miracle bread (a.k.a. oat soda bread)

I know that after all those Bonci bread making and pizza making classes you probably assumed I’ve been busy making things right and left with my precious starter that we got in class. Well, sorry to disappoint, but I failed as a mother to my mother. It died. It was just one too many things that I had to feed, and it starved to death.

And you saw what happened to the pizza I tried to make. After using expired dried yeast (does yeast just come to my house to die?) I ended up with a nice batch of crackers.

But it’s hasn’t been all failure all the time. I’ve actually been baking loaves that have risen to the occasion.

I’m a huge fan of Heidi Swanson and her site 101 Cookbooks (me and about a million others) and for the last few weeks I’ve turned to her for doughy inspiration. Her Soda Oat Bread (which I have decided to call Miracle Bread) has become my best friend.

When it’s rainy and cold and I don’t feel like running out to get a loaf of bread for dinner? Miracle Bread to the rescue, in just an hour. When I realize the night before that we don’t have any bread for breakfast? Again, Miracle Bread bakes up while we watch Mad Men. It’s healthy, fast and, like me, you probably have all the ingredients already. See why I call it Miracle Bread?

Heidi’s original recipe calls for white flour, in addition to the oats. But she mentioned on Facebook recently that she often substitutes rye. I’ve tried that, as well as whole wheat and grano duro, and they all work out swell. I’ve even started working in some seeds into the dough, as well as sprinkling them on top.

Sorry about the lack of variety in the photos. I meant to take some pix of the bread sliced, but it goes so fast in my house, that it’s hard to capture before it’s just crumbs on the counter.


Oat Soda Bread Recipe
From: Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks

butter, to grease pan

2 cups rolled oats
2 1/4 cups flour (all purpose, rye or whole wheat)
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
1 3/4 cups / 415 ml buttermilk, plus more if needed, and 2T. for brushing (Or, if you are like me, and living in the land of no buttermilk, use 1 cup plain yogurt, and 3/4 cup milk)
mixed seeds – sesame, caraway, poppy, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 F/ 200 C, with rack in middle of oven.

Butter and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

To make oat flour, use a food processor to process into fine powder.

Mix flours, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Add buttermilk and stir till it comes together. Transfer to counter, dusted with flour, and knead for just a bit more, about 30 seconds.

Shape it roughly into loaf shape and place it in the pan. Brush with milk, make a few deep slits across the top, and sprinkle with seeds.

Place in oven on middle rack. After 30 minutes, move the loaf to the top rack, and bake for about another 20 minutes.


Finally, if you don’t know it already, you really should visit 101 Cookbooks. Heidi’s inspired writing and gorgeous photographs make you want to cook up every one of her delicious (and healthy) recipes. She has one cookbook already out, Super Natural Cooking, and Super Natural Everyday is coming soon.