Sprouting time: 2-3 days (see sprouting guide)

Preparation time: 10 min

Cooking time: 50 min (160 degree) or 6 hrs (40 degree in Dehydrator)

Ingredients

• 200g sunflower seeds (sprouted 2-3 days)
• 110g pepita seed (sprouted 2-3 days)
• 135g flaxseed or linseed
• 30g chia seed
• 40g psyllium husk (30g if using powdered)
• 300g grated vegetables (pumpkin, zucchini, carrot, broccoli stems)
• 215g rolled oats (quinoa or brown rice flakes for GF)
• 45ml coconut oil-melted
• 525ml water
• 7g himalayan salt

Optional

• 2 tbs maple syrup 
• 2 tsp spices (cinnamon, cumin, coriander seed)
• Top with your favourite Sydney Sprouts microgreens for texture and taste, we have used fresh pea sprouts

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Scales
• Grater
• Baking paper
• Loaf tin

What to do:

1. Sprout sunflower and pepita seeds as directed. Once small white tails have appeared they are ready. Normally 2-3 days. They can be stored in the fridge for a week.
2. Grate a mixture of vegetables. Use a variety of different types and experiment with flavours.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix together well.
4. Add coconut oil and water and use spatula to make sure that the water is mixed through leaving no ingredients dry.
5. Line the loaf tin with baking paper.
6. Empty the loaf ingredients into the lined tin and press down with the spatula making sure that the ingredients is firmly packed into the tin.
7. Cover the loaf tin and place in the fridge and leave for 2 hours minimum to fully hydrate.

Cooked method:

1. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees
2. Place loaf tin in middle rack of the oven.
3. Cook for 20 min or until the top of the loaf is quite firm.
4. Carefully flip the loaf tin over onto a new lined tray and continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes.
5. Test the loaf by tapping the surface and it should sound hollow. 
6. Allow to cook for 1 hour on an oven rack. It is important not to cut the loaf until fully cooled as it is still cooking. 

Raw method:

1. Use a tin large enough to make a shallow wide loaf.
2.  Allow loaf to sit in fridge overnight.
3. Turn out carefully by flipping out using a lined dehydrator rack to support.
4. Weigh the loaf once it is out of the tin. (approx. 1.7 kg)
5. Place in the dehydrator on 40 degrees for 3 hours. Check to see the outside layer has began to firm to touch.
6. Turn the loaf and leave for another 3 hours. Check the centre moisture with a bamboo skewer. The loaf should be firm and have a clean skewer when removed. 
7. You can check that the loaf has lost 40-50% weight (850g to 900g).

Inspiration for the sprouted loaf 

The original version of sprouted bread was from the Jewish Sprouted grain bread called Essene Bread which derived back in Old Testament Biblical times when the Jewish tribes were exiled from Babalyon. They would sprout wheat berries and grind them to form a dough which would be cooked on large stones in the sun (as they had no access to ovens). This formed a very high protein, nutritionally rich, moist bread loaf. 

"My new roots" created a recipe for a "life changing bread" which was inspired by essene bread that used unsprouted seeds with the addition of flax and chia seed as an egg replacement to bind. 

The recipe that I created takes pieces from both these ideas and adds the health benefits of sprouting, prebiotics and nutrients from mixed vegetables, and different ratios of ingredients to create a reliable, flavour packed nutritionally bioavailable loaf  that remains moist and toasts nicely.