Bread – Yes, But Alkaline!

Basic bread is THE solution for bread lovers who prefer to enjoy bread when it not only tastes good but is also really healthy bread. Conventional bread can have many health disadvantages. It contains gluten, isolated carbohydrates, and not really many vital substances. Bread is also considered an acidifier so that in relevant amounts it hardly fits into a diet with too much base. How about basic bread? We have the right recipes for you.

Basic bread made from basic ingredients

Of course, alkaline bread also needs ingredients that we classify as alkaline foods. However, if you look around for alkaline bread recipes, you will often find supposedly alkaline bread that is not alkaline at all, at least not according to our criteria.

Spelled bread made from spelled flour, for example, is NOT alkaline, no matter what the dear Hildegard von Bingen – a medieval monastery woman with a healing knowledge – is said to have proclaimed. Spelled is one of the particularly gluten-rich cereals and is considered to be clearly acid-forming for this reason, among other things.

Of course, spelling is significantly cheaper than wheat, and if you choose a high-quality organic spelled wholemeal bread, then this is definitely better than wheat bread, it’s just that it’s not alkaline, it’s not even alkaline.

There is also bread that contains amaranth or quinoa, as well as bread with millet or bread with ancient grains (einkorn, emmer, etc.). While all of these ingredients aren’t bad or unhealthy, they’re just not alkaline.

Instead, they are among the good acid generators. They can therefore be used very well for bread, rolls, and pastries, but the result will rarely be 100 percent alkaline, but “only” excess base – unless you let the ingredients germinate beforehand.

However, bread with excess base is already very good and cannot be compared with conventional bread made from white flour (flour type 405) or partial extract flours (e.g. flour type 550, 1050, 1150, or similar), which, apart from starch and gluten, hardly have any sensible and useful supply more ingredients. But what makes a really alkaline bread? Basic ingredients of course!

Use the recipe section with our alkaline recipes. We have a variety of delicious and healthy alkaline recipes developed by our professional chefs.

Basic bread – the recipe

The following is particularly about alkaline raw food bread. If all of this sounds too exotic for you and you would rather have a tried-and-tested loaf of bread or thick, round rolls in the bread cupboard, then there have long been the right recipes for that too. You can find a delicious recipe for basic bread here: Basic bread – the recipe

For everyone who would like to make alkaline raw food bread, let’s go into detail:

Basic ingredients for basic bread

Conventional cereal flours are no longer necessary for basic raw food bread. They are not alkaline, even when the grain is freshly ground. Sprouted grain, however, is considered alkaline. But it can no longer be ground into flour (at least not without a certain amount of effort, see next paragraph). Also, because sprouted grains still contain gluten, and many people want to avoid gluten, they’re rarely used in alkaline bread, but of course, it’s possible.

Basic bread made from germ flour

Anyone who spares no effort can let the grain (or other seeds) germinate, then dry it again overnight in the dehydrator and process it into flour in the food processor or blender the next morning. In this way, you get a kind of basic germ meal that can now be used for bread and other pastries. But this process is of course very time-consuming so there are now also germ flours on the market.

Basic bread made from sprouted grains

If you now want to make basic bread from germinated grain, then the germinated grains are either crushed in a food processor or with a little water in the blender or with the Green Star juicer (with puree or pastry insert) to a more or less fine mush.

The following cereals are suitable: spelled, naked barley, naked oats, Kamut, einkorn, emmer, rye, and the pseudo-cereals buckwheat and amaranth.

Germinating seeds for alkaline bread

If you don’t know exactly how to germinate seeds, it’s very easy: Put the seeds (cereals or oilseeds or nuts) in a germination jar or bowl and fill it with water so that the seeds are well covered. The seeds remain overnight and soak up water.

The next morning, you pour off the water, rinse the seeds under running water, and put them back into the germination jar – without water. Now the seeds are simply rinsed again under running water two to three times a day.

After a total germination time of 40 to 60 hours (2 – 2.5 days), the grain is ready to be processed into basic bread. Green sprouts should not be visible yet, since you want to use seedlings and not sprouts for the basic recipe.

Basic bread without grain

If the basic bread is to be grain- and gluten-free bread, germinated or soaked oilseeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame or soaked nuts (walnuts, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts), and almonds are used as the dough basis.

Chestnut flour, almond flour, and/or tiger nut flour can also be added.

Should you soak nuts?

It has now been shown that soaking nuts does not provide any particular benefits (in contrast to soaking grains and oilseeds) and probably does not make the nuts more basic either. Details can be found here: Do you have to soak nuts? Strictly speaking, nuts are not an ingredient for basic bread.

Are Flaxseed and Chia Seeds Alkaline?

Linseed, chia seeds, or ground variants are also often used, although both (ungerminated) are not considered alkaline. However, since they are virtually indigestible when unground and are only very weakly acid-forming even when ground, but offer enormous health benefits (high in fiber, low in carbohydrates), they can be processed very well in basic bread.

