I know Autumn is just around the corner when the cicadas start screaming day and night. School started today! Waaagh! I have mixed emotions about it. We had such a nice Summer, and it seems like Summer just began.

However, I am looking forward to my favorite season and cooler days where I can throw on layers. The cool weather makes me think of different smells in the kitchen like cinnamon, nutmeg and bread baking.

Living a healthy life is more than just having everything you put into your mouth be uber healthy. It is also about balance, community, listening to your body, sharing time together over food, relaxation, spirituality, exercise, and fun! These things give us a sense of well being deep in our innermost self.

It is one of the reasons I like to blog treat recipes, like this very delicious and toastable bread that is reminiscent of my days as an artisan bread baker for my local food coop. I have made this seasonal recipe in a grain free version!

It is important if you have digestive challenges, like me, or want to improve your health in other areas, that you eat plenty of cooked and fresh vegetable produce, some fruit, good quality protein and healthy fats. I typically recommend 2/3rds of the plate consist of vegetables. Then there is a place for a piece of this grain free bread. Just don’t eat the whole loaf! Now, my daughters can eat plenty of this bread, and they absolutely love it toasted! I am happy with one thick slice toasted and savored with a cup of coffee or tea.

I purchase my pantry items such as the raisins, nuts, cashew butter, almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and the apple cider vinegar at Thrive Market online (see link in upper right corner of this page) and saved $1,500.00 on my grocery bill last year. This is my second year as a member. They have thousands of quality food and home care items, and for every membership that is purchased, they give a free one to a needy family. They have a mission to make quality food affordable. Let’s bake bread! 🙂

 

Harvest Bread (Grain Free, Tostable)

Preheat the oven to 300º degrees. Grease a medium to large sized loaf pan with organic shortening, then line it with parchment paper.  I used a pan my children bought for me as a gift when I started eating gluten free. It is a Pullman loaf pan and works well for gluten free breads, but it just makes a nice shape. Any medium to large loaf pan will work! (I left of the lid for this pan.)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

3 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt (my favorite!)

1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. In a second bowl with a hand held mixer, blend together:

4 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Cashew Butter

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

After blending the eggs, cashew butter, honey and cider vinegar until well combined, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Then fold in:

1/2 Cup of Raisins

1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts

Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and then place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown on the top and hollow sounding when you tap on the bread.

Remove from the oven. Cool for ten minutes in the pan. Then use the overhanging sides of the parchment paper to lift the loaf from the pan. Cool on a wire rack for one hour before slicing.