As the years have gone by, I’ve come to appreciate Bob’s Red Mill more and more for many reasons, but especially these two: One, they’re getting what were once difficult-to-find whole grains, legumes, and other ingredients (chia seeds, for example), into mainstream American markets. The other has been their willingness to respond to trends in food and to create or find new and innovative products, like well-performing gluten-free flours, high-protein oats, or chickpea flour.
Because we’re committed to transparency, we wanted to let you know that we’re getting compensated to promote Bob’s. We try to be thoughtful about how we make money, and so we only partner with brands and organizations that we know well and believe in. Bob’s is one of those, and we’re glad to have reasons to promote them.
For 2026, we’ll be doing several posts and videos that feature “Bob’s By the Batch,” where you’ll cook one basic recipe and spin it three different ways. In case you missed it, check out our first installment about toasted oats. – mb
Long before fibermaxxing was a media buzzword, we were advocates for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — all the foods naturally high in fiber. (This doesn’t mean that white flour is our enemy; we just consider it a treat to enjoy in desserts and to nibble from the occasional breadbasket.)
Recently the new Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose high fiber flour caught our attention. While regular white flour typically has 1 gram of fiber per serving, this flour has 6 grams, which translates to 21% of the government’s recommended daily intake of fiber. It can be milled to the same consistency as white flour with a slightly golden color, making it ideal for substituting in all kinds of recipes. It’s free of starches or other additives. The types of fiber in this flour (more about them in the fibermaxxing link above) can also promote better gut health and overall digestion and can be a good start to gradually increasing the amount of fiber in your diet.
Since everyone loves Mark’s No-Knead Bread, we set out to develop an easy flatbread version that put high fiber flour through some “Bob’s By The Batch” paces.
Start with the slowly fermented, hands-off flatbread, which is a lot like a ciabatta, the popular Italian “slipper” loaf. Then — assuming you don’t eat the whole thing with dinner tonight — check out the three recipes that spin the bread into something else: Detroit-style pizza, the fastest homemade soup ever, and fried and seasoned bread crumbs.
Mark’s No-Knead Flatbread
My bread baking has evolved into all sorts of pleasant surprises since Jim Lahey and I worked together 20 years ago on No-Knead Bread. The same innovative technique informs this yeasted flatbread. All that’s required are four ingredients, plus the time and patience to sit back and do nothing — rather than work.
This recipe features Bob’s Red Mill high fiber flour. If you want to substitute all-purpose flour, cut the water back to 1 1/4 cups and add more as needed until you get the dough texture described here. Then enjoy the ciabatta-like flatbread in slices or hunks or use it for Detroit-Style Pizza by the Slice; Boiled Water Soup with Flatbread, Vegetables, and Parmesan; or Crunchy Seasoned Breadcrumbs, with (or without) Steamed Vegetables. One batch of flatbread is enough for 2 servings of each. But if you’re planning on extra for snacking or feeding a crowd, better make two loaves!
Detroit-Style Pizza by the Slice
The best thing about Detroit-style pizza is the variety of textures. The crust is both crisp (on the bottom) and soft and chewy (under the sauce). Ditto the mozzarella, which is gooey and maybe a little brown and bubbly (on top) and crusted into a crisp “skirt” (where it meets the pan). For extras like sliced pepperoni, crumbled cooked sausage, or sliced olives, scatter them on top of the sauce before you add the cheese so they don’t burn. Just be sure to keep the skirt.
Boiled Water Soup with Flatbread, Vegetables, and Parmesan
It’s easy to build on Mark’s super-basic, super-popular “Boiled Water” to create a flexible spur-of-the-moment bowl of satisfying soup. The key is the bread (and okay, the cheese, too). We’re including some vegetables here, too, and there’s nothing stopping you from adding some cooked chicken or a scrambled egg to make this a meal.
Crunchy Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Fresh bread crumbs — spiked with a little something extra as you like — are perfect for finishing salads, soups, pasta, eggs, or simply-cooked meat, fish, and poultry. You can even take them in a sweet direction to add an easy crunch to ice cream, pudding, and fruit compotes. You can use bread of any age or out of the freezer; the fresher it is, the more varied will be the texture of the crumbs. Even with additions from the list that follows the recipe, leftover crumbs will keep for a week in the fridge and can be warmed in the microwave before serving. The variation (shown in the photo) includes steamed vegetables for a satisfying side or light lunch.
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