Special ingredients for basic bread

Vegetables – finely grated – are often added to the alkaline bread dough. Root vegetables, pumpkin, zucchini, and celeriac go best, but finely chopped leafy or cabbage vegetables also work best.

An equally common ingredient in basic bread is dried tomatoes, dried mushrooms, onions, chopped olives, and, of course, fresh, finely rubbed herbs.

You can also add small amounts of all kinds of sprouts, such as B. broccoli sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, red cabbage sprouts, onion sprouts, lentil sprouts, and many more. You can find information on how to make sprouts here: Grow your own sprouts

If you want to make sweet basic bread, then the spicy ingredients are of course omitted and you concentrate on the basic recipe (see below), adding a few dried fruits (raisins, goji berries, chopped dates, etc.) if necessary.

Linseed, chia seeds, or psyllium husk powder also ensure that the alkaline bread does not fall apart. Because without the gluten from the usual bread grain, they don’t stick together so well.

Basic raw food bread looks different

Alkaline raw food bread does not look like normal loaves of bread but is more reminiscent of crispbread or small flatbreads. But although these alkaline crispbreads or flatbreads look like little in terms of quantity, they fill you up very quickly and for a long time – simply because their nutritional value and fiber content are so high.

The alkaline raw food bread is not baked at high temperatures, but rather dried at low temperatures – either at the lowest possible temperature in the oven or ideally in the dehydrator. In winter, drying on the window sill above the heater is conceivable, and in summer you naturally dry in the sun – if it shines long enough.

The drying times for alkaline raw food bread

It is true that the drying times for alkaline raw bread are longer than the baking times for conventional bread, and one might therefore think that the preparation of raw bread is time-consuming. However, the time that is actually spent preparing the dough for alkaline bread is at most as long, if not shorter, than with normal bread.

Only the dry season lasts a long time, but you don’t have to sit next to it. You should only think about “baking” new bread at a good time because it won’t be edible until the next day or the day after that. On the other hand, conventional wholemeal bread should also be left a day before you eat it, as it is then much more digestible than freshly baked.

Basic bread – equipment for the preparation

Basically, you do not need any special kitchen utensils or equipment to make alkaline bread, because a food processor will certainly be available in your kitchen.

A juice press (with an insert for pastry dough) or at least a meat grinder is also ideal for alkaline bread dough. Even with the high-performance stand mixer, you can get by to some extent.

If you don’t have one of these devices, you would have to prepare your dough in a mortar, which can occasionally create a great Stone Age feeling, but in the long run, will be too time-consuming for most modern people.

If ground flaxseed is used, then an electric coffee grinder (or even the blender) is ideal, with which you can freshly grind flaxseed at any time. Ground flaxseed should not be bought ready-made due to its highly perishable fatty acids.

The most worthwhile purchase for the preparation of alkaline bread is a dehydrator, such as the Sedona dehydrator (which includes a timer and infinitely adjustable temperature). But as mentioned above, there are also alternatives such as the oven, the heater, or pure nature, namely the sun.

A germinator is also extremely useful for producing the sprouts and germs needed to make bread. If necessary, however, the seeds can also be germinated in a sprouting jar or in small bowls.

However, if you find that you no longer want to be without alkaline bread, then it is high time to put the above-mentioned equipment on the wish list for the next birthday or Christmas party.

Kitchen tools such as spatulas (for spreading the dough on the drying foil or baking paper) and pastry wheels (for cutting into cracker or bar shapes) are certainly part of the basic equipment in your kitchen.

Basic bread – the shelf life

As already mentioned, alkaline bread is similar to crispbread and can therefore be kept for a very long time (up to 14 days and longer) if it is really thoroughly dried and stored in a cool and dry place (e.g. in biscuit tins).

Of course, the shelf life also depends on the ingredients. For example, if it contains ground flaxseed, it can sooner or later become rancid due to the high content of sensitive polyunsaturated fatty acids.

However, alkaline bread can also be made in such a way that it still contains residual moisture. This is the case if you don’t spread the dough out so thinly, i.e. let the bread slices get thicker and don’t dry/bake them for so long.

The basic bread tastes more aromatic and fresher as a result, but then – depending on the ingredients – often looks more like a veggie burger than bread. But that is also very tempting because this way you don’t have to worry about toppings or spreads. The moist alkaline bread simply does not need something like that.

But you shouldn’t store the moist alkaline bread for too long. It is best eaten fresh or stored in the fridge for two to three days.

Alkaline Bread – The Recipes

Below you will find different recipes for basic raw food bread.

First the basic recipe for the basic bread. It has a neutral taste and can be refined with the above-mentioned ingredients according to your mood and thus made savory or sweet. Of course, you can also enjoy the basic bread on its own.

This is followed by suggestions for savory and sweet bread or crackers and finally a recipe with germ flour.

