Introducing the new and improved Activated Buckwheat Hemp Seed Bread which is based on my original Activated Buckwheat Seed and Nut Bread, which was originally a grain and sugar free adaptation of Sarah Britton’s Life Changing Loaf of Bread recipe.

This recipe was also inspired by The Midnight Baker’s amazing Buckwheat Freedom Loaf, but my recreation has a much lighter texture that is more like a paleo seed bread.

In some ways this new buckwheat & hemp seed bread is the vegan recipe I was trying to create when I came up with this Hemp, Pumpkin & sunflower Seed Bread. So if you’re after a really light textured bread and don’t mind the inclusion of eggs, be sure to check out that recipe too.

No kneading or proving required

This activated buckwheat & hemp seed bread is untraditional in every sense of the word. To start with it contains no yeast, so there’s no kneading, proving, shaping and so on.

It’s gluten, grain, dairy, sugar, egg and nut free which means almost everyone can eat it!

Best of all, it’s made entirely with whole food, plant based ingredients and is packed with protein and fibre from buckwheat, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, basil seeds and psyllium husks.

if there’s no yeast, How does this recipe work?

The main ingredient that binds this bread together is psyllium.

When psyllium combines with water the highly absorbent husks form a glue like substance which is very effective at holding ingredients together. It’s also heat resistant which means it can withstand the baking process.

Psyllium is one of natures most absorbent fibres and is very effective at getting the digestion flowing. For this reason it’s often used as a weight loss aid, to alleviate diarrhoea or constipation, and help reduce cholesterol.

The other ingredients that play a part of binding this bread together are flaxseeds and basil seeds. Both these seeds are highly absorbent of water too, however, they don’t withstand the baking process quite as well as psyllium does. Like psyllium, both flax and basil seeds are amazing sources of fibre, and are also fantastic sources of healthy fats aka omega fatty acids.

To soak or not to soak

The reason for soaking nuts and seeds before cooking or consuming them is to make them more digestible by removing the inhibitor enzymes on their skins and start the activation process. Different nuts and seeds required different soaking times, and for some the process is more important than others. Buckwheat groats for example, really benefits from soaking because it removes a lot of the mucilaginous substance from their shell which can be an irritant.

For this bread recipe particularly, soaking the buckwheat beforehand also ensure you don’t end up with a rock hard, teeth breaking bread!

In regards to soaking the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in this recipe, the main aim for soaking seeds is to activated them. However, the heat from the baking process in this recipe will deactivate them so the only benefit you’ll get from pre-soaking the seeds is to make them slightly more digestible. For this reason I haven’t specified soaking the seeds in the method below, but it’s entirely up to you if you wish to.

The best way to enjoy this bread 

If you can wait, it’s best to let this bread cool completely before slicing. Usually I can’t resist the smell of freshly baked bread and end up slicing the crust off one end, so no judgement here! The bread will still be moist when it comes out of the oven and will firm up on cooling. 

When it’s lovely and fresh this buckwheat bread is delicious by the slice, topped with avocado and a sprinkle of pink salt and freshly ground black pepper. Another great combination is to spread with cashew nut cheese and top with vine tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic. 

You can also toast this bread and top with your favourite spreads like peanut butter, jam or Vegemite.

Activated buckwheat & hemp seed bread will keep well in a sealed container in the cupboard or fridge for up to 5 days, and any leftover can be sliced up and frozen for up to 3 months.

If you make this Activated Buckwheat Hemp Seed Bread, I’d love to hear from you!

Let me know in the comments below and be sure to tag your creations #swoonfood on Instagram or facebook.

Activated Buckwheat Hemp Seed (Vegan/GF)

Makes: 1 medium loaf tin
Prep time: 15 minutes  Soak time: 2 to 12 hours (optional)  Stand time: 2 hours  Bake time: 1 hour

1 1/2 cups/300g buckwheat groats
1/3 cup/50g sunflower seeds
1/3 cup/75g pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup/60g whole flaxseeds
3 Tbsp hemp seeds
3 Tbsp psyllium husks
2 Tbsp basil seeds (or chia)
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 cup warm filtered water

To soak the buckwheat, place the buckwheat groats in a bowl and cover with filtered water. Leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, then drain and wash well to remove the mucilaginous substance released. If you wish to soak the seeds do the same but leave the sunflower and pumpkin seeds to soak for 4 to 6 hours.

Place the drained buckwheat in a food processor and pulse until it’s roughly chopped up. This helps the bind the bread together and improves the texture.

Transfer the buckweat to a large mixing bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon until evenly mixed.

Add the warm water and coconut oil and mix well.

Either use a non stick loaf tin or line a regular loaf tin lined with baking paper. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, spread evenly so you have a flat top and press down well. This ensures the loaf will bake evenly.

Leave the loaf to stand for a minimum of 20 minutes to allow the psyllium, flax and basil seeds to absorb the water. You can leave the loaf standing for a couple of hours if you wish, or overnight if placed in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan bake. Place the loaf into the centre of the oven and bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until it feels firm and you can easily tip it out of the tin. Place the loaf back into the oven directly on the rack and bake another 30 minutes. It’s ready when you can heat a hollow sound when tapped.

Remove the loaf from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

This bread is delicious eaten freshly sliced or toasted, and will keep in a sealed container in the cupboard or fridge for up to 5 days. It’s a great idea to keep a stash of this bread in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 3 months. Be sure to slice before freezing!

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