This classic gets a healthy upgrade, but stays simple to make!
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Preparation Time
20 minutes + 1 hour
Cooking Time
30-45 minutes
Difficulty Rating
2
Health Level
5
Serves
16
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups / 210 g SWG* or whole wheat or spelt (wholemeal) flour
- ½ cup / 80 g steel cut (non-instant) oats, finely ground to flour or:
- ½ cup / 80 g oat flour
- ¾ tsp. / 3 g baking soda
- ½ tsp. / 2½ g baking powder
- ½ tsp. / 2½ g salt or substitute
- 1 cup / 240 g low fat kefir or:
- combination of ¼ cup buttermilk + ½ cup water + 1 large omega-3 or grass-fed egg
- 1 Tbsp. / 14 ml organic whole sugar cane juice or simple syrup** from coconut sugar
- ½ cup / 56 g currants or raisins, optional
- 1 Tbsp. / 10 g caraway seeds, optional
Directions
- Machine Method
- Combine all the liquid ingredients and place in the bottom of the bread machine.
- Combine all dry ingredients and place on top of the liquid mixture. Process all ingredients on the “quick bread” cycle.
- t end of cycle, test for doneness with a toothpick; if it does not come out clean, switch the machine setting to “bake” cycle, and continue checking for doneness every 10 minutes.
- After baking, remove the bread pan from the machine and allow bread to sit in the pan for 10 minutes to “set.” Remove bread from pan and cool on wire rack before slicing.
- Hand Method
- Heat the oven to 375 °F / 190 °C.
- Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the kefir and the sugar cane juice. Stir into the dry mixture, mixing only until the dough just comes together.
- Mix in the currants or raisins and caraway seeds, if desired. Transfer to a floured surface and form into a round loaf.
- Do not overmix, or the bread will be tough.
- Place on a lightly greased cast iron skillet or baking sheet. Score a deep X in the top of the dough. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when you tap the bottom; check for doneness with a toothpick. If the toothpick does not come out clean, bake for up to another 15 minutes.
- Cool before slicing.
*SWG: sprouted whole grain
**Simple syrup: equal parts sugar+water, boiled for 5 minutes
Serving Size: 1 oz / 30 g slice
Exchanges per Serving: 1 Carb, 0 Protein, 0 Fat
What is kefir
Hi, Kathleen. Kefir is a fermented dairy or similar product that is like a milky yogurt. You can read more about it here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/superfood-kefir/.
Just made 4 loaves to share with my neighbors-it’s delicious!
Hi, June. True (100%) whole wheat is fine. The challenge is checking the label to be sure no refined flours have been added.
Kefir is a fermented milk/yogurt-like beverage. You can read more about it here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/superfood-kefir/.
I thought you weren’t supposed to use whole wheat?
What is kefir?
I m from Ireland and you don t need a bread machine to make traditional soda bread
good.recipe, hope I have time to make it .
Hi, Gill. Actually, the ingredients are from around the world, but they are less mass-produced, and so less-known. The are most often found in health-oriented shops such as Whole Foods Market, or online including Amazon. Here is a brief shopping guide: http://www.trimdownclub.com/where-to-buy-UK/.
You can read more about kefir on our website (http://www.trimdownclub.com/superfood-kefir/) and on a Scottish website (http://www.kefirshop.co.uk/aboutus.htm). Because the recipe depends on some fermentation, plain milk won’t work quite as well. Yogurt thinned out with some milk may work better.
Hi My name is Gill and I live in Scotland. Your recipes contain a lot of American ingredients some of which I have never heard of. Thank goodness for the internet so I could find out what Kefir is. Could I just use skimmed milk or even buy an Irish Soda Loaf?
Hi, Mrs. Lawal. While Irish soda bread is widely available in the UK, it may be rare to find it prepared in a whole grain manner as we have it here. The best example I found is “Wholemeal Soda Bread, Authentic Bread Co.” from Abel and Cole., available for mail order (link – http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/wholemeal-soda-bread). Among major shop chains, Waitrose appears to have something reasonably similar, called “Irish brown soda bread” by Rankin Selection, though it is not quite as pure (health-supporting) as the Abel product.
Can I get this bread to buy in shop ?
Hi, RosieO. Yes, this bread can be frozen.
Hi, Limara. You can read more about kefir here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/superfood-kefir/. The lime leaves to which you refer are actually “kaffir” lime leaves, and not related to kefir.
I will love this with caraway seeds. Please tell me what kefir is. Is it to do with lime leaves?
Can this be frozen? I live alone and don’t want to waste food!
This sounds good as I have had an unhealthy love affair with bread bordering on addiction and the consequent affliction of weight gain. I honestly believe it has contributed to a tired, and lethargic me who has lost her motivation to exercise and even walk much. I long to be trim and agile again and here’s looking to you trimdownclub for that inspiration. Gemini68
lovely jubbly