Try as I might to fully immerse myself in the present moment, I can’t believe it’s already the week of Thanksgiving. Last year I feel like I was a little more on top of things in terms of planning, but this year, I’m feeling a little rushed. To be honest though, I’ve been quite a bit busier this year than last (and I’m totally not complaining). To combat the rushed and hurried feelings that come with the season, I’ve been trying to make time for myself. It could be something as simple as stopping for a few minutes to listen to a song I like, or taking the time to cozy up in the corner of a coffee shop to read. Or, in this instance, baking some bread.
When I first began eating gluten free, the one thing I yearned for was fresh-baked bread. When I finally started getting the hang of gluten free bread making, that first loaf was one of the best things I had ever eaten. And if I recall correctly, I think I managed to polish off the entire loaf in one sitting. I was finally able to fill a void that had been growing since my last slice of slice of glutenful bread. I’ll leave you with these words on breadmaking from the master wordsmith herself, MFK Fisher:
“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight…[Breadmaking is] one of those almost hypnotic businesses, like a dance from some ancient ceremony. It leaves you filled with one of the world’s sweetest smells… there is no chiropractic treatment, no Yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music-throbbing chapel. that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of making bread.”
In honor of the art of (gluten free) bread making and the up-coming holiday, I’m sharing these little buns with you today. If you don’t want to make buns you can just as easily form the dough into a boule or baguette shape. It will just take a bit longer to bake (roughly 50-55 minutes). And, in case you’re feeling a little behind in Thanksgiving meal planning or are lacking inspiration, I’ve included a collection of my favorite recipes from the archives below. Already know what you’re making? Feel free to share in the comments below along with something you’re feeling grateful for 🙂
| t h a n k s g i v i n g f a v o r i t e s |
appetizers/nibbles
–baked root veg fritters with smoky tahini cream
–herbed millet flatbread + green tahini sauce
mains/sides
–coconut milk braised collard greens
–pumpkin soup with roasted turnips & pepitas
–miso braised carrots & leeks
–roasted shiitakes with celeriac potato puree
–cranberry pear compote with meyer lemon & lavender
–roasted kabocha & fennel soup
–mustard roasted cauliflower
–roasted broccoli salad with pickled shallots
breads
-rosemary olive oil buns (see recipe below)
–sweet potato & sage corn muffins
–sage & toasted pecan boule
dessert
–rosemary dark chocolate apple crostata
–spiced parsnip mini bundts with citrus & hazelnuts
–gingersnap pumpkin pie
–cocoa pear tart with lavender coconut cream
Rosemary Olive Oil Buns
notes: Feel free to mix up the herbs here. I went with rosemary at the time because we have it growing out back, but for Thanksgiving I’m going to do a combo of thyme and sage. If you don’t want to make individual buns, shape the bread into a round boule or baguette shape. Depending on the size of the loaf you may have to bake it longer (a total of 50-55 minutes).
1/2 cup warm water + 2 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup warm water
3 tbsp coconut sugar or sucanat
scant tbsp active dry yeast
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to brush on top
110g tapioca flour
100g brown rice flour
75g millet flour
60g oat flour, plus more for shaping the dough
50g almond flour
1 tsp fine grain sea salt
1 tsp xanthan gum or psyllium husk
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary (you could also use thyme and/or sage)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the 1/2 cup of water and chia seeds together in a small bowl and set aside to gel/thicken.
Gently mix the remaining cup of warm water, coconut sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the yeast to activate/bloom for 5-10 minutes.
While the yeast is activating, whisk together the flours, salt, xanthan gum, and rosemary. Set this mixture aside until the yeast is ready.
Once the yeast has activated, add the olive oil and chia mixture to the bowl with the mixer on low. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually. Allow the mixer to run until a somewhat shaggy dough forms.
Dust your hands and your work surface generously with oat flour. Dump the dough onto your work surface then sprinkle a bit of oat flour on it. Knead the dough a few times until it is smooth. Form the dough into a round shape, then slice it into 6-8 wedges. Form each wedge into a one-inch thick round with well-floured hands, then place it on the baking sheet. Make sure to leave about 2 inches between each bun. Once all the buns have been formed, brush the tops with olive oil. Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow slit onto the top of each bun. You can make it as decorative as you like. Bake the buns for 35-40 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Cool the buns on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before serving. To re-heat, simply warm them in the toaster oven.
Makes 6-8 buns.
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