High protein chia & flax bread

I love this bread because it’s so tasty and incredibly good for you, with lots of protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Here, I’ve adapted the original recipe a bit by using 50:50 chia and flax, plus sunflower and pumpkin seeds to add a lovely nutty crunch and flavour. 

Most shop-bought gluten-free bread is full of additives, so if you’re looking for an easy home bake option, then this is a great recipe. The best thing about it is that it’s a no-rise method; all you have to do is mix all the ingredients together, scrape into a tin, and bake. It literally takes 5 minutes. 

This bread is a great source of protein from all the seeds, plus it’s made with 6 eggs. It’s also high in fibre, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and various vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which keep your muscles, nerves, and bones healthy!

It’s great topped with nut butter and slices of apple or banana for breakfast, and it works really well with savoury toppings, too, like mashed avocado, roasted tomatoes, smoked salmon, houmous, or feta.

Ingredients

• 115g / 1 cup chia seed

• 115g / 1 cup flaxseed

• ½ cup mixed toasted seeds

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 6 large eggs

• 130ml / ½ cup water

• 50ml olive oil

• ½ tsp sea salt 

Method

• Preheat the oven to 175°c.

• Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment (you can buy shaped loaf tin liners from Sainburys).

• Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a whisk. 

• Scrape the mix into the lined tin, and top with the remaining toasted seeds and a sprinkle of sea salt.

• Place in the oven for 40 minutes. Check that the loaf is cooked by making sure a skewer comes out clean. 

• Keeps in an airtight container for 5-7 days.

My superfood ‘savoury’ breakfast: nutty Overnight chia & flax pudding

This is one of my go-to breakfasts, packed with all the good stuff. I call it ‘savoury’ as there is no added sugar, only sweetness from fruit and a few raisins, so it shouldn’t cause a spike in blood sugar, which can make you feel hungry after a couple of hours. I’ve packed this breakfast with fibre from all the seeds, nuts, oats, and coconut, which is another reason you should get a slow release of energy through the morning, and your gut microbes will thank you for it too!

The pudding contains lots of plant-based protein, from the chia, flax, and Greek yogurt, which are complete proteins containing all 9 essential amino acids. These aminos are ‘essential’ because our bodies can’t synthesize them; we need to eat them in our diets.

I often add a spoon or two of protein powder as well - whey has a creamy taste, or you can use pea protein as a vegan option. The yoghurt can also be swapped for plant-based to make this a vegan dish too - I like Coconut Collaborative for Coyo.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 3 tbsp flax seed

• 3 tbsp oats

• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut

• 4 tbsp sultanas

• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

• 4 tbsp cashew nuts (broken in half)

• 3 tbsp nut butter (@deliciouslyella has a great almond butter with a touch of ginger and cinnamon- so good!)

• 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt

• 450ml nut milk (or any you prefer) I used @plenishdrinks cashew

Method

• Add all the ingredients except the milk to a large container with a lid.

• Pour a small amount of the milk into the mixture, mashing the nut butter into the other ingredients with a fork, and then add the rest of the milk once it is blended in.

• Put an airtight lid on and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.

• If the consistency is a bit thick, loosen it with a bit of extra milk - adjust to how you like it.

• Serve with any combination of toppings: berries, banana, chopped apple (or any fruit you prefer), any nut butter, Greek yoghurt, cacao nibs, coconut, nuts, seeds.

Tip

• The recipe can be simplified by leaving out one or two ingredients, like the sultanas (I know some don’t
  like them!), one of the seeds, cashews, or coconut - it’s a very flexible recipe!

• Cashews can also be switched for any nut you prefer, same goes for the sultanas if you want to change for a different dried fruit.