bread
Homemade bread is always a good idea. You can try endless variations with nuts, seeds, herbs, and different types of flour. I love my recipes, but you can always create your very own signature bread. I usually bake two loaves of bread on a day off. I freeze the sliced loaves right away so I can just grab a couple of slices each day to eat with a tasty spread or on the side with a bowl of soup as breakfast or lunch.
◁ Chocolate-Banana Bread
After a great deal of trial and error, it finally worked: the ultimate choco-banana bread recipe. It’s perfectly moist, delicious as a snack, and even better as breakfast. I make sure to cut extra-thick slices and take them with me in a sandwich bag.
PREPARATION TIME
15 minutes
BAKING TIME
45 minutes
TOTAL TIME
1 hour
INGREDIENTS
(makes 1 loaf)
* 1/2 cup (41/4 ounces, or 120 g) coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing the loaf pan
* 3 tablespoons (42 g) chia seeds
* 121/3 ounces (350 g) peeled, ripe bananas
* 1/2 cup (120 ml) oat milk 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
* 5 Medjool dates, pitted
* 7 ounces (200 g) quinoa flour
* 1/4 cup (22 g) raw cacao powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon unsweetened vanilla powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
KEEPS FOR
about 5 days in an airtight container, or slice and freeze
SUPPLIES
small loaf pan (4 × 8 inches, or 10 × 20 cm); parchment paper
Method Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the loaf pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment paper, greasing the paper as well. Soak the chia seeds for about 15 minutes in 5 fluid ounces (150 ml) water. Meanwhile, add the bananas, oat milk, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, and dates to the blender. Blend until well combined and creamy.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined. Add the soaked chia seeds to the mixture last and stir well. Transfer the batter to the greased loaf pan and place in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, having a look every so often to check the bread’s progress. When done, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool fully on a wire rack.
◁ Coconut Spice Bread
The combination of sweet potato, coconut flavor, and gingerbread spices makes this bread truly delicious even without anything on it. Bake this bread on your day off so you can grab a slice throughout the week when you need something to take with you on the go. It’s also great for sharing!
PREPARATION TIME
30 minutes
BAKING TIME
40 minutes
TOTAL TIME
1 hour and 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(makes one loaf)
* 1 pound (450 g) sweet potatoes, peeled
* 4 medium-size eggs
* 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon (about 2 ounces, or 60 g) coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing the loaf pan
* 1/4 cup (60 g) coconut yogurt
* 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
* 33/4 cups (101/2 ounces, or 300 g) instant oatmeal
* 1 tablespoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix
* 1 teaspoon unsweetened vanilla powder
* Pinch salt
KEEPS FOR
5 days in the fridge
SUPPLIES
food processor or blender; loaf pan (10 inch, or 25 cm)
Method Chop the sweet potatoes into equal-size pieces. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked. Let cool, and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to the food processor or blender along with the eggs, coconut oil, yogurt, and lemon juice and blitz until frothy. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring well to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine fully. Grease the loaf pan with coconut oil, transfer the batter to the pan, and place in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, checking on the bread every so often.
Remove the bread from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then out of the pan, directly on a wire rack, until fully cooled.
◁ Fennel Loaf
Herbs and nuts can add a twist to any bread recipe. In this fennel loaf, I use deliciously aromatic fennel seeds. I love their soft, anise-like flavor! This loaf is great with a savory tapenade.
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
BAKING TIME
30 to 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME
about 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(makes one loaf)
* 3 eggs
* 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
* 6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (100 ml) oat milk or water
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 2 ounces, or 60 g) almond flour
* 7 tablespoons plus 11/2 teaspoons (80 g) buckwheat flour
* 11/2 ounces (40 g) psyllium husks
* 2 tablespoons (22 g) chia seeds
* 1 tablespoon baking soda
* 11/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
* 2 small handfuls walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
* 2 tablespoons (28 g) coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
KEEPS FOR
5 days in the fridge, or freeze
SUPPLIES
small loaf pan (4 × 8 inches, or 10 × 20 cm); toothpick
Method Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Beat the eggs in a bowl until fluffy. Add the lemon juice and oat milk (or other plant-based milk) to the eggs and whisk to combine. Next, add the dry ingredients. Add the walnuts (if using) and the coconut oil. Stir well to combine. Grease the loaf pan with coconut oil and pour in the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
Have a look at the bread toward the end of the cooking time and check for doneness using a toothpick: Pierce the middle of the loaf with the toothpick, if it comes out clean the bread is done! Let the bread cool, remove it from the pan, and slice. It’s delicious with lentil spread and a splash of olive oil.
◁ Broccoli Sandwich
When I was in New York recently, I ordered a sandwich made of… broccoli. And when I got home, I felt compelled to try to make this myself. Take a couple (or more) slices with you for lunch. Bring your toppings or spreads, like hummus, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a bit of Homemade Mayonnaise, with you in separate containers.
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
BAKING TIME
30 minutes
TOTAL TIME
40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(makes 18 slices)
* 1 pounds (450 g) broccoli florets, removed from the stems
* 3 eggs
* 11/4 cups (51/3 ounces, or 150 g) oat flour or other flour of choice
* 1/3 cup (13/4 ounces, or 50 g) goat cheese, grated
* 1 tablespoon psyllium husks
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Salt, to taste
KEEPS FOR
5 days in the fridge in an airtight container
SUPPLIES
food processor; parchment paper; rolling pin
Method Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the broccoli florets in the food processor and process until finely ground. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until fluffy and add the remaining ingredients. Knead into a large ball of dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the dough out on the baking sheet, lay another sheet of parchment paper on top, and use the rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is about 1/3 inch (8 mm) thick.
