Seed & Nut Soda Bread

Spelt is an ancient grain high in manganese, protein and vitamin B3. Manganese is key in maintaining balanced blood sugar levels, warding off those post afternoon dips. Muscle-building protein provides us with strength, movement and heat to keep the body warm and energised. Vitamin B3 is essential for converting foods into usable energy and storage. The nuts and seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, which not only help the body generate energy but help keep our immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems functioning correctly.

Servings: 1 x 2lb loaf

Ingredients

90 g sunflower seeds, plus 30g for garnish
90 g pumpkin seeds, plus 30g for garnish
100 g brazil nuts, roughly chopped
3 tbsp flaxseeds
3 tbsp chia seeds
3 tsp bicarbonate of soda
580 ml plain coconut yoghurt
90 g peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
337 g gluten free self-raising flower
350 g spelt flour

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4/356F, with a baking tray inside.
Place the spelt flour, self raising flour, salt, chia seeds, flaxseeds, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Create a well in the centre of the dry mixture and add into it the remaining ingredients.
Quickly mix everything together to form a dough – you can do it by hand using a wooden spoon, or use an electric hand whisk, but for best results use a paddle attachment on a free standing electric mixer.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly dusted work surface, the dough should be relatively sticky to touch.
Roll the dough into a small thick log shape, covering with the garnishing seeds. Put the dough into a 2lb loaf tin, which you place on the pre-heated tray and bake for 40-50 minutes. Check half way through and loosely cover the top with tin foil if it looks like the top of the bread is starting to colour too much.
Is it done? The bread should have a hard crust on the top, firm sides, and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
Leave the bread to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool. It’s best sliced when the bread is completely cool, it might be a bit crumbly otherwise.
The bread will keep in a container for up to 4 days. Alternatively, slice and freeze, and defrost in the toaster or at room temperature for an hour.

Notes

Allergens: nuts, gluten.

Serving suggestion: Try this bread toasted with nut butter or mashed avocado and lemon. It also makes an ideal accompaniment to any soup or stew.

Recipe by Francesca Klottrup, chef and nutritionist, lecturer on the Natural Chef and Vegan Natural Chef Diploma Courses. Photograph by Juliet Klottrup