The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread with Olives and Caraway

One of my favorite recipe books and websites is Sarah Britton’s the My New Roots I am excited to share this with you and am featuring and nourishing and nutritious vegan and gluten-free recipe that is comforting in any season.

Course: Side Dish 
Servings: 6 people 
Author Sarah Britton

Ingredients

• 1 c sunflower seeds
• ½ c flax seeds
• ½ c hazelnuts or almonds
• 1½ c glute free rolled oats
• 2 t Chia seeds
• 4 T psyllium seed husks (3 if using powder)
• 1 t fine sea salt
• 1 T caraway seed
• 1 T pure maple syrup
• 3 T coconut oil or ghee melted½
• ½ c kalamata olives pitted and chopped

Instructions

1. In a flexible silicone loaf pan (or parchment-lined loaf pan), combine sunflower and flax seeds, nuts, oats, chia seeds psyllium husks, sea salt, and caraway seeds, stirring well. 
2. Whisk the maple syrup, oil, and 1 1/2 cups water together in a measuring cup.  Add this mixture plus the chopped olives to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is completely soaked and the dough becomes very thick ( if the dough is too thick to stir, add 1 or 2 tsp of water until it is manageable).  Smooth out the top with the back of the spoon.  Let sit out on the counter covered for at least 3 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F
4. Bake the loaf on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes (it may take longer till the top is a bit dry.  Check it periodically).  Remove the bread from the loaf pan, turn it upside down directly onto the oven rack and bake for another 40 min to an hour.  The bread is done when it sounds hollow when it is tapped.  Let the bread cool completely before slicing; to slice it easily, use a very sharp, smooth knife instead of a serrated bread knife.
5. Store the bread in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  (It also freezes well so slice before freezing for quick and easy toast.)