Simple Spelt Bread and Vegan Cheese
This is taken from our spring 2015 issue. | Subscribe in time for the summer issue and three more.
Recipe by Tony Keogh, head chef at Cornucopia. Introduction by Erika Doolan, nutritionist and restaurant consultant.
I’ve recently joined the team at Cornucopia and I was excited to be there for the introduction of some great vegan cheeses to the menu. Cornucopia have produced their very own, delicious ‘Cashew Blue’ and a vegan brie. Cashew Blue is created with a fermentation process that involves a lot of love and care to ensure both flavour and texture are perfect.
It contains lots of highly nutritional ingredients such as miso, sauerkraut and spirulina. Sauerkraut is a fermented food, an excellent source of vitamins C, B and K and rich in magnesium and folate. Folate is a source of vitamin B9 which is great for improving mood and concentration. Sauerkraut has been widely eaten for centuries to treat stomach ulcers, and its effectiveness for soothing the digestive tract has been well established by numerous studies. Spirulina is a great source of B vitamins, important for mental health and energy levels. If you call in to Cornucopia, add one of my cold pressed, raw juices for a micronutrient boost for your body and soul.
We have included a recipe for Cornucopia’s spelt bread to compliment our cheeses. A delicious and excellent alternative to wheat, spelt is a light, fluffy bread, and its nutrients are easily absorbed. Therefore, many find it easier to digest. Some people with lots of health issues report feeling better eating spelt rather than common wheat. Because spelt has gluten however, it is not appropriate for those with a gluten allergy. If you’re a coeliac grab yourself some gluten free bread from Pure in Blackrock, Dublin as an alternative. But for everyone else, this recipe is super simple, very nutritious and an excellent source of iron, niacin and vitamin B6.
Ingredients:
- 460g spelt flour
- 18g baking powder
- 200g seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 40 ml molasses
- 20 ml sunflower oil
- 350-400 ml water
Method:
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the seeds and the salt.
- Whisk together the remaining ingredients and fold them into the flour and seed mixture.
- Using a wooden spoon or a pair of clean hands combine the mixture well.
- Place it into a greased 2lb loaf tin and bake for about one hour.
- To check for doneness, knock the bread out of its tin and gently tap the base. If it sounds hollow it is done, if not put it back in the oven for another five minutes or so.
- Allow it to cool on wire rack when finished and serve with some of our vegan cheeses and a nice light spring salad. Perhaps some thinly sliced cucumber, red onion and rocket dressed in a little wholegrain mustard.
This is taken from our spring 2015 issue. | Subscribe in time for the summer issue and three more.
