If you love bread but need to avoid wheat, gluten or carbs for one reason or another, this is a great alternative. Packed with healthy seeds and nuts, with added flavour from spices and dried fruit (optional) and just a tad of flour this is pleasingly chewy and substantial and I love the sweet-salty taste contrast.
It is also very quick to make as it's based on the soda bread principle, so it's just a matter of mixing the batter, pouring in a tin and baking immediately. Takes 15 min max to throw together and 50-60 min to bake.
It's based on this recipe (as well as original inspiration from a 'Nelson loaf' made by a dear friend) but as usual I have adapted and simplified my own version!
2 tbsp ground flaxseed/linseed (same thing)
1tsp baking soda (or 2 tsp of baking powder)
1tsp salt
140g flour (I use Cassava or Buckwheat as gluten-free options)
400g of mixed seeds and nuts (use whatever you like and have to hand0
for example: seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, chia, flax, oats
nuts: walnuts, almonds, hazels, roughly chopped; toast first in a dry pan if you like)
30g dried fruit, chopped (optional - try cranberries, apricots, dates or prunes)
1 tsp of spices (optional, I love nigella seeds, other ideas could be caraway seeds, or cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger...)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (to react with the baking soda, you can also substitute with 2 tsp of cream of tartar - omit this step if using baking powder)
360ml water (you could also use buttermilk or yoghurt, in which case omit the vinegar/lemon above)
In a small cup mix the ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp of warm water and let stand for 20 mins (it will become gloopy and act as an egg replacer to hold the bread together)
Meanwhile combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Set the oven to 170 C.
Grease a baking tin with a bit of olive oil.
Add all the wet ingredients and the soaked linseed meal to your bowl and mix well. You will get quite a runny batter.
Grease a bread tin with some olive oil, fill in the batter, and bake in the oven for 60 min, until a skewer comes out clean. (If you bread maker has a cake setting, you can use that too for unattended baking).
Let cool and enjoy!