This recipe for Seed Bread comes from my friend Isabella Niehaus and features in her brand new cookbook Duinhuis (House on the Dune). The book is a feast, packed with some of her most famous recipes, glimpses into her life intertwined with food and stories of friends and their food that defines her style of cooking today. I have eaten the seed bread a few times and it was an obvious choice when I wanted to make a recipe from the book.
I grew up knowing the name Isabella Niehaus from seeing her name as fashion editor in my mom’s magazines. Not knowing that many years later we would become friends as our love of food will lead to our paths crossing in Cape Town. I have sat at many of her Long Table Lunches at her beautiful home on the dune and it is the same home where we host our popular food photography workshops a few times during the year.
Isabella has an understated glamour with her silver bangles jingling in the background as she tells you the most amazing stories from her fashion days, the naughtiest smile, the biggest heart and a touch that creates the most delicious magic in her kitchen. Needless to say, it is such a pleasure to share this recipe from her book.
It was Isabella that played an integral role that saw me fly off to France to shoot The Story of a House a few years ago with Francois Pistorius. So it is rather apt that this post coincides with the proud news that I have 4 images shortlisted in this year’s Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition. I could not make it to London when I won the Food Blogger category in 2017, so I am super excited to head to London next week to attend the awards ceremony on the 30th when the winners will be revealed.
Back to the bread! The bread is super delicious and filling. Gluten free (make sure the oats you use is indeed gluten free), contains no eggs or milk and packed with nuts and seeds. We smothered it with cream cheese and peppered mackerel so the loaf did not last very long after baking. As Bella writes in the book, “this is a good addiction to have”.
The bread will make a wonderful breakfast bread with the Easter long weekend around the corner. Dress it with cream cheese and salmon or sliced boiled eggs with a tangy homemade mayo for a long weekend breakfast that is healthy and utterly delicious.
You can omit the nuts and replace it with more seeds. I added some sesame seeds and cashew nuts to the mix but found the cashew nuts too big and won’t add it again. I would also suggest you use a longer tin so that the bread is about 6cm or so in height – it can crumble a bit and will be easier to slice if not too high.
Do yourself a favour and join Isabella at her table as she writes about the food that defines her and shares some of her famous recipes and from her foodie friends. Duinhuis is available at all bookstores now.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Isabella’s Seed Bread. If you’ve made the recipe, share it with me by tagging @heinstirred on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #heinstirred.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups oats
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup linseeds
- ½ cup raw almonds, whole
- 3 tbsp psyllium husks
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
Instructions
- Grease a loaf tin
- Mix all the dry ingredients
- Whisk the water, coconut oil and maple syrup together and add to the dry ingredients
- Mix well
- Spoon into the loaf tin and smooth the top
- Let it stand for at least 2 hours or overnight
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C
- Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes
- Remove from the pan, turn it upside down and bake for another 30 – 40 minutes until the bread sounds hollow when you knock on it
- Let it cool down completely
- Will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days and freezes well
A few more of my favourite bread recipes :
The Food Fox
Apr 15, 2019
I’m saving this recipe immediately! Looks incredible!!
heinstirred
Apr 15, 2019
Dankie Ilse! Dis heerlik. Hoop jy geniet.
Di@bibbyskitchen
Apr 15, 2019
Love everything about this bread, including the toppings. Divine!
heinstirred
Apr 15, 2019
Thanks so much Di
Kimberly
Apr 15, 2019
Is this not Sarah Brittons Life changing bread recipe? ( My New Roots)
heinstirred
Apr 15, 2019
Hello Kimberly. No idea, I am not familiar with that writer or her book.
Elizabeth
Apr 15, 2019
Wow! Mag ek vra of die hawermout van die growee soort is? Baie geluk ook met jou nominasues
heinstirred
Apr 15, 2019
Hello Elizabeth. Baie dankie. Ek het sommer gewone Jungle oats gebruik.
Matthew Glasser
Apr 22, 2019
We made this last week, and it was wonderful!
heinstirred
Apr 22, 2019
Fantastic, great to hear Matthew. Hope all is well.