Do you miss good bread? If so you’re not alone. People avoid bread because they have celiac disease, wheat allergy, or wheat intolerance. Others avoid it because of the many chemicals added to commercial breads or because it can be a fast-absorbed kind of carbohydrate.
As long as you don’t have celiac disease, homemade spelt bread may be an option.
Spelt is an ancient brain. It is related to wheat and does have gluten, although it is not the same gluten as wheat gluten.
Many of the possible problems with wheat gluten arise because it is a dense molecule that may not be completely digested. The undigested fragments may trigger an immune response in certain circumstances, damaging the gut lining. This is especially a concern if someone is first exposed to wheat before 3 months of age or after 6 months of age.
The gluten in spelt is different. It is less tightly bound which changes its baking characteristics. This may be why many with wheat sensitivities find spelt easier to digest. In the clinic I see this on some of the food allergy panels. Those who are reactive to what are usually non-reactive to spelt.
Please know that this is not true for everyone with wheat sensitivities. If yours are severe, you’re welcome to test slowly or avoid it. In terms of being quickly absorbed, adding flax seeds to dough creates a healthy type of mucilage, adding fiber and slowing absorption.
One ounce of cooked bread from this recipe is about 12 grams of carbs. On the adrenal reset diet, this puts each ounce as roughly 1 serving of carbohydrate.
The important part is that it is ridiculously good. The kids even love it.
If you haven’t made homemade bread for some time, or ever, it’s actually a lot of fun. There’s not much work, just lots of steps of waiting.
Here’s how I made it.
Ingredients:
- Bob’s Red Mill organic whole grain spelt flour – 3 1/2 cups
- Active dry yeast – 1.5 tbsp
- Sea salt – 2 tsp (non-iodized salt, Diamond, or Mortons brands)
- Whole flax seeds – 1/2 cup
- Warm water – 2 cups
Directions:
- Using wooden spoon, mix all ingredients in large glass or steel bowl. Do not knead and only mix until nearly all of the flour is combined with the water.
- Cover with a damp towel and let sit in a warm place for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a baking stone or a cast iron skillet in the oven to let it heat. Also place an empty broiling pan in a lower rack in the oven.
- Using floured hands, shape the dough into a ball. Do not work for over 20 seconds.
- Let ball sit in a lightly floured bowl and cover with a damp towel.
- Let rise for 30 minutes as oven heats.
- Carefully remove the warm stone or pan and place the dough on it. Place in oven.
- Add 1 cup of water in the hot broiling pan, close oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove bread from pan, bake directly on rack for additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- If you make it, I’d love to see a picture and hear what you think. Drop me a note at drc@drchristianson.com.
To Your Health,
Dr.C
