If there’s one thing Oprah Winfrey and I have in common, other than an interest in gardening and a disdain for the uncomfortable pajamas — it’s a craze for bread. The media mogul declared his love for breads in an epic advertisement for Weight Watchers (now called WW) that spread faster than the condiments, butters and jellies I spread on my own bread.
Although there are many high quality whole grain options on the market (Ezekiel from Food for Life is a personal favorite), there are just as many fad diets, like keto and paleo, that ban them. These, coupled with an apparent increase in gluten intolerance and sensitivity, have moved bread from the bottom of the food pyramid to the top.
While that decision might seem quite quick and unfair, what if I told you that there is an easy-to-prepare, extremely low-carb homemade alternative that doesn’t require yeast, rolling dough, or even a bread maker. ?
Enter keto bread: your new favorite grain-free option when that lettuce leaf or jicama tortilla just won’t slap (or whatever the cool kids are saying these days). ICT Tac).
I know what you’re probably thinking: “That’s not Wonder Bread.” But do you really need the high fructose corn syrup and hard-to-pronounce additives? Probably not. In fact, the ingredients for homemade keto bread are so minimal that you probably already have most of them in your pantry.
Plus, while this bread may not be identical to your grocery store favorites, it still delivers a chewy mouthfeel that stands up to your favorite proteins, nut butters, and condiments and satisfies that need for starchy comfort.
No matter how you slice it, homemade is the best way – and possibly the best thing since (*ahem*) sliced bread. Give this recipe a try and see how you will *not* miss your favorite store-bought strains!
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup ghee or butter, melted
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl or food processor, combine egg yolks, about 1/4 cup beaten egg whites, both flours, melted butter, baking powder and salt. Mix until homogeneous.
- Gently fold in the rest of the beaten egg whites. Don’t mix heavily – you want the mixture to stay fluffy. (If using a food processor, you can add the egg whites and blend them with just a few quick pulses.)
- Pour the mixture into an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing bread from pan and slicing.
- Experiment with seeds! Chia and pumpkin are great options, but if you use sunflower seeds in your dough beware, they will turn your bread green. (It’s still safe to eat, though.) These seeds can go straight into your batter, but I prefer to put them on top so they don’t get overwhelmed with extra crunch.
- Diversify your flours. I opted for a mixture of coconut and almonds to make the texture and flavors more complex, but it’s fun to experiment with alternatives like chestnut and tiger nuts. Just be sure to search how these flours mix well with liquids, as well as their densities. Some will dry out your dough more than others and cause your loaves to stay flat.
- You can add other things to your batter, like cream of tartar to create firmer egg white peaks or stevia to soften it up a bit and take the egg flavor away, but those- these are optional.
