Rustic Herb and Olive Bread with Reishi {Gluten-Free}
There is really nothing quite like a slice of a fresh baked rustic bread slathered with butter, just by itself or as an accompaniment to so many different meals. And rustic breads usually have the added appeals of being easy to make and almost foolproof too.
This rustic bread is just as easy to make and needs very little hands-on time — hardly any kneading is required and certainly no need for a stand mixer — with just a short resting period in between mixing and baking. Added to this simplicity are herbs and olives for extra flavor. It's an all-purpose bread to which you can add any assortment of herbs that please your fancy instead of the ones I've suggested in the recipe below, or you could add chopped sun-dried tomatoes or nuts instead of or in addition to the olives. Whatever you add, the result is an attractive round loaf with a crusty browned exterior, a dense, pleasantly moist and delicious interior, and that unique aroma that only freshly baked bread can effuse that simultaneously stimulates the appetite and calms the mind. The reward is much more than worth the small effort needed to make it.
This loaf is more than just any rustic bread, though. It's gluten-free too, made with almond flour, potato starch, coconut flour, chia seeds and psyllium husks, making it healthy as well as delicious. It has an unusual ingredient too — reishi mushroom powder. But don't worry if you're not a mushroom lover like me — you can't even taste the mushroom powder, and you can omit it altogether without changing the texture or flavor of the bread.
But if you do include it, reishi mushrooms are known to have immune system boosting and stress reducing properties. The recipe for this bread is in fact adapted from one I found at Primal Herb, a company that specializes in mushroom and herb products that promote health. While you can use their own Reishi Shroom Complex, reishi or other mushroom powders with which you can also substitute — porcini or shiitake for example — are easily found online or in natural food stores. I actually used the Reishi Elixir from Four Sigmatic, a company that produces delicious mushroom coffees and other drinks, and whose products I have become addicted to as much for their wonderful tastes as for their health benefits.
Although I haven't tried doing so yet, the dough for this bread would also make for a fine crust for pizza, or could be separated into smaller portions before baking to yield rolls rather than a loaf.
Rustic Herb and Olive Bread with Reishi {Gluten-Free} |
Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Primal Herb Published on June 13, 2019 Easy, almost no-knead rustic gluten-free bread with olives and herbs Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients:
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Other breads to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Rustic Sun-Dried Tomato Bread
Kalamata Olive Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Mediterranean Mini-Loaves with Kalamata Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Cheese and Sage Damper Bread
Irish Soda Bread
Audio Accompaniment: Coil - Going Up