ESSENE FLAT BREAD RECIPE
By L. Kevin Johnson & Donna Philippe
Essene
Flat Bread
(Note: This recipe is an updated version of the Essene Bread instructions that was included in our "Live-Food Recipes" article. If you've tried that one and were disappointed, please try it this way. We've learned a lot since then.)
To make real tasty sprouted bread is a skill that is hard to find in the modern world, and yet this was the kind of bread our ancient ancestors enjoyed for thousands of years. It is the original form of bread on which civilizations survived and thrived. In those days people sprouted the wheat and had to grind it between rocks. Then they formed it into thin wafers and baked it in the sun or on hot rocks. Today we can use modern technology and use a food processor and an oven; so there should be no excuse not to enjoy the benefits of this wonderful food.
Donna and I have been working on perfecting this unleavened flat bread for several years, and now I am proud to share this information. Please consider trying this at least once, especially if you or someone you know has difficulty digesting wheat or other kinds of bread. When you sprout whole grains, especially wheat, it becomes complete, living food, packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, a valuable source of nutrition. Over time, we will be moving away from our fermented, sourdough bread in favor of this traditional sprouted bread. As I said, it has taken us a lot of practice, trial and error, to get it figured out. We've made lots of bad tasting Essene bread in the past. There is a timing that you have to learn in order to get it right. We have a lot of grass growing around the BELL to prove it! I promise you this, properly prepared Essene Flat bread is absolutely delicious, and it is so simple and pure. It contains 100% sprouted whole wheat, no refined flour, no preservatives, no oil and it is baked at temperatures that are low enough to keep the nutrients and enzymes available. If you are a person who really cares about health and really appreciate fresh, home-baked foods, then you'll love Essene Flat bread. Furthermore, this bread is much easier to make than other breads and you can eat it without having to add butter or spread because it is naturally moist and tasty - a gift from the Earthly Mother. Your kids will love it too, so let's get baking!
HOW TO MAKE ESSENE FLAT BREAD
(the original Staff of Life)
Use only fresh, organic ingredients. Don't skimp on this. Purchase organic, whole wheat berries and soak 3 cups (not flour) in water for at least 8 hours. It's best to do this over night. Soak them in a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl. In the morning, drain and discard the soak water. Rinse the soaked berries a couple of times again and drain well. Spread the berries out as best you can in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and let it sit in a warm place. The berries will soon start to sprout. If they don't, throw them away and locate another source. Down here in Louisiana (especially in the summer), the berries sprout in about 10 hours. During the winter it usually takes about 24 hours. It might take 48 hours in Canada, I don't know. But you have to watch the wheat and you have to rinse it with clean water a couple of times a day. And as soon as it is ready you have to bake it right then. If you don't catch it at the right time you will soon discover what living food is. Instead of sprouted wheat, you'll have baby grass and it won't make sweet, tasty bread. When the sprouts are ready, you will see the tiny root poking out of the seed. As soon as it is about 1/16" or 1/8" long, it is ready for the next step.
When the wheat sprouts are ready, rinse them one more time with clean water and drain. Place them in a Cuisinart food processor. (You need a strong food processor like the Cuisinart. It has a strong motor and you need that because you want the dough to "chase itself around". Process the berries well. Scrape the sides of the food processor if you have to, but blend the mixture well until it forms a sticky dough ball. If you want to make a sweeter bread, add 1/4 cup of raw honey and 1 teaspoon of Celtic salt. This is optional of course, but you may want to try it with these additions the first time, especially for kids. Traditionally, Essene Flat Bread contained only sprouted wheat and nothing else. During the sprouting process, the starch is converted into simple sugars which makes a sweet tasting dough. This kind of bread metabolizes slowly and helps you feel satisfied on less; it also improves digestion and elimination. This is quite an improvement over refined flours which produce complex carbohydrates that can elevate blood sugar levels.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Now spread the dough out onto a non-stick baking pan, such as T-FAL or some similar type of pan. Get a good non-stick (11" x 17" x 1") pan. That is the size of the 'Wilton' brand non-stick pan we use that we got from Wal-Mart. The three cups of sprouted wheat dough fits perfectly in this size pan, spread to 1/4 inch thickness. Don't use aluminum. It will stick terribly and you'd have to use oil, and there is nothing worse for your health than heated oils.
Spread the dough to about 1/4 inches thick and bake it for no longer than 35 minutes at 325 degrees. When you place the pan in the preheated oven you may want to steam the oven with a little water and then shut the oven door right away. Don't keep peeking at it, but do turn the pan at least once during the process to help the bread bake evenly.
Allow it to cool and set for several minutes before scoring the bread into 2"x2" squares. Remove the squares from the pan and store them in a plastic bag. Do not refrigerate! That will only make it stale really quickly. It can, however, be frozen. Best of luck with this and let us know how it goes.
