This is a follow up to the Keto Sunflower Seed Buns published last week (see video with this link – This loaf version turned out so well – rises beautifully, is light, soft, fluffy and crispy when toasted.
Sunflower seed is a great alternative for low carb baking as it is not only cheap but quite low in net carbs too. It has a slightly nutty and neutral flavor hence, it should be well accepted. It makes a great replacement for other low carb flour such as almond flour with a 1:1 ratio. I made a cost comparison (based on the costs from my home country) for making keto bread and found out that sunflower seed is about equivalent to coconut flour while almond flour costs 5 times more. Hence, if you are not a fan of coconut flour, ground sunflower seed is a good replacement. And if you find almond flour and other nut flours are expensive, ground sunflower seed is a great alternative to save you quite a bit of money. Or if you are allergic to nuts or coconut, this is a good substitute.
Sunflower seeds are versatile seeds that are technically a fruit. These tiny sunflower seeds are loaded with many nutrients. Sunflower seeds especially have a huge amount of vitamin E and selenium. These vitamins are worked as the antioxidants that can protect our body cells against free radicals damage. Also, these play a role in various chronic diseases. In addition, these sunflower seeds are an excellent source of beneficial plant compounds such as phenolic acid and flavonoids. These can also function as the antioxidants. When the sunflower seeds are sprouted, their compound of the plant increased.
During my early experimentation with ground sunflower seeds, I was surprised to discover that the bread turned green. It turns out that they contain chlorophyll, also known as chlorogenic acid which reacts with the baking soda in a recipe when heated and once the product cools, it turns green but still edible. Hence, it’s best not to use baking soda with ground sunflower seed unless you do not mind the color change.
I will be experimenting with eggless versions of the bun and bread and also coming out with keto desserts using ground sunflower seeds so stay tuned.
The recipe can be viewed and printed at this link;
NUTRITION INFO
[ Total Servings = 16 ]
Per serving ;
Total Carb = 6.5 g
Dietary Fiber = 3.8 g
Net Carb = 2.7 g
Calories = 153
Total Fat = 11.4 g
Protein = 7 g
INGREDIENTS (FOR BEST RESULTS, WEIGH THE INGREDIENTS)
DRY INGREDIENTS
Ground Sunflower Seed = 360 g / 3 cups (Use raw sunflower seeds and do not roast them. Refer to the video on how to grind the sunflower seeds.)
Baking Powder = 16 g / 4 tsp (If using double acting, reduce amount by half)
Salt = 1/2 to 1 tsp
Psyllium Husk (Ground until half its original volume and weigh after grinding) = 27 g / 3 tbsp
(Note: If using pre ground psyllium powder, start with 1 tsp and add a little gradually until you get the right consistency of the dough. It’s fine if the dough is soft as it is a loaf so no shaping is required unlike buns. If you add too much, the bread will be denser, wetter and stickier. Please see this video about psyllium husk vs powder for better understanding and success –
WET INGREDIENTS
Egg Whites = 8 large (285 g) OR 4 whole eggs (Note: The protein from egg whites helps to boost the rise while the fats from egg yolks hinders the rise. Using egg whites also prevents any eggy taste. Hence, it is highly recommended to use egg whites)
Apple Cider Vinegar = 45 ml / 3 tbsp
Hot or boiling water = 200 ml / 0.8 cup
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven at 350F or 180C.
2. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until well combined.
3. Add all the wet ingredients and mix until a dough is formed. The dough is quite soft and sticky but it will firm up slightly after mixing.
4. Pour the dough into an 8×4 inch loaf pan. Grease the pan and line with parchment paper.
5. Spread the dough evenly and leave the top round so that the bread will look taller.
6. Top with sunflower seeds (optional).
7 Bake at the lowest rack for 60 mins or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
9. The bread can be kept at room temperature for a few days if you have a cool and dry climate otherwise, its best to refrigerate them earlier. They can be refrigerated up to 1 week and frozen for months. It’s best to wrap the bread with parchment paper to prevent moisture from forming. For freezing, place sliced bread in individual plastic bags first