Meet Alfred

I meant to post this ages ago, but here it is now. 

I found a little bug in the backyard at my home in Mayfield, NSW Australia one evening. The bug had such a unique expression that I couldn't help but take some photos. I also named it Alfred. 

The next day, in nearly the same spot, I found a bug that looked identical to Alfred except it was bright green instead of dull green. So either Alfred changed colors in the middle of the night or was replaced by a brighter doppelganger!

The next morning...

I looked up "winged insects of New South Wales" and found this excellent resource: http://www.ozanimals.com/australian-insect-index.html  

I dug though the most likely families (Orthoptera and Hemiptera) and found, under the "True Bugs of Australia" section, the Flatid Planthoppers, all of which look just like Alfred, but with a range of colors, from pale white with a pink spot (Mango Planthopper) to green with a border of reddish brown spots (Common Green Planthopper). 

Upon further reading, it appears that flatids go through five nymphal instars, which are developmental stages in between moltings on the way to reaching sexual maturity. Molting usually occurs at night or in the early morning and from one instar to another the flatid may change color or size, and may lose or gain a white powdery coating. So perhaps Alfred just molted and leveled up to the next nymphal instar . 

Also important to note, flatids are invasive in Hawai'i, but native to Australia and can be a vector of diseases. But look at that face... as one expert in cute bugs, (my friend) Dougal, has pointed out, "How could that bug invade anything? What does it do, run up to you, nuzzle your face and go eep?"

LJG's Gluten-Free ChiaFlax Bread

For all of those who suffer from a gluten intolerance or allergy, it can be incredibly difficult to find a loaf of gluten-free bread that doesn't taste like cardboard and doesn't cost $7 or more in the shop! So after months of trial and error, with input from friends and loved ones, here is a recipe that seems to turn out tasty each and every time and has only healthy, simple ingredients.

I'm not a professional baker, I just fiddle around in the kitchen until stuff tastes good to me. If you have suggestions for improving this recipe, please share them!

In the meantime, enjoy :)

Ingredients

¼ - ½ cup flax seeds, freshly ground

¼ cup chia seeds

2 cups water
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1 tsp dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp honey
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4 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp caraway seeds, or other herbs (e.g. thyme, rosemary, and tarragon)
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2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Stage one (flax/chia):

Place flax, chia and water in jar and mix well. Leave in fridge at least four hours and up to five days (overnight is fine!).

Stage two (making dough):

Add yeast to warm water with honey stirred in (or skip this step if you don’t believe in proofing).

Put flour in mixing bowl, add salt and caraway seeds (or other herbs). Mix well.

Add olive oil, chia-flax mixture, and yeast mixture to dry ingredients and mix until there are no more lumps. Cover and let rise at least three hours, overnight in a cool place is fine. No need to knead! It will have a consistency like mousse after it rises – this is good.

Stage three (second rise):

Oil and flour two non-stick bread pans.

Split dough in half with spoon and gently scoop into the pans. Cover and let rise three-four hours (not more!).

Stage four (bake):

Preheat oven to 425°F (~220°C). Bake for 30 minutes. Do not open oven door until the very end or it will be ruined!

Lower temperature to 405°F (~200°C). Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pans and let cool before slicing.



Notes
Flour blend: You can either buy a pre-mixed gluten-free flour blend or make your own from bulk flours you buy. Gluten-free flours that work well in a mix are millet, garbanzo, rice, sorghum (strong flavor!), buckwheat (also strong flavor!), fava bean, amaranth, quinoa, and potato.

Baking time: The baking time is entirely dependent on the amount of water in the recipe. If you add more water, you will have to bake it for longer or it will be doughy inside. Absolutely do not open the oven door while this is baking, or it will never get hot enough inside to cook all the way through! Add the extra baking time on at the end, after lowering the temperature.

Chia and Flax: These soaked seeds seem to be what gives the bread its structure in the way that gluten would have provided a structural network of support. They also happen to be highly nutritious, so that's a bonus. The idea for using them came from Celeste's cousin's husband, Sam, who is a professional baker - so credit goes to him for that one!