James, I think you are a genius.
I am very curious whether you hold private lessons and/or whether the un-cooking book is currently in the making. In either event - I am a disciple. You are a miracle. Heartfelt thanks.
Katya
p.s. The photographs of the dishes on Flickr are enough to send my appetite racing wild. Fabulous!
Katerina on / 9 August, 2007
Katerina,
Thanks! I am planning classes and also to be making some recipes available in the form of a series of eBooks. This is something I’ve been planning for a long time but it is now coming together.
I would also love to do a printed book so watch this space…
Russell James on / 11 August, 2007
Well, I tried this recipe today and it worked very well. As with a lot of raw food it was relatively expensive to make but I like to keep in mind that I am just emulating the look and feel of bread, not making a nutritional replacement for bread. With lots of sun dried tomatos, courgettes, avocado and flax seed this sort of ‘bread’ is far more nutritionally dense. Good stuff!
Spewy on / 26 September, 2007
Hi Russell!
What, besides the obvious cashew cheeze, mushrooms, greens, & tomato, do you have in your sandwich fillings?
What are your favorite fillings to use?
Wisteria on / 4 October, 2007
This is a great recipe. I prefer it to the almond version.
But when I prepared and packed it for lunch i discovered that it becomes soggy pretty quickly. So now I just pack each the bread and stuffing separately, and then assemble the sandwich during my break.
My colleagues are quite amused!
Dima on / 8 October, 2007
sorry to day I have no idea what a courgette is???
When I get my dehydrator I will make this bread first!
debbie
debbie on / 21 December, 2007
Hi Debbie
By coincidence I’m making another batch of Russell’s excellent Med bread today. I’ll presume you’re in the US. Courgette is the UK word for the vegetable you know as zucchini. Love, Debbie (UK)
From Russell: Thanks, Debbie :-)
Debbie Took on / 22 December, 2007
Courgette is zucchini!
ciara writer on / 11 January, 2008
Russell
I am looking for the med bread that is served at Moxie’s. Would you have the receipe for this?
Thank you.
From Russell: Moxie’s?
Tom Michael on / 11 March, 2008
Debbie I think you make an important point re language. I spent days trying to find cilantro and even the stall holders had no idea what I was talking about. It prevented me from making some fab raw food. Finally I did an internet search and realised it was coriander! It would be useful if someone who was culinary bi-lingual (UK/USA)could write up a list.
Russell you are a food artist and should definately produce your creativity in book form.
Rose Bush on / 20 March, 2008
GIVE ME THAT SANDWHICH NOW!!!!!!! Xxx
Bex on / 8 April, 2008