I’m trying to find out if it’s really not so hard to live without some of the very common ingredients that are often dominating in our daily food. Stroke out wheat, dairy, yeast, sugar and pretend that not much has changed. I’m doing well with the pretend part. So far it’s my old friend sugar that I find the hardest thing to get away from… but while the process is slow, my confidence is growing. And so is the will. Yey!

I guess the success lies in a good preparation. I imagine one would first have an alternative route planned and everything ready for a (well quite a big) change, but taking things slowly works not too bad too.

First off is wheat. While the ordinary one is ‘bad’ on my list, stoneground spelt is still under the green light and that is not so much of a change as I do like to substitute wholewheat for spelt any way. Only the goal is to try to go completely gluten free and see if that transforms my body into any better place…

So, tried and approved, 3 versions of no wheat, no yeast, no dairy quick and so easy delicious soda bread

SPELT

Ingredients

500g stoneground spelt flour

100g porridge oats

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

25g butter , cut in pieces (I used 1 spoon of carotino red palm oil

500ml buttermilk (I used 250ml of natural soya yogurt and 270ml of unsweetened soya milk + 1spoon of apple cider)

150g of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower,linseed, pine kernels)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. If you’re using oil – pour it in the buttermilk (or milk/yogurt       mixture) and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.

2. Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn’t ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.

3. Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices – or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

GLUTEN FREE recipe above only instead of spelt I used Doves farm white gluten free flour

was maybe my least favourite, but having said that still,  quite a nice one

MIXED 50×50 SPELT & GLUTEN FREE has been voted as the best so far. Original recipe from here

Ingredients

280g of stone ground spelt flour

280g of gluten free white flour

1 rounded tsp of bicarbonate of soda

1 rounded tsp of salt

half a rounded tsp of cream of tartar

1 large egg

400ml of buttermilk and milk mix (mine was 250ml natural soya yougurt and 200 unsweetened soya milk and 1 teaspoon of apple cider)

2 tsp of xanthan gum

150g of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower,linseed, pine kernels)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 230c (200c fan)

1. Put the flour into a large bowl and mix well. Sift in the soda, cream of tartar, xantha gum, seeds  and salt. Mix very well.

2. Pour your buttermilk and milk into a measuring jug. Crack the egg into the mixture and beat well.

3. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Pour in the milk and egg mixture and quickly draw in the flour to make a soft dough. Don’t linger over the dough, speed is of the essence.

4. Remove to a well floured baking sheet and form the dough into a flat ball about 2” high. Cut a cross on the top. Put in the centre of your preheated oven for twenty minutes. Then turn the temperature down to 200c (180c fan) for a further 25-30 minutes. If it sounds hollow when you knock the base it is ready.

There are some more wheat free variations here and here, here.

Now stop drooling and get baking!