Buckwheat Spice Bread

 

Buckwheat has become my latest passion since it has a number of health benefits. It's not strictly a cereal grain but is used like one. Most people are familiar with Buckwheat Pancakes, and in Russia and the Ukraine, the groats are boiled to make a cooked cereal like oats. This bread is highly spiced with tropical flavors (ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon), and goes well by itself, buttered or topped with stewed fruit. It is a very dense bread, almost like a pudding.....so, it's not a light, fluffy bread or cake! The slices remain moist for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container. The end flavor is  one with tropical flavors in the background and the earthy taste of the buckwheat shining through! The slices may be wrapped and frozen. If you have no sodium restrictions, add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the dry ingredients.

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup buckwheat flour (I grind toasted buckwheat groats in a spice mill to make the flour, but it can be bought already ground as flour)

¼ cup arrowroot flour (you could also use Tapioca or Corn Starch, but I prefer Arrowroot for the consistency it produces)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Honey (Buckwheat if you can get it)

1 teaspoon low sodium baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups (about 2 medium) finely shredded granny smith apples (or any variety you have available, Cored, and peeled, if desired. I use it unpeeled) mixed with juice and zest of 1 lemon, and the grated ginger root

2 Tablespoons thick cut, old-fashioned rolled oats

2 Tablespoons fresh or dried Blueberries

 

 

 

1.      Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a  9×5-inch loaf  with parchment paper, and grease and flour sides

2.      In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and spices

3.     In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, oil, honey, vanilla and add the finely shredded apples and lemon juice.

4.     Add to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just blended. The batter will be very thick….it’s a bread, not a cake!

5.     Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the oats and blueberries over the top, pressing the berries and flakes lightly into the batter

6.     Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 20 minutes in pan before inverting on to a wire rack. Remove loaf and cool completely before slicing.