Teff & Oat Bread (V, GF)

My gluten-free teff & oat bread is a reliable power up, any time of day. It is also vegan, yeast-free. straightforward to make in minutes, and ideal for fueling your next marathon, or any of your epic adventures! You can also make it oil-free.

Happy Monday, everyone!

The Houston Marathon is fewer than 6 days away, whoo-hoo! This will be my first time running it, and I am especially excited because it is such a short distance away (no plane trips required), it’s especially-flat (last marathon–July–was in San Francisco), and all of my Saturday-morning running buddies will be there, too. (Any Nbirz readers running this year? I’d love to know!)

The only downside has been training in the cold. Yes, cold in Texas! It has been in the teens the last few weekends, and I hate running in the cold. As a reward, I have been making and baking runner-food (e.g., power bars, breads, energy cookies) following frigid runs, so that I can stand by the oven as much as to reap the rewards of my labor.

Wholesome Gluten-Free Bread Made with Teff Flour

One of my go-to new developments is this dark and satisfying quick bread, made quickly and easily with oats, and teff, a go-to superfood of Ethiopian, Eritrean, and many Western distance runners, too.

It’s my gluten-free Teff & Oat Bread. I like to call to call itMarathon Bread.

The inspiration for the bread came from a recipe I stumbled across, in Bon Appetit. for especially-seedy, gluten-free bread. It caught my eye because I gravitate towards dark, hearty loaves of bread, plus, I knew I had some teff flour (which is called for in the recipe), waiting for a use, in the freezer. It looked and sounded like a winer.

Yeast-Free Teff Bread

But then I looked at the recipe more closely. It is a yeast bread (fine), but…did I want to wait around to soak oats proof yeast? No. Further, while I am a fan of nut- and seed-studded baked goods, 2-1/2 cups worth seems excessive, as well as unwise for fuelling long runs (too many pit stops. Enough said on that subject :)).

So, I scrapped the yeast, nuts and seeds, and headed in my own direction, recalibrating the bread as a plain, hearty quick bread.

I love it. I think you will too.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Nut-free
• Oil-free option
• Yeast-free
• Quick and straightforward to make
• High fiber

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• plain nondairy milk (e.g., oat milk, almond milk, hemp milk)
• cider vinegar (or other light color vinegar, or lemon juice)
• rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
• whole psyllium husks
• flaxseed meal
• molasses (or maple syrup)
• teff flour
• baking soda
• neutral vegetable oil (e.g., coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil; see notes for oil-free options)

You will also need a small amount of salt (always optional or adjustable) and water (I use filtered tap water).

How to Make Gluten-Free Teff & Oat Bread

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

You can whip up this bread in no time flat!

• In alarge bowl, stir together the water, milk, vinegar, oats, psyllium,flaxseed mealand molasses until combined. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F (180 C) and grease or spray 4 small (5×3-inch/12.5×7.5 cm) loaf pans.
• In asmall bowl, whisk together theteff flour,baking sodaand salt.
• Add theteffmixture and oil to the oats mixture, stirring vigorously until completely combined (batter will be very thick).
• Divide batter equally between prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 44 minutes and tops of loaves are very puffed.
• Transfer to acooling rackand cool completely in pans (loaves will begin deflating almost immediately, to about the level of each pan top). Remove from pans, slice and eat!

What is the Taste & Texture of the Bread?

The texture of the bread is tender, similar to a whole wheat and oat quick bread recipe I used to make years ago. It has a slightly sweet, wholesome flavor that pairs well with both sweet and savory toppings for sandwiches, toast, or anytime gnoshing.

FAQ

• My batter is very thick. Should I add more liquid?No. Note, in the photo below, that the batter is meant to be VERY thick, in large part due to the psyllium husks, which adds structure to the loaves. It may seem dry when you first add the teff flour mixture, but keep stirring, it will all blend.

• Can I Make the Bread in One Large Loaf?No, I do not recommend it. Gluten-free loaves that rely on psyllium and flax need all of the added structure they can get, which is why I decide on four mini loaves as opposed to one 9×5-inch loaf. This allows the bread to bake completely in the centers for a traditional wheat bread-like texture, with minimal deflation after baking.

• My loaves puffed up but deflated slightly after removing from the oven. Is this normal?Yes! When the loaves are finished, they will be puffed high above the edges of the pan, but this is only for a moment (due to the psyllium). The tops will drop almost immediately, but, due to the small loaf size and combination of ingredients, the loaves retain their shape (no center drooping, and no gumminess!).
• Can I make the bread oil-free?Yes! Replace the oil with an equal amount of nondairy milk, unsweetened applesauce or unsweetened pumpkin purée.
• Is there a substitute for the teff flour?Yes! An equal amount of amaranth flour, quinoa flour, sorghum flour or millet flour can be used in place of the teff flour.
• What can I use in place of the molasses?An equal amount of maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar, brown sugar, or honey (if vegan is not necessary), can be used in place of the molasses. If you prefer no sugar, you could add 3 extra tablespoons of milk, or 3 tablespoons of applesauce or pumpkin puree.