Tomorrow, I’ll be flying from Toronto to Vancouver and then from Vancouver to Portland, on my merry way to the Vida Vegan Conference! I seriously can’t wait. In my typical fashion, I’ve been dealing with a lot of anxiety about this trip, but I’m sure I’ll be having too much fun to even notice it. I mean, come on – it’s Portland – only one of the most vegan friendly cities in the world! I’m looking forward to meeting the wonderful people behind many of the blogs I read each day.
Of course, before all the fun happens the traveling has to take place. If I’m going to be traveling for 9-10 hours, I want to have something exciting to look forward to (and of course I mean healthy, great-tasting food). What is it about being trapped on a plane that makes me so hungry? With just a little preparation, I’ll be feasting like a queen. A good book, music, and in-flight TV never hurts either!
This week I racked my brain to think of a new food to bring on the flights. At first, I thought of my Endurance Crackers, but then I decided they were slightly too delicate for travel. I played around with the recipe and this is what I came up with. I’m happy to say this power bread turned out exactly as I hoped. It’s bursting with chia seeds (1 tablespoon per slice!) and it also happens to be gluten and nut-free, making it friendly for many travelers. Best of all, it’s perfectly sturdy for travel.
Plus, it’s only 5 minutes to prep which is a huge bonus, especially when getting ready for a flight. Just like my Endurance Crackers, you simply dump the ingredients into a bowl and stir in water. After that, I spread it into a 9-inch baking dish and baked it for 25 minutes.
Now this is some quick and easy bread – ready in 30 minutes flat! It disappears just as quickly. Try it with all kinds of toppings. I personally love hummus, avocado, and Herbamare as well as almond butter and strawberry jam.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Super Power Chia Bread
Yield
4 slices
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Thick, hearty, and dense – this isn’t your average slice of bread! Packed with 9 grams of protein and over 7 grams of fibre per slice, this bread will keep you going for hours. Inspired by Endurance Crackers.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds*
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour
- 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats, ground into a flour (or more oat flour)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup water
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.
- Add rolled oats and buckwheat into a high-speed blender. Blend on highest speed until a fine flour forms.
- Add all dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir well until combined. Stir in the water and quickly scoop this mixture into your prepared pan. Spread it out with a spatula as evenly as possible. You can use lightly wet hands to smooth it down if necessary. Sprinkle the bread with Herbamare or fine grain sea salt before going into the oven.
- Bake at 325°F for about 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift it out and transfer it to a cooling rack for another 5-10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
- This bread keeps for 2-3 days max – any longer and it gets gummy in texture. I suggest freezing it for enduring freshness. I like to toast it straight from the freezer!
Tip:
1) I made a batch without sunflower seeds and it still turned out great. I’m sure you can play around with the seeds (or even add nuts!) and reduce them if desired.
2) A reader successfully made a batch using brown rice flour and quinoa flour- I’m sure you can play around with the flours too.
3) I’m not yet sure how long this stays fresh for – my guess is a couple days. However, I expect it should freeze well, but I have yet to try it. I’ll update this when I do and be sure to leave your own tips in the comments section!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
I hope this bread brightens up your own travels or busts you out of a lunch or breakfast rut. I’d love your feedback on this recipe if you try it out or make other variations.
If you’d like to check out what I’m up to at the conference, you will most likely find me on Instagram documenting my journey. If you are attending the conference, I hope to meet you soon! Please come say hello!
What are your favourite foods to pack on a flight?
Did they let u take them into the US? They are usually so strict with food when you get on planes to the States. I’d love to see a post about healthy snacks we can take on the plane when we go to the States that they will not confiscate.
I love these! This was the first recipe I made from your cookbook. I have made them 1-2 times a week ever since! (Of course they are accompanied by a couple cookie dough bites)
Hi! these are great! Ive made them twice now, and both times without the sugar, since Im trying to cut out added sugars. Just curious, have you tried them without sugar?
I want to know the answer too !!
