Entirely Remarkable Fermented Buckwheat Bread

I adapted this recipe from the NutriPlanet website, where you can learn a lot about buckwheat, a gluten-free, low-glycemic, high protein wonder food. Most interesting to me is that buckwheat isn't a wheat; it's the seed of a plant related to rhubarb. So it shouldn't even have the word 'wheat' in its name.

This gluten-free, flourless, no-knead, practically hands-off, one-bowl bread takes a couple of unattended days to soak and rise and one hour to cook. You can make it plain, or add a variety of different flavours to make it savoury, sweet, or crunchy.

The fermentation process is somewhat like making a quick sourdough that you don't need to keep and feed and take care of like a pet. The fermentation process also adds nutritional value.

This bread takes about 15 minutes of hands-on work. The rest of the time it is soaking (6-8 hours), rising (24-30 hours), and baking (1 hour). Start your fermented buckwheat bread in the evening, and it will be ready to eat about a day and a half later. For example, I began soaking the groats Wednesday evening before bed. On Friday afternoon I was enjoying a warm slice!

I have adapted this recipe to use cups instead of grams, and have changed the fermentation instructions based on the fact that my oven does not go below 175F, much too hot for the fermentation process (the original recipe says to ferment the bread in a 95F oven).

VERY IMPORTANT: Use raw Buckwheat Groats, not Buckwheat Kasha. Kasha is roasted and will not ferment. 

WHAT YOU NEED

• 3 1/2 cups raw buckwheat groats (not kasha)
• 1 1/3 cups water, plus more for soaking
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp honey, or brown rice syrup, agave syrup, or maple syrup

OPTIONAL: YOU CAN ALSO ADD COMBINATIONS LIKE THESE FOR FLAVOURS

• Seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame, poppy, chia) and chopped almonds
• Olives and oregano
• Sundried tomatoes and oregano
• Sesame seeds and oregano
• Walnuts, prunes, cinnamon
• Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oregano
• Raisins, cinnamon
• Poppy seeds, goji berries

	MAKE IT!! Soaking: 6-8 hours (suggest overnight) Rinse the groats, then soak them in water in a non-metal bowl.
	Drain and rinse well. Let the groats drain for 5 minutes or so.
	Put the groats in a blender with 1 1/3 cups water. You may have to do this in batches depending on your blender's capacity. Blend well until you have a creamy batter.
	Fermentation: 24-30 hours (estimated) Put into a NON-METAL bowl (use glass or plastic), cover with a clean dishtowel, and put in a warm place for 24 hours to allow it to rise and ferment.  Depending on how warm the environment is, it might take a little longer to really rise. I put mine in the warmest spot in my house, which is the bathroom cabinet, and at about 30 hours it looked ready to me.
	It's ready when it has risen significantly and there might be some cracks on the top of the batter. Don't worry if there is a bit of a crust on the top of the batter. It easily mixes in.
	Preheat the oven to 350F. Create your personalized bread! Add the salt, honey/syrup, plus any flavours or crunchy bits you want, to the batter. So far I have just used a combination of seeds and nuts, but am looking forward to trying the flavoured loaves. With a wooden spoon or some other NON METAL spoon mix gently, just until blended, so that you don't lose all the rising action.
	BAKE IT! 6.  Line a bread pan with parchment (not waxed) paper, spoon in the batter, and bake at 350F  for about an hour and ten minutes, or until the top is crispy brown and the bread in the cracks is dry and springs back when pressed.
	side note... Could clean-up be any simpler? One bowl, the blender, a spoon, a spatula, and the bread pan. No flour mess, no kneading, no nuthin'!
	HURRAH! It is risen!!
	Lookit that rise!!
	Slicing it When it's cool enough, after about 10 minutes, pull it out of the pan and let it rest on a paper towel on a rack for at least half an hour before slicing, to prevent the loaf from getting gummy. Storing it It is a moist bread, so thin slices are better. Toasting is great. Once it has fully cooled, wrap the loaf in a paper towel to soak up any additional moisture, then store the wrapped loaf in a plastic bag. Or if you aren't going to eat it all in the next couple of days, pre-slice then store in a plastic bag in the freezer. You can warm frozen slices in the oven or toast them as you want them.
	EATING IT!! Enjoy! This bread is a bit plain on its own but is a great base for anything you use bread for. It slices beautifully and is excellent with humus, or guacamole, as an open faced snack with tomatoes and avocado, or for use in sandwiches. Especially good toasted, with Cosmic Honey™!

I hope you enjoy this gorgeous, healthy Fermented Buckwheat Bread!

Next time: Breaded Sietan Nuggets!

Adventure!!

Rockin' Tofu!

This tofu is so good it made me believe in tofu. It's vegan and it kicks ass.

This is not the bland, mushy stuff you get at lousy restaurants, or the tasteless, oily stuff found in cheap cuisine. No, this tofu is chewy, sassy, and bursting with flavour!

Use in stir-fries, on salads, or as a fridge snack. Amazing! Omnivores love this too. Reminds them of BBQ.

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What you need:

1 package EXTRA FIRM tofu (I use Mandarin Soyfoods Organic pressed) 2 TBSP Olive oil 1/4 C Soy sauce or Bragg's Amino Acids 1-2 TBSP Maple Syrup or Agave Syrup 1-2 TBSP Fresh ginger 4-5 garlic cloves Black pepper to taste

For even more taste explosion you can also add:

Orange or grapefruit juice Hot sauce or pepper flakes 1 tsp roasted sesame oil Rice vinegar

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Make it!

Take the tofu out of the package, rinse, and cut into bite-sized cubes. This particular tofu is so firm that it doesn't need to be pressed, but if you find your tofu is less firm, look up how to press tofu online (that helps to get the water out of it).