Slice the rolled dough into rectangles and place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
Tip: Usually toss the broccoli stalks? Stop! All the vitamins in the florets are also found in the stalk. Delicious in a salad or with other vegetables cooked in a wok.
◁ Cauliflower Buns
I bake these petits pains on my day off so I can take them with me throughout the week. You can top them just as you would any bun. My favorite combo? Hard goat cheese, steamed mackerel, cherry tomatoes, chives, Homemade Mayonnaise, and pepper.
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
BAKING TIME
35 minutes
TOTAL TIME
45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(makes 5 or 6 buns)
* 1 medium-size (1 pound, or 450 g) head cauliflower
* 2 eggs
* 31/2 ounces (100 g) oat flour
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
KEEPS FOR
5 days in the fridge in an airtight container
SUPPLIES
baking sheet; food processor; parchment paper
Method Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Clean the cauliflower and remove the florets. Process the florets in the food processor until they have the consistency of rice, but don’t process them so much that they become watery. Beat the eggs until fluffy and combine them with the cauliflower and the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Form the dough into 5 or 6 balls and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool. Slice the buns through the middle and top them any way you’d like.
◁ Fruity Bread
Do you have a sweet tooth? Then this is the bread for you! It’s really filling, so one thick slice is enough. It’s delicious with nut butter, but it’s truly indulgent with chocolate spread or chia jam.
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
BAKING TIME
50 minutes
TOTAL TIME
1 hour
INGREDIENTS
(makes 1 loaf)
* 3 tablespoons (33 g) chia seeds
* 31/2 ounces (100 g) dried figs, chopped into small pieces
* 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (51/3 ounces, or 150 g) instant oatmeal
* 41/4 ounces (120 g) sunflower seeds
* 1 ounce (28 g) psyllium husks
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* Pinch unsweetened vanilla powder
* 51/2 ounces (160 g) applesauce
* 21/2 ounces (70 g) raisins
* 1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
KEEPS FOR
5 days in a dry, airtight container; can also be frozen
SUPPLIES
loaf pan (8 × 5 inches, or 13 × 20 cm)
Method Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Soak the chia seeds for 15 minutes in 5 fluid ounces (150 ml) water. Combine the figs with the dry ingredients and stir well to combine. Add the applesauce, raisins, coconut oil, and soaked chia seeds and stir again until fully combined. Grease the loaf pan with coconut oil, transfer the dough to the pan, and place in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes. Have a look every now and then to make sure the bread does not burn. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean it is done. The loaf might look a bit wet when it comes out of the pan, but the moisture will be absorbed, in large part, during the cooling process.
Tip: While you’re at it, double the recipe and make two loaves and freeze one. That way you’ll always have a breakfast, lunch, or snack on hand when you’re too busy to make anything else.
On Top
The right topping can make homemade bread even better. Lentils, pecans, cashews… with tapenades and nut butters, the sky’s the limit. Make an extra big batch on your day off so you can use it, bit by bit, all week long. And sometimes… I just can’t resist dipping my finger directly into the jar. That’s allowed.
Lentil Tapenade
PREPARATION TIME
20 minutes, plus 10 minutes if you need to cook your lentils.
INGREDIENTS
(makes about 1 pound, 5 ounces [600 grams])
* 9 ounces (250 g) cooked beluga lentils (about 41/2 ounces, or 125 g dried)
* 31/2 ounces (100 g) sundried tomatoes
* 6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
* 51/3 ounces (150 g) tomato paste
* Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 11/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
KEEPS FOR
1 week in the fridge
SUPPLIES
food processor; 1 or 2 Weck jars
Method If cooking the lentils, place the dried lentils in a sieve, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and drain completely. Simmer the lentils in twice as much water as lentils for 20 to 30 minutes until cooked (or follow the package instructions). Drain the cooked lentils in a sieve, rinsing briefly with cold water. Let cool fully. Meanwhile, add the sundried tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic to the food processor and pulse to chop finely. Transfer the tomato mixture to a mixing bowl and add the onion and the remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. Store the tapenade in nice Weck jars so they are easy to transport. This is delicious on the fennel loaf as a lunchtime sandwich.
Pecan Butter
I always use raw pecan nuts to make this, but you can also roast them in the oven for 10 minutes beforehand if you prefer.
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(makes 1 pound [450 g])
* 1 pound (450 g) raw cashews
* 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened vanilla powder
* Pinch salt
KEEPS FOR
3 months in an airtight container
SUPPLIES
food processor; 2 small jars, or 1 large jar, with tight-fitting lids
Method Add all the ingredients to the food processor and blitz until finely ground. This usually takes 5 to 10 minutes, in which time you’ll notice the nuts go through various phases. They will change from coarse grains to finely ground meal and then, as they begin to release their oil, they become a creamy nut butter. Keep processing the nuts until the nut butter becomes fluid and creamy.
Transfer the nut butter to a small jar. This nut butter keeps for a very long time, but I don’t think it’ll take long before the jar is empty. Delicious!
Cashew Butter
PREPARATION TIME
15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
(makes 101/2 ounces [300 g])
* 101/2 ounces (300 g) pecans
* 1 tablespoon (15 ml) hazelnut oil or coconut oil (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened vanilla powder
* Pinch salt
KEEPS FOR
at least 2 to 3 months
SUPPLIES
food processor; small jar with tight-fitting lid
Method Add all the ingredients to the food processor and blitz until finely ground. This usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. Keep processing the nuts until they begin to release their oils and the mixture becomes fluid and creamy. Transfer the nut butter to the jar(s). Mmm, tasty!