Adventure Bread

Because life is nothing if not an adventure.

Adventure Bread lives up to it’s name and then some.  It is a gluten-free delight of a loaf.  Having made the switch to eating gluten-free several months ago, in pursuit of a happier, healthier life, bites of toast had become distant, lovely memories.  I could have lived on toast.  I truly love everything about toast–it’s crunch, the warm soft center surrounded on all sides by a chewy crisp crust that begs to be tore off and indulged upon, dipped into soups, spread with soft cheeses, or cultured herbaceous butter, used to sop up beautiful olive oil laced with rich, slightly sweet, tangy vinegar.  Oh toast, how I have missed you.

Adventure Bread is the perfect toasting bread.  Loaded with nuts, seeds, and bound together with oats and ground flax, adventure bread is the perfect way to start the day.  It opens the door to whatever adventure may lie in wait on the other side.  Filling, nutritious and nurturing, bursting with wholesome nutty flavor, a slice of adventure bread toasted golden dark, awakens the palate and enlivens the body.  It is soul food nirvana.

The original recipe comes from Josey Baker, (yes, that is truly his real name), a science teacher turned Bread Miller and Baker, following his passion in life.  No wonder this bread is amazing.  Anytime we follow our passions and creativity the outcome is out of this world.  Josey is an adventurer in the truest sense of the word.  One glance at his blog and you will see him creating his own stone mill to grind his grain,  baking with abandon, climbing mountains, and building sweat lodges. Oh, and let’s not forget his adorable baby boy and beautiful wife who are adventuring right alongside him.  Check out his website here.

I stumbled across the recipe the other night while searching for something completely unrelated on David Lebovitz’ blog. He posted with permission from Josey Baker’s book, the original recipe for Adventure Bread.  Click here for the link.

I was blown away by the bread, and decided to jump up from the couch to make it right then.  The promise of toast for breakfast was too strong to deny.  The great thing about this recipe is the simplicity.  You dump everything together, muck it up with your hands, or a big wooden spoon, shape it into a loaf pan and let it sit.  A few hours or overnight will do.  The recipe is definitely no-fuss simplicity at it’s finest.  After the loaf has set, all you do is pop it in the oven to bake for an hour.  The hardest part about this recipe is waiting to cut the loaf until it has cooled completely. 2 WHOLE HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well, I figured I haven’t had toast for 6 months, what’s a couple more hours???!  It is well worth the wait.  Make this bread, it is the adventure you have been waiting for.

As always, I tweaked the recipe just a bit to make do with what I had in the cupboard.  I didn’t have the psyllium seed husk that is the binder in the original recipe so I used ground flax instead.  It turned out great, I don’t think I will buy the psyllium seed husk, as I always have flax on hand; it’s a staple in my homestead kitchen.  I also used old-fashioned thick rolled oats.  I buy these in bulk at the mill, so it is our homestead rolled oat of choice.  The thick rolled oats gives a nice texture and a ton of creamy oat flavor to the bread.  Other than that I tried to stay true to the recipe, as it is unbelievably delicious just as it is.

This bread is delicious toasted for breakfast, slathered with butter and drizzled with honey, an open-faced sandwich for lunch, piled high with veggies and cheese, or as an appetizer, cut into bites to accompany a cheese board complimented with a glass of wine.  It would also be the perfect camping bread toasted lightly over a campfire.  Any adventure you might encounter, this bread is a ready partner.

Adventure awaits.  Take your bread with you.