Healthy Oat and Sunflower Seed Loaf

This loaf is so simple to make, anyone can bake it. And even better, it's very healthy too. It does, however require some amount of time. But the actually baking process is very quick. While the dough rises you can go and do other stuff. You don't have to sit around "waiting" for it to rise. The recipe says at least 40-60 minutes for allowing the dough to rise, but you can without problem leave it for a couple of hours...it doesn't matter. The important thing is not to bake it until it has risen enough, otherwise the bread will turn out dense and have a slightly yeasty taste...and we don't want that.

Even if it's a "white" loaf it's packed with healthy oats which has a high fiber content and also more protein than other cereals. Other benefits from eating more oats are; reduce cholesterol, less likely to develop heart diseases, good source of nutrients as vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron and magnesium, it makes you feel fuller longer and can therefore aid weight loss and it can also help you keep blood sugar levels from changing drastically. Oats are the best!:-)

I like to add oats whenever I can in my breads as I like the more chewy texture that comes from it, not only because it makes the bread more healthy. In this loaf I also added plenty of sunflower seeds which gives the loaf a little bit of a nutty and crunchy flavour. Sunflower seeds are also packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

2 Oat and Sunflower Seed Loafs,
50 grams fresh yeast
6 dl water (600ml)
5 dl oats (500ml) ( I used porridge oats)
7-8 dl flour (700-800ml)
2 tsp salt
3 handful of sunflower seeds

Decoration:
milk
sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, oats, etc


Crumble the fresh yeast into a bowl and add lukewarm water (37 d C.) Mix and let the yeast dissolve.

Add salt, oats, sunflower seeds and flour, the dough should still be a little bit sticky. Make sure you don't use too much flour as it will make the bread dry. Work the dough by hand for about 30 minutes or in a kitchen aid for about 15 minutes.

TIP:
The dough is ready when it's slightly glossy. If you work the dough too little, the bread will turn out dense. Don't worry if it does, I've worked the dough too little a couple of times, and it still tastes nice, but for the prefect bread...work it more:-). One trick is to take a piece of dough between your thumb and index finger, if the dough between your fingers are thin and elastic, you've worked it enough. Otherwise....work it more:-)

When you've worked the dough, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise to double its size for about 40-60 minutes. Place the bowl in a warm place.

Sprinkle some flour onto a work top and place the dough on top. Work the dough once again, this time, just a little bit, add extra flour if the dough is too sticky. Divide the dough into two and place in an oven papered covered baking tin. Brush with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds, oats, sunflower seeds etc on top.

Leave and let rise for another 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. If you are unsure if the dough is ready or not, you can use a thermometer, the bread is ready when it reaches 97 degrees C.

I prefer to eat freshly baked breads straight from the oven with lots of salted butter, that melts on the bread along with a big glass of milk.

ENJOY!