Soft and Chewy Oat Baguette Bread

This bread recipe comes just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. I have been making this loaf almost every day for the last few weeks. It's my new favorite bread and perfect for almost anything you would use bread for. Soups, stews, salads, sandwiches, breakfast, toast, and butter and jam. Perfect...healthy... gluten-free bread!

It is soft and chewy, but with a hard crust and well, it's perfect. It is also very simple to make with very simple ingredients. It can be made within an hour with no trouble in waiting for the yeast or any other complicated step that homemade bread may require.

And with no yeast, sugar, eggs, wheat, gluten, soy or nuts, this just may be the friendliest allergy-free bread I have ever made. I am totally hooked.

 Soft and Chewy Oat Baguette Bread 
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut and sugar free}

3 TB of psyllium husk powder (must be powder, not seed or husk)
1 cup of pure water
1 cup of non dairy milk (I use unsweetened hemp or coconut)
2 TB of apple cider vinegar
2 TB of raw honey
2 TB of olive oil

2 cups of finely ground fresh GF oat flour {start with adding 1 1/2 cups for dough then add 1/4-1/2 cup more flour for kneading and firming up and dusting tops before baking
(grind 2 cups GF rolled oats in high powered blender)
1 cup of brown or white rice flour or sweet sorghum flour

1 ts. of sea salt
2 ts. aluminum free baking powder (I use Hain brand)
1 ts. of baking soda

You may need 1/4-1/2 cup more of flour (rice or oat) to knead and get less sticky

optional: sprinkle to 1/4 cup extra rolled oats for topping

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the psyllium husk powder, water, milk and apple cider vinegar together. It will turn into a thickened blob in a few minutes, then whisk in the oil and honey in together. *You can sub the honey for maple syrup if you are a strict vegan* 

Then, add all of the dry ingredients. Start with 1 1/2 cup oat flour and 1 cup rice flour and see how it feels, if it is sticky add 1/4 cup more oat flour until the dough is firm. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until all of the flour is blended, but be careful to not over mix and make it too clumpy.  

It will be spongy and you can dump the dough on a parchment paper and roll out with your hands with a little kneading as well, until you get the loaf the size you want. Don't be afraid to use extra rice or out flour to roll out if it is still sticky and not moldable.  Try and roll out a 12-15 inch loaf and roll out as many creases as you can. 

Then finally pat the loaf with a drop of water and sprinkle the oats on the loaf. The water helps the oats stick while baking. Then put in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes, but can last for 60 minutes if you want a thicker crust.

Pull from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into. This will be hard for you because this bread makes your kitchen smell heavenly!

Seriously, this bread smells like bakery heaven. And it comes out looking like you a pro baker who has been slaving away all day to make one perfect loaf! Surprise, totally the opposite!

Then, take that first bite and it will be hard to not want another slice. The bread is known as 'soup bread' by my son because it has made soup at dinner time way more interesting to him. It is a great dipping, NO CRUMBLING, gluten free bread. Go ahead, friends, try it out and ENJOY!

Much love to you!