Chop the ginger and garlic. Here's a handy tip: to peel the ginger, use the side of a spoon. 

Except the sesame seeds, mix all the rest of the ingredients together to make about 2 cups of marinade. If you are low you can add orange or grapefruit juice (more tangy flavour), or water or broth (less tangy flavour). Put the tofu in a deep bowl and marinate, covered in the fridge, for as long as you have: an hour or overnight. Stir every once in awhile to get the flavour on all of the chunks.

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Bake it!

Remove the tofu from the marinade and spread on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Reserve the marinade! It's vegan! You'll add it later.

Bake the tofu at 350F for 30 minutes until it is nicely browned.

Finish it!

Toast the sesame seeds in a hot dry wok or frying pan by swirling them happily over med heat, then add the reserved marinade and heat it up.

Make it delicious!

Toss in the tofu chunks and stir over medium heat until they are well coated with the marinade. So amazing! Now eat it however you want it.

Enjoy!!!

Next time: Mind blowing Vegan Stroganoff!!

Glorious Mushroom Risotto With Lemon Kale

Another comforting winter dinner!

Some people think of risotto as time-consuming, because of the stirring, but it doesn't really take that long, and it's fun to watch the risotto get soft, pudgy and full of flavour! The secret to making this go faster is using warm broth. Just put a documentary on your laptop or phone, stir away, and your risotto will be ready to eat in no time!

What you need:

6 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups sliced mushrooms of any kind, or mix and match
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice (do not wash!)
½ cup dry white wine or beer
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon thyme
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onions
2 cups chopped kale (or spinach or other greens)
2 tablespoons vegan margarine

You can also add:

2 tablespoons dried shitake mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped
1 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (adds a cheesy flavour)

Make it!

Warm the broth in a saucepan over low heat.

Put the greens in a bowl, drizzle the lemon juice over them and add a few shakes of salt. Massage the salt and lemon juice into the greens and let them sit.

In a large pot, heat up some olive oil, then sauté all of the mushrooms. As they make broth, pour that off and reserve. When they are done, remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, add a little more olive oil, then caramelize the onions over low heat until they are transparent and soft, then add the garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the thyme.

Add the dry rice to the pot, stirring until it is shiny and a light gold colour. Now add the wine or beer, and stir until it is absorbed.

Start your documentary!

Start adding the warm broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring slowly between additions until the liquid is absorbed.

When you have added all the broth, add the mushroom broth last, and stir until it is all absorbed as well. If you are using nutritional yeast, add it now.

Remove from heat,  then add the mushrooms, chives or onions, kale or spinach, and the margarine. Stir well to wilt the greens.

Eat it!

Oh my goodness, it's GLORIOUS. Now have seconds. You'll have enough for lunch tomorrow too.

Phenomenal Vegan Burritos!

These burritos fill you up and are impossible to stop eating. You can make them simply, with just beans, or add all the garnishes.

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Prep: soak the beans overnight!

Use 4-5 cups of dried beans and clear water.

I use traditional Pinto Beans for my burritos, but black beans are really good too. Soak the beans overnight in clear water to help with digestion. Don't add salt or anything. They'll about double in size so use a large bowl!

Drain and rinse the beans. Discard all the soak water. Put the beans on to boil with a good amount of fresh water and a couple of strands of Kombu seaweed, which helps a LOT with the problem many people associate with beans! Kombu can be found at health food stores and most organic groceries. Don't salt the water; this makes the bean skins tough.

Keep checking the beans. They'll need 3-4 hours on a slow simmer.

When they are done, they will be soft and easy to squish, and all of their spots will be gone. 

At this point you can remove and discard the Kombu, which by now will look like a sea-monster. If you don't get it all out, that's ok. It doesn't affect the final flavour. At this point you can either freeze the beans, which also helps with digestion, or move on into refrying them and making burritos!






Thanks, Kombu!

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Burritos!

You can either just have plain refried bean burritos, or you can make up a bunch of condiments to go with them, like guacamole, salsa, and cashew sour cream.

Refried Bean Burritos: What you need

• 3 cups cooked pinto or black beans - separate the broth
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-4 cloves garlic, rough chopped (not pressed)
• splash of wine or beer or both (optional)
• olive oil
• Nutritional Yeast (optional - adds a cheesy flavour)
• salt
• pepper
• cumin to taste (optional)
• Flour tortillas

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Make It!

Chop the onions and sauté over low heat in a deep frying pan in a little olive oil. When they are nicely caramelized, add the garlic and cook for just a few minutes until it starts to smell delicious. Don't overcook the garlic or it will get bitter.

Add the beans, reserving the broth separately in case you need it. Using a potato masher, mash up the beans until there are some still whole and most are mashed together. If they are too dry, add a little broth, but not too much or they will run out of your burrito!

Flavour with salt, pepper, a little wine or beer (optional) and the optional nutritional yeast and cumin. Let the beans rest to soak up any extra liquid. If they are too dry you can add water or some of the reserved bean broth. They should be the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Burrito Time!

Heat up a large cast iron pan if you have one, or a frying pan of any kind. Drop in a flour tortilla and when it starts to bubble up, flip it. Both sides will have a few brown crunchy spots when it is done.


Put the tortilla on a plate and scoop some of the beans in a line down the middle. Roll up and enjoy!

You want more stuff? 

Try these on your burritos!

• Chopped Scallions
• Fresh tomatoes
• Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo Fresh Salsa
• Cashew Sour Cream
• Spicy Vegan Sausages, like Field Roast Chipotle

It just takes your already delicious burrito to the next level...!

You won't need to make anything else for a few days with these beans in the fridge!

Come back later to try the next recipe: Vegan Mushroom Risotto!