This recipe was inspired by a favorite from my childhood: date and nut bread with cream cheese. The small, rectangular, dark brown bread came wrapped in paper inside a cellophane package. As you peeled off a slice, the paper would stick a little to the rich loaf. What a treat! To give it a power boost, I make this homemade version by substituting protein-packed seeds for the traditional flour (which also makes it gluten free). Make it ahead of time, slice and freeze. When a quick start is needed, just warm up a slice and upgrade to an adult version with a schmear of goat cheese and get going.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups coarsely chopped dates
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, divided
- ⅔ cup sunflower seeds, divided
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee* (decaf is OK)
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (plus more to prepare pan or use spray coconut oil)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast walnuts on a baking sheet in the oven for about 7 minutes until fragrant.
Prepare 4” x 8” bread pan with parchment paper. Leave 2” of paper overhanging on opposite sides, then brush or spray the paper and exposed pan with oil.
In a food processor, pulse dates, ⅔ cup of walnuts, and ⅓ cup sunflower seeds.
Transfer to a large bowl. Pour hot coffee over the mixture and let it sit for two minutes.
Add remaining walnuts, sunflower seeds plus oats, flaxseed meal, chia seeds, chickpea flour, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix very well, using your hands if necessary. It should be the consistency of peanut butter.
Transfer to the prepared bread pan and let the mixture sit for about 2 hours until it starts to pull away from the pan. Or if lifted using the parchment paper, until it stays fairly solid.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from pan. Turn upside down onto a baking sheet and bake for another 45 minutes.
Cool completely, chill in the refrigerator, then slice with a sharp knife. Arrange slices in a glass container with wax or freezer paper between the slices and close with a tight lid to freeze. The slices can be defrosted in a toaster oven or microwave.
About this recipe
*Why coffee? It adds acidity and rich flavor to balance the sweet dates, and the hot water activates the glutinous quality of the flax meal and chickpea flour.
