Lucky Hemp Bread and Chicago Meetup

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Hey all!

Happy belated St. Patrick’s Day to you! I’ve never been one for this holiday — crosstown traffic in NYC and green Irish car bombs aren’t really my thing — but I was inspired by certain blog posts yesterday to showcase some green cuisine for you all.

Remember the last time I posted a raw bread recipe? I mentioned then that I’m usually more likely to select Ezekiel bread, brown rice bread, or another variety of minimally processed, whole grain, cooked bread than take the time to dehydrate. The twins, however–whose culinary energy is a constant source of inspiration–recently wowed me with their raw flatbreads (available here for purchase). To attempt to replicate their creations on my own would be folly, for I have not the baker’s touch. But I can at least try to make a homespun version of my own, and that’s precisely what I did last weekend.

Since the wonderful folks at Nutiva were recently kind enough to share a sampling of raw hemp products with me–including oil, seeds, and protein powder–I decided to make a hemp bread. And since few things come out of my kitchen that aren’t green, I decided to toss some spinach in. The result was a tasty, soft, and savory raw bread that’s loaded with essential amino acids, protein, fiber, and healthy fat.

Lucky Hemp Bread (makes 6-8 slices)

Ingredients

3/4 + 1/3 cup hemp seeds
3/4 cup flax seed, ground in a coffee grinder or spice mill
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Spike (or other favorite mix of savory herbs and spices)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp flax oil
1/4 chopped onion (optional)
1 cup spinach

First, mix the 3/4 hemp seeds and flax in a food processor with the sea salt and the Spike or herb mix. Add lemon juice, flax oil, onion if using, and spinach, and mix again, adding water as needed. You want the mixture to moist and dough-like, but not at all runny or overly sticky.

Remove mix from processor and stir in remaining 1/3 cup hemp seeds. When it’s well combined, check the dough for taste, and add salt, spices, or water as needed.

Flatten to 1/4 inch on two paraflex sheets in your dehydrator. Dehydrate overnight (6-8 hours). Turn the bread over by putting another paraflex sheet over the bread, and then flipping the whole thing. Dehydrate for another 6-8 hours, or until bread is very dry and firm, but still pliable. Cut into slices (I used a pizza roller) and enjoy.

Serve as a sandwich bread, with salads, or as a raw snack. Here, I served it with some kale salad and steamed brussels sprouts:

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And topped it with some leftover pumpkin seed pate:

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Tasty!

The more raw bread I make, it seems, the easier it gets. When it comes to bread, I’m still more likely to opt for a whole grain and baked version than a raw variety. But I don’t mind having options, and raw breads lend a lot of variety and fun to my routine!

Hope you’re all having a nice end to the work week. Before I go, a special announcement:

I’ll be in Chicago for a short trip between April 18 and 20. As much as I wish I had a lot of time to hang out in the windy city, the schedule is going to be tight. Nevertheless, I can’t let the whole trip pass without a blog meetup. So my girls Jenn and Val and I were thinking of a blog lunch on Sunday the 18th — something in the neighborhood of 1 or 1:30. If anyone would like to join, just shoot me an email (gena@thefullhelping.com) with the subject line Chicago. I’ll keep you posted as details emerge!

xo

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Categories: Uncategorized
Dietary Preferences: Raw

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    43 Comments
  1. Hello
    I have whole flaxseeds which I will grind please can you tell me the the quantity of whole seeds needed.
    Many thanks

  2. Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the e book in
    it or something. I believe that you simply can do with a few % to power the message home a bit, but instead of that, that is excellent blog. A great read. I will certainly be back.

  3. I just made this bread…it was AMAZING! I was definitely amazed at how well it held together. It tasted nutty and chewy and warm and delicious, just like real whole grain bread–but better for you. I will definitely make this again.

  4. Ohh mann Gena I WISH i could meet you!!! I am pretty much never ever out of town, but I’m going to Ohio that weekend!! 🙁 I hope that I have better luck next time! Finally a chance to meet the genius behind so many amazing recipes and I can’t make it. 🙁 grrr

  5. UGH! I can’t believe of all the times, I will be out of town the weekend you are coming to my backyard!!! Would have LOVED to meet you and be part of the meet-up. Ahhhhhhh…next time! 🙂

    Am trying your bread this weekend. My husband can’t have wheat, gluten … anything with flour. So we are really excited to try this one! Thanks, as always, for sharing!!!

  6. i wouldn’t dehydrate flax oil or any other polyunsaturated oil.

    rancidity is pretty much guaranteed.

    great book: fats that heal and fats that kill by udo erasmus

  7. Sounds yum! I was wondering if you have ever tried anything with buckwheat. I have a bag of buckwheat and I don’t have a dehydrator but I want to make something with it. Any ideas? Love your blog! Keep up the great work!

  8. Aww I wish I had a dehydrator! Could I do this in the oven? I’d probably want to do it around 350 because even though it kills the enzymes, I’m not a raw foodist and I don’t want to waste energy leaving my oven open at 150 you know what I mean? Would that work because it sounds so delish!

  9. I can’t wait to try this especially since I have a pantry full of hemp seeds, thanks! I’ve been enjoying flat breads a lot lately and loved the sour dough flat bread I got from Cafe Gratitude.

  10. Did you use hulled hemp seeds or whole? I’ve only seen whole ones in the shops, but I’m thinking they might add a little too much crunch…

  11. thanks for the shout out, lovely!
    that bread looks glorious! i might need to make some raw flatbread.. it’s been too long.
    or i’ll just order some from the twinnies 🙂
    have a great day <3
    xoxo

  12. The editor in me absolutely loves your posts. Your writing is exciting for me to read, not only for content but also because it appeals to my grammatical and linguistic sensibilities. I am SUCH a nerd.

    This bread looks awesome! One of these days I’ll have to try out raw breads.

  13. Your spinach hemp bread recipe looks great, Gena! I also love raw bread but rarely make it these days, although I did try raw onion bread recently and it was fantastic. This recipe is now on my “to make” list 🙂

  14. This looks supertasty – I read your blog for vegetable dish inspiration (I am mostly plant-based except for a little fish) and have been trying lots of your salads and loving every single one. I also consciously eat raw 1-2 meals a day.

    I am curious about this bread because I happen to have all the ingredients but no dehydrator. I realize that putting in the oven would remove its raw status, but would 20 minutes on low heat (say 200-300) allow me to try a cooked version of the same bread?

    And I am dying to find out the pumpkin seed pate recipe 🙂

  15. Oh, so wish I could meet up with you guys in Chicago. Love that city and some wonderful bloggers live there. 🙂

    This raw bread actually sounds pretty easy Gena. One of my friends is getting me some hemp seeds, and I would love to try this when they arrive. For some reason, I love hemp seeds, but not hemp protein powder. The seeds don’t taste like dirt. 🙂

  16. That bread looks yummy! I’ve never attempted raw bread, like you I just stick with the sprouted or brown rice version! 🙂 Enjoy Chicago! 🙂

  17. I have been craving brussels sprouts lately. Strange considering how nice the weather is! Enjoy Chitown. I still need to get there! But I am sure we will catch up before then! The sooner the better. 🙂