We’re jumping into a pretty busy time of year, my social media is blowing up with holiday build up and recipes and I’m finding myself a little overwhelmed. Uninspired really, feeling a need to withdrawal and turn it all off. I don’t want this winter to slip away from me, before I know it it will be march and well into the new year. We’ve got some pretty exciting plans for this summer, it would be easy to wish time away and jump forward a few months. But I’m consciously reminding myself that there is so much happening in the here and now, it’s important to remain present. Last night we split a bottle of wine and listened to a very old ipod on shuffle. We’re guilty of coming home, making dinner and watching tv more often than we should, so it felt good to have everything turned off, and just chat, dance and laugh. In a world that thrives for perfection, I’ve realized that perfect moments can never be created or planned, they just create themselves.
It is a season where everything is on the quest for perfection; perfect pie crust, perfect photographs, the perfect gift, it is exhausting. I’m not perfect, and trying to be is simply boring. I want to drink half a bottle of wine on a wednesday night and get a little tipsy dancing to the counting crows in my living room. I want to eat more than my fair share of this loaf and feel good about it. I want to own my mistakes, to leave a few crumbs on the floor and to embrace life in all its real and sometimes messy glory. Join me?
Ingredients
1 + 1/2 tablespoons ground flax + 1/4 cup water
1 cup brown rice flour
1 + 1/2 cups light spelt flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 + 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used homemade, unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup organic black cane sugar molasses (blackstrap)
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 + 1/4 cup dates, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 175 C / 350 F and line a loaf pan with parchment and/or olive oil
Mix flax with water in a small bowl and set aside
Mix together flours, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
In a seperate bowl, combine milk, oil, molasses and vanilla. Whisk until combined. You might need to use a little elbow grease to mix in that sticky molasses. Whisk in flax+water mixture, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently to combine.
Fold in walnuts and dates, then stir in apple cider vinegar.
Poor into prepared load pan, smooth out the top and bake for about 40 minutes, or until lightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before slicing – so hard!
Enjoy fresh for a day or two, if it gets a little dry, toast and spread with almond butter.
Let me in on your kitchen creations – tag your photos #happyheartedkitchen and share the love!
7 Comments
valentina - sweet kabocha
November 27, 2014 at 10:18 amI completely join you!
Ps : I bought a molasses jar because I know how much is healthy for its iron content and this seems the perfect recipe to use it!!!
Jodi Kay
November 27, 2014 at 10:27 amThank you, Valentina! Molasses is my new favorite sweetener, so much depth of flavor :) J x
shelley ludman
November 27, 2014 at 12:48 pmthis sounds like the perfect breakfast for the chilly morning we’ve been having lately. Also, sign me up – vino, counting crows, and dancing around your living room. So much YES!
Kathy
December 5, 2014 at 4:55 pmI love this post. love love love it :)
Jodi Kay
December 6, 2014 at 8:15 amThank you, Kathy! x
Lin Loew
February 15, 2018 at 4:59 pmIs one tablespoon of baking powder the correct measurement? I’ve never used that amount. Thank you.
Lin Loew
February 15, 2018 at 6:59 pmNever mind, I understand the process. First time baking vegan. Thank you.