Almond-birch bread (Birkentaler) with carrots and linseed

Almond birch bread (Birkentaler) with carrots and raisins also contains a large portion of linseed and is therefore particularly rich in ALA, omega-3 fatty acid.

Flaxseed: Flaxseed is the seed of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Flaxseed has a slightly nutty taste and a 40% fat content. With around 50% of the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), this has the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids of all known vegetable oils. Those who eat a lot of industrial food should generally increase their intake of flaxseed, because flaxseed has by far the highest content of essential omega-3 fatty acids and can correct nutritional errors in this regard.

Information about the birch:

- Where do birch trees grow? They can be found in open areas, in light deciduous and coniferous forests, on heathland and poor grassland.

- How do you recognize a birch? The deciduous tree is notable for its characteristic white bark. The foliage is light green and the triangular, dragon-shaped leaves are 4-7 cm long. The male flowers can be recognized by the catkins that form from April to May.

- Which parts of the birch tree can be used? In addition to extracting sap from the trunk, you can also harvest the catkins, leaf buds and young leaves. The edible inner bark should only be eaten when the tree is about to be felled, otherwise the tree could die.

Coriander seeds: Coriander ( Coriandrum sativum) belongs to the Apiaceae family. Both fresh coriander leaves and dried coriander seeds are used in cooking. Coriander seeds are spherical and have a bitter-spicy to sweet aroma. The ground seeds are used in the kitchen as spices. Coriander seeds taste particularly spicy if they are first roasted briefly and then ground or crushed in a mortar. Ground coriander does not keep for long due to the high proportion of essential oil.

Energetic birch blossoms: The pollen consists of valuable carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids. Since they have a flour-like consistency, the blossoms are well suited to the cohesion and nutritional content of a raw bread.

Winter supplies: Dried leaves can be added to various doughs in winter, when there is hardly anything green to be found. They give patties, homemade bread mixes and crispbread a fine flavor.

Health effects of birch leaves: Birch leaves stimulate the metabolism, drain the body and can provide relief from rheumatic complaints. Internal and external use of infusions can also have a beneficial effect on skin diseases. The leaves contain up to 3% flavonoids, tannins, essential oils, bitter substances, vitamin C, resin and saponins.

Soak almonds: Soaking almonds overnight not only changes their consistency, but also reduces the phytic acid content. This forms solid complexes with certain food substances such as minerals and thus limits their absorption by the body.

Birch leaves and other uses: In addition to using birch blossoms as an ingredient in birch bread (Birkentaler), you can also use birch leaves. You can also add the leaves and blossoms to smoothies. The young, tender leaves are particularly tasty when used in salads. They are also recommended when chopped up in herb mixtures.

Raw food with an oven: If you do not have a suitable drying device such as a food dryer or dehydrator that allows good temperature regulation below 50 °C, this dish can also be prepared in raw food quality using an oven. To do this, simply set the lowest possible temperature (usually 50 °C) and leave the oven slightly open.

Taler variations with wild herbs: You can change this recipe as you like by using nettle leaves instead of birch leaves or birch blossoms. These have similar health benefits to birch. Garlic mustard is also recommended because of its peppery, garlic-like taste. Other suitable wild plants are meadow sage, wild mallow, meadow bedstraw, currant leaves or creeping bedstraw.