Teff Boston Brown Bread {vegan, gluten-free}

Super-nutritious & delicious Boston Brown Bread minis, made with whole teff grain and chickpea flour! They are gluten-free, vegan, and packed with flavor.

With apologies to the fair citizens of Boston, this (wicked good) interpretation of Boston Brown Bread is a far cry from the original.

But only so far as the ingredients are concerned.

As for taste? Boston brown bread all the way.

So, here is  the (brief) story. Growing up, my mother was an avid co-op shopper, vegetable gardener, and home cook; she rarely bought any kind of ready-made foods. One exception was Boston brown bread.

Have you had it? Traditional recipes feature cornmeal, rye flour and molasses and the batter is baked in old-fashioned coffee cans (the latter of which deliver its unique shape and steam-baked texture).

It is moist, dense, brown sugar-y, without being too sweet. It is also immensely satisfying; I was crazy for it. My mother did not buy it often (when she did, it was always B & M brand), but on those lucky occasions when it showed up in the grocery bags,  I always attempted to get more than my fair share.

So, experimental baker that I am, I made a Boston brown bread in a newfangled way.

I used whole grain teff (the tiniest grain) plus chickpea flour.  I know, it sounds crazy, but in fact adds a corn-like background flavor along with a generous plant-based protein boost. The molasses remains, as as do the raisins (if you are a raisin hater, you can leave them out; I think we can still be friends).

Oh heavens, are these ever yummy. You may not see them “down the Cape” anytime soon (except, perhaps here, here, or maybe here), but I hope you’ll see them in your kitchen and snack bags soon.

Happy baking and eating!

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Yield: 10 breads

Teff Boston Brown Bread {vegan, gluten-free}

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Super-nutritious & delicious Boston Brown Bread minis, made with whole teff grain and chickpea flour! They are gluten-free, vegan, and packed with flavor.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole grain teff (not teff flour)
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1/3 cup raisins or dried currants
• 1/4 cup blackstrap or organic unsulfured molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 10 of the cups of a standard size 12-cup muffin tin
2. In a small saucepan, combine teff and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir in milk, chickpea flour, flaxseed meal, raisins, molasses, and salt. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes longer until mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.
3. Divide batter equally among prepared cups.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes or until firmly set. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Notes

Milk: Use any nondairy milk except for full fat coconut milk.

Storage: Store in an airtight container (1) at room temperature for 2 days, (2) in the refrigerator for 1 week or (3) in the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

1 bread
Amount Per Serving Calories 109Total Fat 1.4gSaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 99mgCarbohydrates 17.7gFiber 2.1gSugar 4.7gProtein 6g

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