Happy National Toast Day! Don’t worry if you forgot to get me a card – you can always buy back my favour with bread products. I’m like Oprah – I love bread. (We also share a love of a good inspirational quote, but that’s beside the point.) I love the Aged Cheddar Croissants at Celena’s Bakery. And, when it comes to toast, I love my sprouted grain bread.
What is sprouted grain bread?
So glad you asked. Sprouted grain bread is, simply put, bread made from sprouted grains. Instead of a flour made from a whole or partial-grain flour, these grains are sprouted first, then ground. This not only leaves more nutrients intact, but actually activates more nutrients in each grain.
A whole grain is made up of all the parts of a grain – the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. White bread is just endosperm, with the bran and germ stripped away. This leaves it mostly starch and protein, and likely to cause blood sugar fluctuations. Whole wheat is not quite whole grain – it’s usually the endosperm and bran, which adds some vitamins, minerals, and fibre to your bread.
Sprouted grain has all the parts of the grain, only SUPERSIZED! The act of sprouting increases the number of vitamins and minerals, as well as bumping up the protein content. This process also neutralizes the phytic acid (which makes it difficult to absorb nutrients), partially breaks down the starches, and reduces the amount of gluten in the grain.
Choose Your Toast!
It’s no secret that we love sprouted grain bread. As a result, we have quite a few varieties for you to try!
Food For Life‘s Ezekiel products are a lot of people’s introduction into the sprouted grain world. We carry a few varieties of their breads, and their English Muffins, too.
My personal favourite comes from Silver Hills Bakery. Their Big Red’s Organic Ancient Grains Bread is hearty and seedy, but still soft for delicate mouths. We’ve got a few varieties from Silver Hills, including Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns, and my new obsession – BAGELS!
In case you’re not sold on the glory of sprouted grains, let me introduce you to my favorite way to use them – and yes, it involves toast!
Poach a couple of eggs. While they’re cooking, toast up a couple of slices of Silver Hills Bread. Spread the toast with your favorite soft cheese (I use Yoso Cashew Cream Cheese), and top with the poached eggs. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top, put your favourite veg on the side, and BOOM! It’s a great dinner.
I know it sounds like a variation on any Eggs Benny but, thanks to the addition of sprouted grains, this meal comes in at around 30g of protein! Considering the average person needs 45 – 60g of protein in a day, this is a great way to meet your nutrient needs.
What’s your favourite way to use sprouted grain bread? Tell us in the comments!