If weekend baking is your idea of therapy, there’s no reason it has to come with a side of guilt. With the right ingredients, homemade bread can be both comforting and genuinely nourishing - delivering the protein and fibre your body needs while letting you enjoy the process and the payoff. For those looking to upgrade their baking routine, Dr Karan Rajan, a UK-based surgeon and popular health content creator, has shared a simple, nutrient-dense bread recipe that promises wholesome indulgence without compromise.
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The ultimate homemade bread
Dr Rajan’s homemade bread recipe, shared on his November 24 Instagram post, is rich in protein and fibre, and takes just 30 minutes to prepare. He states, “This is my ultimate homemade bread, and I'm never buying store bought bread again. Every slice has 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fibre. No protein powders, and just eight ingredients.”
The surgeon also highlights the nutritional value and health benefits of each ingredient as he adds them to the recipe. He adds that the recipe can be made in batches and the bread frozen for later use - as reheating it after freezing leads to the formation of resistant starches, which are beneficial for gut bacteria.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of plain Greek yoghurt (150g)
- Warm water
- 8g yeast
- 500g bread flour
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of sugar (brown or white)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 doses of prebiotic fibre supplement
- 50g pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Method:
- Start with warm water and add 150 grams of Greek yoghurt. According to Dr Rajan, “This adds 15 grams of proteins and lactic acid bacteria, which improve digestibility.”
- Add yeast to the mixture, and a pinch of sugar to activate the yeast and act as a substrate. Set aside the mixture for an hour to let the yeast work its magic.
- In a separate bowl, add 500 grams of bread flour - “that's 60 grams of protein and 20 grams of fibre” - and mix in a pinch of salt.
- Add two doses of prebiotic fibre supplement - which makes for a total of 20 grams of fibre from different plant sources. Dr Rajan recommends opting for heat stable ones that can be used for cooking or baking.
- Add the activated yeast mixture and knead everything together with a wooden spoon, until you get a soft, sticky dough.
- Use extra virgin olive oil to grease your bread tin. Dr Rajan explains, “Olive oil provides one of the best anti-inflammatory fats for your gut lining.”
- Transfer the dough to the bread tin and leave it aside in a warm place for one to two hours. The surgeon states, “This slow rise helps the starches to break down and makes the bread gentler on your gut.”
- Brush the top of the dough with a flour-water paste to create a sticky surface, then press 50 grams of pumpkin and sunflower seeds on top. Dr Rajan adds, “They add extra protein, a mix of insoluble and soluble fibres and omega-3 fats that reinforce the gut barrier.”
- Bake in an oven at 200°C (400°F) for 30 minutes.
- Your high protein, high fibre bread is ready to be served!
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.