When you hear about the paleo diet, you may initially get excited about it. This is a diet that health experts recommend and encourages you to add more protein to your diet. You get more of the food that you do enjoy.
Then you realize that you’re cutting out bread. While you may not eat a lot of it, it’s common to instantly react with a strict “no” when told you can’t have something. You’re not alone. This is normal human instinct and completely reasonable. We don’t like being told what we can’t do.
Bread may not be a constant part of your diet, but it can be a quick and easy way to get food into your day. You can make toast on a morning or sandwiches for your lunch. Without bread, you can suddenly worry about getting food to take to work with you.
Instead of instantly reacting with a no, why not look for alternatives? You don’t have to completely say no to sandwiches and toast. How about making your own paleo bread instead? These five recipes will help you get something you enjoy without breaking the diet rules.
Paleo and Gluten Friendly Breads for All Your Needs
The five recipes aren’t just good for those on the paleo diet. They’re all grain free diet. After all, that’s the way of the paleo lifestyle. This means they’re perfect for those who need to live a gluten-free lifestyle.
While many of the recipes do have nuts, you can avoid them if necessary. The almonds and cashews just help to add a little bit of a different texture or taste. Flaxseeds are some of the best options for creating paleo and gluten-free friendly meals and recipes.
One thing that you will not see on the list is quinoa bread. While it’s not a grain, it’s also not paleo. Remember that paleo is food that our paleolithic ancestors would have eaten. That means food that was sourced from the hunter-gatherer methods and quinoa isn’t one of those ingredients. If you just want a gluten-free diet, you can use quinoa in your bread instead, but you’re not getting paleo bread recipes.
An Easy Almond and Coconut Flour Paleo Bread
The first recipe is extremely easy to make. It will give you something easy to use both in the toaster and for sandwiches. It’s one of those options that you can make the night before you have to get your lunches ready for work. The kids won’t even notice the difference!
Ingredients:
- 1 cups of almond flour (definitely not almond meal)
- 2tbsp coconut flour
- ¼ cup of flax meal, preferably golden
- 1/4tsp sea salt
- 1/2tsp baking soda
- 5 eggs
- 1tbsp apple cider vinegar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease your loaf pan
- Place the two flours in a food processor with everything except the eggs and vinegar
- Pulse until they’ve combined
- Add the eggs and vinegar and pulse again until everything combines fully
- Pour it all into a loaf pan
- Bake for 30 minutes
- Allow cooling in the pan for 2 hours before serving or slicing
You can tell if this is ready by putting a toothpick or skewer into the middle of your bread. It should come out clear with the middle is ready. If not, put it in for another five minutes and keep checking on it regularly.
Make a Fluffy Paleo-Friendly Bread
Sometimes you want something that resembles the crusty, fluffy white bread that you usually eat with soups and stews. This is the recipe that you will want for this. Reserve the egg yolks to use for other meals rather than allowing them to go to waste.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of arrowroot powder
- 1 cup of flaxseed meal
- 4 whole eggs
- 4 egg whites
- 4tbsp walnut oil
- 1 1/2tsp sea salt
- 4tsp baking powder
- 2tsp coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a loaf tin
- Combine the arrowroot with the flaxseed meal and sea salt in a bowl
- In a separate bowl, combine the whole eggs and the egg whites with the walnut oil and vinegar, whisking until everything is combined
- Pour the eggs into the arrowroot mixture and combine until there are no dry lumps
- Pour the whole mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 30-35 minutes
Flaxseed meal is the best way to get a taste of wheat bread. If you want a taste of white bread, you’ll want to use a golden flaxseed meal. You’ll still get a fluffy texture to the mixture. If you find it’s not fluffy enough, add a little baking soda to the mixture.
Enjoy a Paleo Flax Bread
Make your own brown bread that is completely paleo friendly. This will use some brown flax meal. You’ll also need to look out for some cream of tartar. Don’t worry; this ingredient will not go amiss or wasted on the paleo diet!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of brown flax meal
- 1tsp baking soda
- 1/2tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2tsp sea salt
- 5 eggs, whisked
- ½ cup of water
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf tin
- Mix the flax meal with the baking soda, salt, and tartar together in a bowl
- In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and water with a whisk
- Add the egg mixture to the flax meal mixture and stir to combine until there are no dry lumps
- Let the batter stand for a couple of minutes, covered with a clean dish cloth, to thicken
- Bake for 20 minutes and test with a knife to make sure it’s cooked through; put it in for slightly longer if not
- Cool for 30 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack
This is delicious when still warmed all the way through. You’ll get the taste of fluffy brown bread that’s perfect for soups and casseroles.
