Treasured gifts.
Divine teachings.
An Ocean of Gratitude.
thank-you Kristin
This recipe was introduced to me by Gillian. She made it one night accompanied with a delicious beetroot borsch and a green salad.
A wonderful bread to go with a simple soup for a no-fuss dinner. I love eating this bread the next day, with a thick spread of salted butter and a dollop of home-made jam/a drizzle of honey. Feels like a perfect balance between a bread and a cake.
amaranth-sunflower-spelt bread
6 – 8 servings
Recipe slightly adapted from ‘Angelica’s Kitchen’.
She goes on to say, ‘ This is a highly nutritious bread that cries out for a leguminous accompaniment. Try cutting it into thick wedges and serving it alongside your favourite bean dish or soup. It can also be cooked in a cast-iron skillet, bringing it straight to the table and served piping hot. The bread has a satisfying, complex texture in part because some of the sunflower seeds are mixed into the batter while others are sprinkled on top.’
For a savoury addition, add some sautéed fennel rounds or chopped olives and a sprinkling of rosemary on top of the bread before baking.
I like this bread with more sweetness, so I added extra maple syrup to the recipe. If wanting it less sweet as in the original recipe, use only 1 Tablespoon of Maple syrup and increase the milk to 1 cup.
for the amaranth
1 cup water
½ cup/100g amaranth
¼ tsp fine rock salt
for the bread
½ cup/65g sunflower seeds – divided
1½ cups/200g whole-spelt flour
½ cup/70g medium ground cornmeal (can use polenta)
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine rock salt
¾ cup/165g unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup/45g olive oil (mild tasting)
3 Tbsp/30g apple cider vinegar
¼ cup/70g maple syrup
to cook the amaranth
1. Place the water and salt in a small saucepan, bring to boil, then add amaranth, lower flame, and cover – simmer for 35 – 45 minutes or until the water has absorbed. Set aside and allow to sit for 10 minutes. It will be sticky and wet.
to make the bread
2. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Lightly oil a 9-inch square pan or a round skillet.
3. Spread the sunflower seeds on a baking sheet and toast for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ¼ cup sunflower seeds.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and cooked amaranth.
6. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together – mix thoroughly, but do not over-mix. The batter will be thick, but pourable.
7. Pour the batter into the pan/skillet and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup sunflower seeds. (I also like to add a sprinkle of sesame seeds.)
8. Bake for 45 – 55 minutes till golden, or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Goodness shared by Stacey