Of course it will be fine without sugar, just a little less sweet.
Finally a recipe for a gluten free bread which actually works and doesn’t taste foul. I just made another batch, this time with garlic and onion powder. It smells great and It in the oven now. Thank you.
Can this be frozen and then thawed? :) looks delish, as does everything on Oh She Glows!
I recently was given a four tier pizza tin in metal stand for oven.
They are round but I thought ideal for many flatbreads as they have a small lip and the mixture will not slide off!
It would mean triangles but I still think it will become a useful tool and do the batches for the freezer and not waste the expensive fuel. (For me and the environment).
I’m not a vegan, nor do I eat strictly gluten free food, but this recipe I love. I do t like to eat too must bread, but this I find so satisfying. Thanks!
Hi Maureen, I’m so glad to hear you like the recipe! Thanks for the kind comment. :)
Just made these! Subbed those seeds for flax and black sesame and it still came out great!! Thanks for sharing.
So glad the recipe was a hit, Tara!
Do you store this in the fridge or at room temp? I froze part but was not sure about the rest;)
Hi Carol Ann, I recommend keeping the chia bread in the fridge. :)
Hey. I just made this and I’m wondering what consistency the bread should be? Hard? Crunch? Mine is a bit sticky/soft still and I cooked it for 35 minutes? Is this how it is suspose to be?
Hello,
Just wanted say that this recipe is so wonderfully delicious and versatile! My family has been trying to minimize bread in our day to day, so we’ve discovered that this makes a fabulous substitute when we season it and choose add ins to match our mealtime themes. To this end, we’ve experimented successfully with Italian (garlic, sundried tomato, olive) , Greek (olive, onion, lemon basil, feta–you get the idea), Mexican Chile, Indian Masala, and our daily fave, the “bring it on, breakfast blend.” (dried apricot, cranberry, currents, cinnamon, walnut). Hope this helps. Enjoy friends:)
Hi Angela,
Love this recipe. I substituted 1/2 tsp dill for the oregano and thyme. (I also used a pinch of salt since I’m reducing my salt.) Also, I used a 9 inch pie plate since I didn’t have the other size pan. Was great!!!! Thanks,
How many pieces do you cut ? I was wondering how big to cut them to get the 9 grams… I cook for alot of folks with health issues and it really helps to have as much nutritional info as possible.
Thanks!!!!
Hi Deborah, those subs sound absolutely delicious!! To your question, that nutritional info is based on 8 servings. Hope this helps! :)
So GLAD I found this recipe this morning. I used just 1/3 C of the sunflower and pumpkins seeds and used gf flour mix and teff flour instead of the oats. Came out great! Love all the ideas in the comments. Wonderful to have a gf bread without eggs, that isn’t made of rice or starch powders… :-) Sliced it up just as pretty as you did and topped with a broiled squash EVOO/garlic and parmesan cheese slab. Great for brunch! Thank you, thank you!
I’m happy to hear you liked the recipe, Janet! (And that you found all the great comments on it so helpful.) Thanks for sharing your own subs/toppings, as well. :)
Oh my word, this is so amazing I have already made two batches, and I just saw this recipe for the first time yesterday! Thank you for such a wonderful spin on bread :-)
Glad you enjoyed it, Lauren!
could you use steel cut oats instead of rolled?? I have a ton of steel cut I’m trying to use up!
Can I replace the 1 tsp of sugar with coconut sugar or maple syrup? Thanks!
Do you happen to know how many calories are in each square loaf of the bread? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, You can find the nutritional info, based on 8 servings, here! Hope this helps! :)
Wow! I made this today, and not only was it super easy and quick, but it was also delish!! I used a blend of oregano, cumin, coriander, and a little garlic powder as the spices. I will be toasting it all week and slathering it with peanut butter and honey. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Sounds delish! Enjoy :)
Hello. I absolutely love this recipe but I can’t eat chia seeds right now. What can I use instead? Thank you
I really love this bread. Thanks for this recipe.