Adventure Bread
The summer season is about to kick into high gear. The days are getting longer, the air is getting hotter and a sense of wanderlust to explore and experience all that North Carolina has to offer is knocking loudly in my mind.
I don't know about y'all, but for me, I plan to take many adventures this season and am feeling extra motivated and inspired to lead a healthier lifestyle. This simple adventure bread recipe from genius chef, David Lebovitz' blog is jam packed with power-packing seeds, grains and nuts. It is gluten free and will gear you up with hours of fuel whether you are hiking up north, paddle boarding on the sound or just keeping up with your family's hectic schedules.
Photo courtesy of DavidLeovitz.com
Enjoy and happy baking!
ADVENTURE BREAD
From San Francisco's, The Mill's
Josey Baker
Dry ingredients
2 1/4 cups (235g) rolled oats 1 cup (160g) sunflower seeds (hulled) 1/2 cup (65g) pumpkin seeds (hulled) 3/4 cup (90g) almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped 3/4 cup (120g) flax seeds 1/3 cup (25g) psyllium seed husks (see note) 3 tablespoons (25g) chia seeds 2 teaspoons (12g) fine sea salt
The wet stuff
2 tablespoons (40g) maple syrup
1/4 cup (55g) olive oil
2 1/2 cups (600g) water
1. Gather your foodstuffs. Toast the seeds. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC.) Spread the sunflower and pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast until they start to brown, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway during baking.
(David: The seeds may take less time to toast, so keep an eye on them.)
2. Measure ingredients. Dump this stuff (all the dry ingredients) into big bowl. Then pour in the wet stuff.
3. Mix it all up. Oil your loaf pan, and then mush up your “dough” real good with your strong hands or a big spoon. Take pride in your mush-job; this is all of the handling you’re doing to do with this “dough.” Once it’s mixed real good, scoop it into your oiled pan and smooth out the top so it looks nice. Then stick it in the fridge and leave it alone for at least a few hours, up to a whole day.
4. Bake it. Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400ºF (200ºC.) Remove the bread from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Bake the bread for about an hour or so, then take it out and gently remove the loaf from the pan. Let cool on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours (YES, two whole hours). Don’t rush it here folks, this bread is D*E*N*S*E, and if you don’t wait for it to cool, it really won’t be as yummy.
6. Toast and eat. This bread is definitely best sliced nice and thin (around 1/2-inch, 12mm) and then toasted up and spread with whatever your heart desires. And don’t worry if you’re adventuring somewhere without toaster access (like a gorgeous river in the middle of nowhere), it will still be scrumptious, I promise.