My simple gluten free bread

Having been gluten and dairy free now for some 10 years I have used many different recipes with many different successes. At times these recipes were incredibly complex and required too many ingredients to be functional. A few years ago I watched a program make a glutinous loaf with some envy thinking how easy it was.  A statement within the program however stuck with me. "Bread is only salt water yeast and flour".

Surely it could be easier.

As our family has become less reliant on processed foods it was imperative that I develop a bread that is simple to make and tasty. I prefer to make a focaccia style, however I have had success with loaves as well.

Ingredients 

2 cups Buckwheat flour

2 cups of Tapioca flour

3 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon guar gum

3 teaspoons Yeast

1 heaped teaspoon of Honey

1 egg

Warm water

This fabulous Buckwheat flour is a biodynamic one. It is less processed than some store brought ones. 

Method 

Place flours, salt, guar gum in a mixing bowl and combine together.

Prove yeast in a ceramic bowl with honey, a tablespoon of flour mix and approximately 1 cup of warm water. Once yeast is foamy mix with flours. Add enough warm water till bread is porridge consistency. Add egg and mix thoroughly.

Tips

Remember it is not a glutinous loaf so is much runnier. If too runny it will not rise and will be very dense at the bottom. I find it easier to use a flat stiff spatula to mix the dough.

Note the porridge like consistency 

Grease and line a baking tray of your choice.  Let rise for a bit. Sometimes I put it straight in the oven, but it does turn out better if given at least 20 minutes to rise.  Cook in a hot oven till golden and hollow sounding when tapped. It should shrink from the sides a bit too.

Sometimes I add linseeds, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds depending on my mood.

Slice up and enjoy!

News years reflection

So Christmas has been and gone and we approach another year.

As I have a compulsory look back at 2014 I am happy and what I have achieved yet unhappy with what I have not.

I have half a house. I have done a lot of fencing. I have raised pigs, chickens and cows.
I cannot lay claim however to what I really want which is to be living on our property.

We travel daily to the property, feed and tend animals and do some building where and when we can.

We have had several hold ups with the build including weather and waiting on trades. It is what one expects when building I am told however the frustration is still there.

I have made some progress on the vegetable patch with posts all in and one row of wire up. I plan on digging it over, mulching it and allowing the marauding pack of chooks to continue to dig scratch and generally do their thing. It should be ready for some planting next spring.

The pigs need moving soon so plan on building the next planned vegetable enclosure and placing them in there to do their pig thing. They will certainly save my back by removing the vegetation. Should be ready for a till in spring and also be planted out in the future.

Hopefully the build will kick along in the new year and will result in a finished home for me and my brood.

Progress so far 

The story so far......

So we have been in Tasmania for around 3 years now.

In that time we have relocated ourselves into a small rural community. We purchased  part of an old farm. Commenced building a house. Have begun to set up paddocks, redo fences, plan animal enclosures, vegetable patches, acquire animals and generally attempt to be farmers. 

Moving here was part of an overall plan of simplification. It has gotten pretty complicated however trying to be simple. 

Our journey into farming and the simple life began many years ago. 

One of our sons was diagnosed with Autism at age 3. 

We went through what many parents go through. We began many years of therapy and many years of trial and error.  

Having a life changer like that in your early twenties tends to change some views that you might have. 

We tried many different therapies. We did anything to help our son. 

The most effective changes however were seen with alterations to his and our diet. 

I began to research, experiment and learn. I began to see food as medicine. I began to see dramatic differences in behaviour. I began to see differences in me and the other kids as I changed the food we ate.

As I was changing our diets, I was changing as well. I began to rethink everything. 

Why do I have to a big mortgage? 

What do I really want out of life? 

Do I need to live in a big city? 

Is this the life I want? 

What will the future hold for our boy? 

Is this sustainable?

It got me thinking...... It got me evaluating everything...... 

So 5 years later here we are. We are attempting to have an organic, self sufficient lifestyle. A slow life some describe it. 

The blog will be a fun way to record it all I guess. So here goes. Hopefully those who read won't be bored. 

Cheers.