By Rebecca Reilly

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Old-Fashioned Irish Soda Bread

MAKES ONE 8-INCH ROUND LOAF

2 cups high-protein, gluten-free flour
    blend (recipe below) or gluten-free
    flour blend of choice
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup gluten-free oats
1 egg or flax gel*
1 cup buttermilk or milk of choice (rice,
     hemp, soy, almond)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly dust a cookie sheet with gluten-free flour.

2. Mix flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and oats in a bowl.

3. Add egg (or flax gel) and buttermilk and mix to form a soft, sticky dough.

4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead three times.

5. Shape dough into a 6-inch flat round. Place it on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle it with gluten-free flour and score a large X in the top.

6. Bake in preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Serves 8. Each serving contains 189 calories, 2g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 28mg cholesterol, 494mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 5g protein.

*TIP To make flax gel, combine 1 tablespoon flax meal with 3 tablespoons hot water. Let sit until thickened, about ten minutes.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Irish Soda Bread

MAKES ONE 8-INCH ROUND LOAF

Traditional Irish soda bread does not contain sugar, caraway seeds or dried fruit. This recipe improves on tradition with a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free twist, just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

½ cup currants
2 cups gluten-free High Protein Flour Blend,
    more if dough is sticky and for dusting
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut butter or palm
    fruit shortening
2 tablespoons butter, dairy-free margarine or
     Earth Balance Buttery Spread
¾ cups buttermilk*
1½ teaspoons lightly toasted caraway seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly dust cookie sheet with flour. Plump currants by covering them in hot water for 10 minutes to soak. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt together.

3. Pinch coconut butter and butter into the dry ingredients until mixture has a sandy texture.

4. Fluff in drained currants and caraway seeds.

5. Make a well in the mixture and pour in ½ cup buttermilk. Mix dry ingredients into the milk, adding more milk as needed to form a soft dough. (Better to have a wetter mixture than one that is too dry.)  

6. Dust the counter with flour. Turn dough out and gently knead into the flour, adding more flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Shape dough into a flat, round 6-inch loaf.  

7. Place dough on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle top with more flour. Using a sharp knife, slash an X in the top.

8. Place dough in preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Serves 8. Each serving contains 209 calories, 7g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 477mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein.

*TIP For dairy-free buttermilk, mix 1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice into ¾ cup milk of choice (rice, soy, nut, hemp). Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  

Gluten-Free High-Protein Flour Blend

MAKES 4¼ CUPS

1¼ cups bean flour, chickpea flour or soy flour
1 cup arrowroot starch, cornstarch or potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 cup white or brown rice flour

Blend ingredients together. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until used.

Each cup contains 588 calories, 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 128g carbohydrate, 24 mg sodium, 6g fiber, 11 g protein.

Read More on These Topics

• Celiac/Gluten Free
• Casein-Free/Dairy Free
• Bread