Bundle Up

SHOP THE POST


Skinnies c/o James Jeans, bag c/o One Fated Knight (similar),

cardi c/o Gentle Fawn (similar), sweater c/o Left on Houston (similar),

toque c/o O’Neill (similar), coat c/o Aritzia (similar),

Jonak Paris ankle boots, Club Monaco mittens (similar)

I’m definitely a sun chaser and a summer girl through and through, but there is something kind of magical about bundling up during these cold months, cozying up with a blanket, hot chocolate and comfort food. So when the sun finally burst through the clouds the other day after a string of rainy, grey days, I packed up a blanket, my favourite gluten-free, dairy-free loaf of bread (recipe after the jump!) adapted from My New Roots and grabbed a hot chocolate, dragging Matt to our favourite little nook in our favourite little park for a little impromptu fall picnic! Click through to read the full post and get the recipe to a truly incredible loaf of bread for the cold months!

So this recipe below is adapted from My New Roots’ The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread recipe and let me tell you…it honestly is life changing. As you guys might know if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, I’ve been dealing with various tummy troubles for years and years. While I haven’t tested positive for any full-blown allergies, through trial and error I’ve discovered that I definitely am sensitive to dairy and gluten (at least in North America, sadly…am completely fine eating them in Europe oddly enough!). To add to the trouble, I am the biggest carbophile ever – I not only crave carbs, but I also find I need oats, grains and root veggies to feel normal and settled. The big conundrum obviously is finding something delicious that provides that carb fix without loading my body up with all the triggers to my sensitivities. Like magic, I stumbled upon this recipe while cruising My New Roots right when I came home from Europe and it’s now something I couldn’t live without.

Egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free. Even if you’re not allergic or sensitive, who couldn’t do with more of the good stuff and less of the things we tend to overload on? Think a densely packed beautiful little loaf of goodness like seeds, psyllium husk, nuts, coconut oil, etc. I’ve put the original My New Roots recipe below with some loose adaptions to include dried fruit + a bit more sweetness (I prefer this loaf as more of a sweet treat rather than a savoury one, whether I eat it on its own or with a small amount of jam or almond/sunflower seed butter) and have adjusted the baking times accordingly.

The other remarkable thing about this bread? You can honestly throw it all together in the pan (you just need a small bowl to throw together the wet ingredients) and then you leave it for a couple hours (or overnight if you wish) before putting it in the oven. It’s honestly the most low-maintenance yet most high-nutritient recipe I’ve come across in a long time. This will be the most incredible addition to your holiday parties (and it will impress all your friends when you tell them about its health benefits) with quince, local cheeses, etc. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!!

My New Roots’ Life-Changing Loaf of Bread

Ingredients: 


1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup flax seeds
½ cup hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 ½ cups water
1 cup dried cranberries or sour cherries

Directions: 

1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan (or use a parchment paper sling if you don’t have a flexible silicon loaf pan) combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Add cranberries to mixture. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.

3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 30 minutes if using dried fruit (20 minutes if you didn’t add in fruit). Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes (I usually opt for 40 minutes if I have dried fruit in it since it gives added moisture). Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).

4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!