Quinoa and chia seed bread (gluten, dairy, yeast and egg free, vegan)

As much as I enjoy a slice of bread I prefer not to rely on shop bought options (which can contain unnecessary salt and sugar), so when time allows I try and bake it myself. With the added protein and fibre (which many of us don't consume enough of) from the chia seeds and quinoa, this bread is great toasted as a base for a nut butter, mashed avocado, houmous, or a poached egg.

Ingredients:

• 300 grams of mixed quinoa – red/white/black combo is great

• 60 grams of whole chia seeds (or flaxseed)

• 1 cup of water

• Juice from half a lemon

• Half a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of soda

• Half a teaspoon of salt

• If you have to hand, handful of mixed seeds – eg. flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower seed, pine nuts are nice addition

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F – fan oven 2. Soak quinoa overnight in water 3. Soak chia seeds in half a cup of water 20 minutes prior to baking 4. Thoroughly drain and rinse quinoa 5. Using a food processor or hand blender whizz up the soaked seeds along with the leftover half a cup of water, bicarb of soda, lemon juice and salt 6. Pour the mix into a loaf tin lined with baking paper, the consistency may be fairly runny, this is fine 7. Top wet mixture with your favourite seeds 8. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on your oven, if the top of the loaf starts to catch lightly place some foil over it 9. Allow to completely cool in the tin, remove and store up to a week in the fridge or in the freezer for longer (best to pre-slice if freezing)