How to Make Flourless Bread

Flourless bread, also known as sprouted grain bread, is a style of bread that uses a combination of grains, seeds, and beans rather than enriched wheat flour as the base of its recipe. Bread made from enriched wheat flour uses fewer of the natural vitamins and minerals found in the bran and germ of the wheat grain, as they are lost during the milling process. To compensate for these 22 lost vitamins and minerals, additives are put into the flour to enrich its nutritional content (See reference 3). When sprouted grains are used, breads do not suffer from this loss of key nutrients. A popular and common flourless bread recipe takes its roots from the biblical tale of Ezekiel, who is said to have survived on the superior nutrition of flourless bread. Read on to learn how to make your own version of this ancient recipe.

Things You'll Need

• 2-1/2 cups hard red wheat
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1/4 cup lentils
• 1-1/2 cups rye
• 1/4 cup millet
• 2 tbsp. great northern beans
• 2 tbsp. pinto beans
• 2 tbsp. red kidney beans
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tbsp. yeast
• 2 tsp. salt
• Mixing bowls
• Flour mill or food processor
• Spoon for stirring
• Bread pans
• Oven

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Mix the dry ingredients - hard red wheat, rye, barley, lentils, millet, great northern beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans - thoroughly in a large mixing bowl.

3. Using a flour mill or food processor capable of grinding hard grains, grind the mixture to a fine consistency.

4. In a large mixing bowl combine the water, honey, and oil.

5. Add the ground mixture, the salt, and the yeast to your wet ingredients.

6. Stir until mixture is well combined and takes on a doughy consistency. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes.

7. Spread the dough into greased bread pans. This recipe is good for two large loaf pans, or three medium loaf pans.

8. Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• This recipe forms a great base dough to add additional ingredients or flavors. Experiment with adding other ingredients such as raisins or fruit. Remember, fresh ingredients will produce the best tasting bread. If you like the nutritional benefits of flourless bread, but lack the ingredients or time to make your own, sprouted grain breads can be purchased at your local specialty bakery or grocery store. See the resources section for links to sites offering flourless bread.

• If using a food processor, refer to the accompanying operations manual to ensure it is capable of grinding hard grains to avoid damage or injury.

References

• Ezekiel Bread Recipe
• Flourless Bread
• Sprouted Grain Bread: The Sprouted Grain Difference

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Food for Life, maker of several varieties of flourless bread products