The Meal in a Mouthful Savoury Loaf

You’re running out the door and time is against you. You’re well aware that piece of ‘supermarket toast’ isn’t going to sustain you ‘til lunch. So what should one do?! Easy! Throw a slice of this loaf into your toaster, top it with avo and tomato and voila – a meal in a mouthful…or five.

This recipe is a favourite of mine and one that deserves to be out in the world (and recreated and devoured, as often as possible).

In my view, this loaf is fabulous baked, sliced up, frozen and toasted (under the griller) as I need it (unless of course you've a family around you ready to demolish your culinary masterpiece). My favourite combo is avocado, fresh tomato, cracked pepper and sea salt flakes. Perfection. Having said that, slicing it fresh and eating it as is will satisfy even the fussiest of taste buds. 

* Please read the recipe notes below for the ultimate in recipe success! 

Makes 1 loaf

You will need:
2 cups quinoa flakes
1 cup milk of choice (I use rice milk) 
½ cup water
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
½ cup hazelnuts, chopped 
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted, finely chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
¼ cup flax seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Good pinch sea salt
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Grease a loaf tin generously. I used a 20cm x 11cm tin. 

In a large mixing bowl stir together the coconut oil, rice malt syrup, water and milk. Add all remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine. Sprinkle flax seeds to coat the base of the loaf tin. Turn the batter into the tin and press down firmly. Sprinkle with extra pumpkin seeds and flax seeds and press down to ensure they won’t fall off. Cook for 20 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the oven and very carefully remove it from the tin. You may need to run a knife around the inside of the tin but it should slide out quite freely. Very gently, place it upside down on the oven rack (yes, that's the oven rack, not a baking tray). Bake for a further 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely before slicing gently.

This loaf store in an airtight container for a week, alternatively it is suitable to freeze.

* Recipe notes:
1. Do make sure you chop the nuts, olives and tomatoes quite finely. Leaving them too large will render an unstable loaf once faced with a knife!
2. Do make sure you allow this loaf to cool entirely before cutting it. Not doing to will render the same outcome as above! 

So go forth - bake people, bake! And please do report back and tell me what you think!