The quantities do not have to be meticulously adhered to. If you have also made basic bread two or three times, you will certainly feel like experimenting and implementing many of your own ideas.

Alkaline bread – basic recipe with a grain

Process the freshly sprouted grain (e.g. 250 g) in the food processor, blender, or one of the other tools mentioned above. Devices to a very viscous mass. Then add spices, herbs, or even a bit of olive oil as desired.

Linseed or sprouted sesame also goes very well with bread dough. Simply add a tablespoon of each to the batter and mix well.

Now form balls from the mass, which you then flatten on the drying foil or the baking paper into small round flatbreads.

You can also roll out the dough into a large square and then cut it with the pastry wheel to the desired size of crispbread slices.

Set the dehydrator to about 42 degrees and let the bread dry overnight. The next morning, turn it over and let it dry until it’s completely dry and cracks like crispbread when it breaks.

Alkaline bread – basic recipe without grain

For basic, grain-free bread, simply use sprouted sunflower seeds or soaked almonds as a base and follow the same process as above.

It is then refined according to taste with all sorts of spices, herbs, vegetables, etc. – as in the following recipes.

Basic bread – almond and cabbage crackers

Ingredients

• 100 g ground linseed or chia seed
• 240ml water
• 100 g germinated sunflower seeds
• 250g almonds (soaked overnight), rinsed and drained
• 2 handfuls of kale leaves or white cabbage leaves, finely chopped/shredded
• Spices as desired, e.g. B. sea salt, herb salt, pepper, sweet paprika, chili, etc., and if you like and want to use: yeast flakes
• To bind possibly some coconut or chestnut flour.

Preparation

Mix the ground flaxseed with the water.

Put the almonds with the sunflower seeds in the blender or food processor and chop them as finely as possible. Put them in a large bowl. Add the coconut flour and spices, and lastly the chopped cabbage, and mix well.

Now stir in the linseed/water mixture – preferably with your hands so that everything can be mixed well.

Now spread the dough about half a centimeter thick on the baking paper or the drying foil of the dehydrator. If you value a perfect look, then first cut off the unsightly edges with a pastry wheel so that you ultimately have a large square in front of you.

You can now use the dough cutter (there are several wheels available) to cut rectangular, square, or even triangular crackers.

Now dry the alkaline bread for about 8 hours at about 42 degrees. Then turn and dry for a few more hours to the desired dryness/moisture level.

If you don’t like your alkaline bread to be completely crisp and dry, but prefer it a bit moist, then of course dry it for a shorter time.

Halfway through the drying time, turn the small alkaline crispbreads.

Basic bread – Italian Grissini

(1 cup = 240 ml capacity)

Ingredients

• 2 cups spelled, barley, or Kamut (soaked for 12 hours and sprouted for another 12 to 24 hours)
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2-3 tsp onion powder
• Seasoned Salt

Preparation

During the germination period, the grain is of course regularly rinsed. As soon as a tiny germ can be seen, you can start.

Mix all the ingredients together and chop everything in the food processor or blender or even the Green Star Elite juicer with a puree insert.

The latter is particularly practical because the dough comes out of the machine in the form of sausages or grissini and these only have to be placed on baking paper or drying foil.

If you use a different machine for chopping, then breadsticks have to be formed quickly.

After 6 to 10 hours in the dehydrator at around 40 degrees, the breadsticks are ready.

They are especially delicious when they are still warm. The breadsticks go well with soups and salads or can be served with dips.

Sweet basic bread

Ingredients

• 200 g almonds (soaked overnight and drained)
• 100 g sunflower seeds (soaked overnight and drained)
• 50 g sultanas or chopped dates
• 1 banana
• Optional: vanilla and cinnamon

Preparation

Process all ingredients in a food processor or other device until smooth, form into the desired shape, dry at 42 degrees for 8 hours, then turn and continue drying until the appropriate degree of dryness is achieved.

Basic bread made from buckwheat germ flour

Ingredients

• 120 grams of buckwheat
• 80 g linseed
• water
• sea ​​or rock salt

(Of course, you can also mix many other ingredients into the dough here and also prepare the bread sweet or savory.)

Preparation

Soak 120 g of buckwheat in twice the amount of water in the morning, then spread it on the foil of the dehydrator together with the water in the evening and let it dry overnight.

Soak 80 g linseed in 400 ml water overnight.

Process the sprouted and dried buckwheat into flour in a blender or food processor.

Puree linseed with water in a blender.

Mix the linseed mass and buckwheat germ flour, season with sea salt or rock salt, and stir well. Leave to rest for 30 to 40 minutes.

Then spread the mass on the drying foil of the dehydrator or the baking paper of the oven and let it dry for 8 hours at 42 degrees, then turn it over and let it dry for at least another 8 hours. Remove from the dehydrator once the loaves are at the right level of dryness for you.