Peace be with you,
Kevin and Donna
(Note: This recipe is an updated version of the Essene Bread instructions that was included in our "Live-Food Recipes" article. If you've tried that one and were disappointed, please try it this way. We've learned a lot since then.)
To make real tasty sprouted bread is a skill that is hard to find in the modern world, and yet this was the kind of bread our ancient ancestors enjoyed for thousands of years. It is the original form of bread on which civilizations survived and thrived. In those days people sprouted the wheat and had to grind it between rocks. Then they formed it into thin wafers and baked it in the sun or on hot rocks. Today we can use modern technology and use a food processor and an oven; so there should be no excuse not to enjoy the benefits of this wonderful food.
Donna and I have been working on perfecting this unleavened flat bread for several years, and now I am proud to share this information. Please consider trying this at least once, especially if you or someone you know has difficulty digesting wheat or other kinds of bread. When you sprout whole grains, especially wheat, it becomes complete, living food, packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, a valuable source of nutrition. Over time, we will be moving away from our fermented, sourdough bread in favor of this traditional sprouted bread. As I said, it has taken us a lot of practice, trial and error, to get it figured out. We've made lots of bad tasting Essene bread in the past. There is a timing that you have to learn in order to get it right. We have a lot of grass growing around the BELL to prove it! I promise you this, properly prepared Essene Flat bread is absolutely delicious, and it is so simple and pure. It contains 100% sprouted whole wheat, no refined flour, no preservatives, no oil and it is baked at temperatures that are low enough to keep the nutrients and enzymes available. If you are a person who really cares about health and really appreciate fresh, home-baked foods, then you'll love Essene Flat bread. Furthermore, this bread is much easier to make than other breads and you can eat it without having to add butter or spread because it is naturally moist and tasty - a gift from the Earthly Mother. Your kids will love it too, so let's get baking!
HOW TO MAKE ESSENE FLAT BREAD
(the original Staff of Life)
Use only fresh, organic ingredients. Don't skimp on this. Purchase organic, whole wheat berries and soak 3 cups (not flour) in water for at least 8 hours. It's best to do this over night. Soak them in a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl. In the morning, drain and discard the soak water. Rinse the soaked berries a couple of times again and drain well. Spread the berries out as best you can in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and let it sit in a warm place. The berries will soon start to sprout. If they don't, throw them away and locate another source. Down here in Louisiana (especially in the summer), the berries sprout in about 10 hours. During the winter it usually takes about 24 hours. It might take 48 hours in Canada, I don't know. But you have to watch the wheat and you have to rinse it with clean water a couple of times a day. And as soon as it is ready you have to bake it right then. If you don't catch it at the right time you will soon discover what living food is. Instead of sprouted wheat, you'll have baby grass and it won't make sweet, tasty bread. When the sprouts are ready, you will see the tiny root poking out of the seed. As soon as it is about 1/16" or 1/8" long, it is ready for the next step.
When the wheat sprouts are ready, rinse them one more time with clean water and drain. Place them in a Cuisinart food processor. (You need a strong food processor like the Cuisinart. It has a strong motor and you need that because you want the dough to "chase itself around". Process the berries well. Scrape the sides of the food processor if you have to, but blend the mixture well until it forms a sticky dough ball. If you want to make a sweeter bread, add 1/4 cup of raw honey and 1 teaspoon of Celtic salt. This is optional of course, but you may want to try it with these additions the first time, especially for kids. Traditionally, Essene Flat Bread contained only sprouted wheat and nothing else. During the sprouting process, the starch is converted into simple sugars which makes a sweet tasting dough. This kind of bread metabolizes slowly and helps you feel satisfied on less; it also improves digestion and elimination. This is quite an improvement over refined flours which produce complex carbohydrates that can elevate blood sugar levels.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Now spread the dough out onto a non-stick baking pan, such as T-FAL or some similar type of pan. Get a good non-stick (11" x 17" x 1") pan. That is the size of the 'Wilton' brand non-stick pan we use that we got from Wal-Mart. The three cups of sprouted wheat dough fits perfectly in this size pan, spread to 1/4 inch thickness. Don't use aluminum. It will stick terribly and you'd have to use oil, and there is nothing worse for your health than heated oils.
Spread the dough to about 1/4 inches thick and bake it for no longer than 35 minutes at 325 degrees. When you place the pan in the preheated oven you may want to steam the oven with a little water and then shut the oven door right away. Don't keep peeking at it, but do turn the pan at least once during the process to help the bread bake evenly.
Allow it to cool and set for several minutes before scoring the bread into 2"x2" squares. Remove the squares from the pan and store them in a plastic bag. Do not refrigerate! That will only make it stale really quickly. It can, however, be frozen. Best of luck with this and let us know how it goes.
Peace be with you,
Kevin and Donna