Food With A Point

It's very rare that I bake anything well. So when I do, and it passes the test of the numerous people I submit to my samples, I think it's important to pass on these recipes. Essentially, if I made it and it's good that means it's more than foolproof...

Here is a great loaf recipe that it super healthy, not time consuming and easy to make. It's from another recipe that I tweaked to reduce the sweetness and make a bit more interesting in terms of depth of flavour. Eat for breakfast or an afternoon snack. It's also great as a weekday dessert with plain yogurt. It seems to be at its best a few days after I bake it - almost as if it cures.

3/4 cup boiling water
1 cup roughly chopped dates (approx 16 Iranian boxed)
1/2 cup dried figs roughly chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup molasses or orange marmalade
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup quinoa flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hand crumbled, toasted walnuts

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, pour hot water over dates, figs and butter. Stir and let the mix sit until lukewarm.

In another bowl, whisk molasses, vanilla, and eggs until combined. Add this mixture to the date mixture only once the date mixture is cooled (otherwise you’ll get scrambled eggs…).

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the date mixture. Add walnuts. Mix until just combined. Pour the batter into an 8” butter-greased loaf pan. Tap the pan once or twice on the counter to let the air pockets out.

Bake for 50 minutes or so; loaf is done when the top has risen and is nice and deep brown. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice and devour.

* I like to remove the loaf from the pan after 30 minutes to cool. Once I am ready to slice it, I return it to the loaf pan and start cutting into it – I find it easier to cut evenly and the slices don’t end up breaking in half.