Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Popped Amaranth Bread

This post is dedicated to my cousin Richard, who has been kindly begging me for this recipe since he tried it a few weeks ago. This gluten-free, dairy-free bread goes perfectly well with Hearty Multi-Bean & Chia Seed Chili—I almost never make one recipe without the other and you can even bake the two together to create a casserole (see below). Amaranth is a nutritional powerhouse—high in lysine, calcium, protein, fiber and has a nutty, almost malty flavor. Popping the amaranth is fun and really adds a subtle popcorn-like taste to this unique, earthy bread which can be prepared in a pie pan, mini muffin tins, as drop biscuits or as regular-sized muffins. Versatile and delish.

 

Prepare this bread in an 8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 9″ glass casserole dish, a pie pan or as individual mini (or regular) muffins. Just use what will suit your needs. This is a moist bread, so you don’t want to use a bread or loaf pan for baking—the batter center won’t cook. Any glass pan that will fill with batter 1″ to 1 1/2″ tall before baking will work great. The bread will rise about a half inch once baked.

 

Tools:
Sifter or mesh, metal strainer
2 medium or large glass bowls
Silicone spatula or large spoon
Unbleached parchment paper (or if you are using muffin tins, unbleached muffin/cupcake liners)
8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 9″ glass casserole dish or
Glass pie pan or
Muffin tins or
Mini muffin tins

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1 cup almond meal/flour
1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups popped amaranth grain (you’ll need 5-7 tbsp un-popped, here’s how you pop it)
3/4 tsp aluminum-free baking soda
3/4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp fine ground sea salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp wild-harvested honey
1 red apple, core and seeds removed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup pure water
2 tsp chia seeds

 

Let’s get started.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins or pan with parchment and set aside. If you are making muffins and need homemade muffin liners (better than greasing pan with oil), cut parchment paper into squares and press into molds to create your own tulip paper (will look roughly like this). Note that they won’t stay in the tin without batter in them so press into a rough shape and set aside until batter is ready. When you fill with batter, they will stay put.

Pour water into the blender and add chia seeds and let sit while you…

…pop some amaranth (here’s how). Cute!

Once all amaranth is popped, add apple, coconut oil, wild-harvested honey and fresh lime juice to the blender.

Blend until thoroughly mixed. While blending, in a large bowl, sift together almond meal/flour, brown rice flour, baking soda, baking powder
and salt.

Pour wet ingredients into large bowl with dry and fold until well mixed. Fold in popped amaranth.

Spread into pan with silicone spatula or spoon into tins (fill minis and fill full-size tins 3/4 way).

Bake pans for 30 mins and muffins 20-25, or until knife comes out clean. You can paint/drizzle with honey and top with extra popped amaranth if you like.

Use this recipe with Hearty Multi-Bean & Chia Seed Chili to make individual casseroles (using ramekins) or full size.

Just fill your baking dish halfway with chili and top with batter. Bake 25-30 minutes. Amazingly good.

Store bread in an airtight glass container in the pantry or in the fridge. Casserole should be stored in the fridge.

Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10 mins.

Enjoy!