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Today’s post by Lexie of Lexie Naturals.
Ezekiel bread derives its name from Ezekiel 4:9 when God instructed Ezekiel to fast by only eating bread made from wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and millet.
Ezekiel bread is very filling and perfect for fasting, losing weight, snacking, or breakfast. If you have a young (or old) picky eater in the house, this is an excellent bread to have around. It truly is delicious, and it’s packed with protein and nutrients. It is also a batter bread, which means there is no kneading, so it’s very easy to make.
I mill my own wheat and beans (for these reasons), and I highly suggest you do the same. Several local farmer’s markets have booths that will mill wheat for you. I borrowed a friend’s mill until I purchased my own. If you simply can’t find a mill to use, you can purchase the flour (you’ll skip the first step of the recipe if you buy pre-milled flour).
The following recipe has been altered from the Bread Beckers Recipe Collection and from my friend, Mrs. Cathy. Enjoy!
Homemade Ezekiel Bread
- 2 1/2 cups wheat grains (I use either hard red or hard white)
- 1 1/2 cups spelt (like this)
- 1/2 cup hulled barley (like this)
- 1/4 cup millet
- 1/4 cup dry green lentils
- 2 Tbs. dry northern beans
- 2 Tbs. dry kidney beans
- 2 Tbs. dry pinto beans
- 4 cups lukewarm whey (or water, the whey just adds more flavor and nutrients)
- 1 1/8 cups raw, local honey
- 1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil or coconut oil)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbs. active dry yeast (2 packages)
- 1/2 cup milled flax seed (optional)
- 2 Tbs. dough enhancer (optional)
- 1 Tbs. gluten (optional)
- 1 egg plus 2 Tbs. water (optional, for egg wash on top)
- sunflower or sesame seeds (optional, for garnish on top)
- dried fruit (optional, for added flavor and nutrition)
1. Mix the first 8 ingredients in a bowl and grind in a flour mill. You may be required to mill the wheat separately from the beans depending on your mill’s instructions. This will make approximately 9 cups of flour.
2. In a large glass bowl mix whey (or water), honey, oil, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl mix the milled flour, yeast, milled flax seed, dough enhancer, and gluten until well combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir or knead for about 10 minutes. This can be done by hand (I use a dough hook) or in the mixer. You do not need to knead this to death like you do normal dough bread. Remember this is a batter bread, and it will NOT form into a nice smooth ball.
5. Pour dough into greased pans (I like to grease my pans with a little bit of coconut oil or olive oil). This recipe makes 2 large loaf pans (10x5x3), 3 medium loaf pans, or 4 small loaf pans (I usually do 4 small pans). It can also be put into 2 9×13 pans.
6. Optional step: “Paint” an egg wash over the top and sprinkle sunflower or sesame seeds over the egg wash. You can also push dried fruit into the batter.
7. Cover with a towel and let rise in pans for one hour or until dough is about 1/4 inch from the top of the pan. It will overflow in the oven if you let it rise too long.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-50 minutes. I use the smaller pans so it only takes 30 minutes; however, if you are using the larger pans it will take closer to 45 minutes. You can stick a thermometer in the side to check for doneness. You want it to reach 190F or for a toothpick to come out clean.
9. Remove pans from oven and place on a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edges and remove loaves from pans immediately. Let them rest on their sides (this will allow more air to circulate around them). Resist the urge to cut into the loaves. They need to cool at least 30 minutes before you cut them. They will continue to bake and make yummy magic during this time. I usually let mine cool all day.
Ezekiel Bread RecipeNotes:
- If you have a sensitivity to wheat or gluten, just omit them and add more spelt, millet, lentils, or beans (garbanzo beans would work too).
- I often cut this recipe in half, it works just as well.
- You need to eat this bread within about 72 hours. This bread does not have any preservatives so it will not stay fresh as long as store bought bread. Do not refrigerate this bread. If you will not consume the loaves within 72 hours you need to slice the bread, wrap it in bakers paper, and freeze it. This way you can take out slices at a time. Let it sit out in room temperature to thaw. Do not place it in the microwave or it will lose nutrients.
- You can buy the grains and beans premixed from several trusted places online; however, I prefer to buy my own bags of dry beans and mix them myself. This is much more frugal, and it allows me the freedom to add exactly how much I want.
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Make Your Own Ezekiel Bread {Guest Post}
Ingredients
- • 2 1/2 cups wheat grains (I use either hard red or hard white)
- • 1 1/2 cups spelt
- • 1/2 cup hulled barley
- • 1/4 cup millet
- • 1/4 cup dry green lentils
- • 2 Tbs. dry northern beans
- • 2 Tbs. dry kidney beans
- • 2 Tbs. dry pinto beans
- • 4 cups lukewarm whey (or water, the whey just adds more flavor and nutrients)
- • 1 1/8 cups raw, local honey
- • 1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil or coconut oil)
- • 2 tsp. salt
- • 2 Tbs. active dry yeast (2 packages)
- • 1/2 cup milled flax seed (optional)
- • 2 Tbs. dough enhancer (optional)
- • 1 Tbs. gluten (optional)
- • 1 egg plus 2 Tbs. water (optional, for egg wash on top)
- • sunflower or sesame seeds (optional, for garnish on top)
- • dried fruit (optional, for added flavor and nutrition)
Instructions
- Mix the first 8 ingredients in a bowl and grind in a flour mill (You may need to mill beans separately depending on your mill’s instructions)This makes approximately 9 cups flour
- In large glass bowl mix whey (or water), honey, oil, and salt
- In another bowl mix the milled flour, yeast, milled flax seed, dough enhancer, and gluten until well combined
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir or knead 10 minutes either by hand, dough hook, or mixer (since this is a batter bread, it will NOT form into a nice smooth ball)
- Pour dough into 2 large (10x5x3) greased pans, 4 small loaf pans, or 2 9×13 pans
- Optional step: “Paint” an egg wash over top sprinkled with sunflower or sesame seeds, dried fruit pushed into batter is also optional
- Cover with towel and let rise in pans an hour or until dough is about 1/4 inch from top of the pan, but not much higher or it might overflow in oven
- Bake at 350 degrees 30-50 minutes until thermometer reaches 190F or a toothpick comes out clean (smaller pans takes 30 minutes; larger pans closer to 45)
- Remove pans from oven and place on cooling rack
- Run a knife around the edges and remove loaves from pans immediately
- Let rest on sides but don’t cut into loaves until they’ve cooled at least 30 minutes
Lexieis a follower of Jesus, the wife of the very talentedStephen McNeill, and a stay-at-home mother of two exquisite girls (ages 4 and 19 months). Her passions include spending time with friends and family, reading, traveling, and teaching. In an effort to live more naturally and frugally, she beganmaking and selling her own lotion, lip balm, deodorant, and diaper cream. She loves sharing these passions with others and helping other families catch the vision of living more natural lifestyle. Lexie can be found on her blog, facebook, twittter, and email.