Create a Cashew Bread Instead
If you’re not that into flax meal, you can create cashew bread instead. This is a little less gritty than some of the other bread since there is no type of meal or flour being used. It’s delicious and very easy to make with a blender.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of cashew butter
- 5 eggs
- 1tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3/4tsp baking soda
- 1/4tsp sea salt
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan
- Place the cashew butter and eggs into a food processor and blend until combined and smooth
- Add the apple cider vinegar and pulse until combined
- Now add the rest of the ingredients, pulsing until everything is fully combined
- Pour into your loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes
Cool the bread in the tin for two hours and then transfer to a wire rack. This won’t be as fluffy as the other ingredients, but it will still be delicious. It’s great for sandwiches or when you want a quick slice of bread with your roast dinner.
Create a Paleo Breakfast Bread
When you want something for your breakfasts, you need something that stable and combined well. It’s also worth getting something with a bit of a fruity or sweeter taste to it. This breakfast bread is perfect. You’ll not just get the fluffiness from the almond flour, but also the sweetness of the coconut sugar and linseed berries.
Ingredients:
- 1tbsp almond flour
- 1tbsp linseed with milled berries
- 1/2tsp baking soda
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 1tsp coconut sugar (maple syrup or honey is a good alternative)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Oil of choice
Method:
- Grease a microwave-friendly ramekin
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl
- Add the egg and a little oil and combine into a slightly wet batter
- Microwave for 80 seconds
This is delicious served warm. If you’re going to toast, allow the bread to cool a little. One of the great things about this bread is that you can make it in a morning. Do it while the kids are getting ready for school, so it’s ready for them afterward. You’ll no longer need to worry about rushing a paleo-friendly breakfast on a morning.
This recipe does work better with a flavorless oil. However, if you’re going to add flavor, opt for either almond or coconut oil. The flavors will work with the ingredients that you’re already using. Olive oil is definitely the better option though.
A Few Alternative Recipe Tips
Instead of almond flour, you can also use coconut flour. This is delicious for those who like to have a crusty outer but a soft inside. It will make that perfect crusty bread for your soup. You can use flaxseeds and create a flax meal if you are allergic to all types of nuts.
Instead of cashew butter, you can opt for almond or other nut butter. The only one that won’t really work is peanut butter. Make sure any nut butter you do use isn’t processed. If you’re allergic to nuts, a seed butter will also work instead.
Work with natural ingredients as much as possible. You have no idea what’s added to a lot of processed foods. You can end up getting extra sugars and grains without even realizing. With natural foods you know you’re getting the paleo diet.
Make Your Own Flax Meal
Flax meal is one of the most popular vegan and paleo friendly ingredients. It’s perfect for so many substitutes and is definitely something you want to learn how to make yourself. You can buy in the store, but making your own means avoiding processed foods. It’s also super easy to make.
One of the great things about flax meal is that you can make extra. It will store in both the fridge or freezer, if you have an airtight container.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of flax seeds
Method:
- Place in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before starting
- Blend the flax seeds down into a grain
- Pour into a tub and store for when you need
You’ll want to use a spatula to push the extra flax seeds in the blender back down to the blades. This will help to ensure you blend down all the seeds into a meal. Once the seeds have blended properly, you should get the natural oils to lubricate them. However, you can add a splash of oil or water to help initially. Is it safe to use flax seed when pregnant? Check this article.
It’s also possible to make your own almond or cashew flour. All you have to do is blend down the nuts to a flour consistency. You won’t quite get the same light consistency of refined grains and you definitely won’t quite get the same consistency of flax meal. However, the nut flour is a good consistency for light and fluffy bread.
Make sure you soak the nuts first to make your almond or cashew flours. This will help to release more of their oils during the blending and prevent them sticking to your device.
It’s Time to Say Yes to the Paleo Diet
The paleo diet is one of the best options in the world. The focus is on the diet of our forefathers; a time before the growth of grains and manufacturing of processed foods. You got more nutrients from the healthy, natural foods.
A paleo diet is good for those who want to avoid gluten. It’s simple to follow and offers a range of health benefits.
One of the reasons many people say no to the paleo diet is because of giving up bread. They don’t want to stop eating something that is simple and delicious. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to give up your usual favorites, but you can find substitutes. You and your kids will barely notice the difference, except for the fact that you’re making your own healthier options. The five bread recipes above are extremely delicious and will make the perfect substitutions for all your possible needs.
