Fall is officially here.

As in, the calendar says so. It's still hitting temps in the three digits here - so I am praying for some cooler days with my boys before little baby girl arrives.

Due in just 3 short weeks folks, this pregnancy felt like it went SO much faster than Grey's. Probably because I had a four year old, homeschool preschool, a pandemic and shooting a cooking show to keep me busy through it. 

I'll keep this short and sweet today - and speaking of sweet, these Vanilla Maple Roasted Pears are SUCH a wonderful hygge treat to enjoy by a fire or snuggled under a fall throw with a good book. 

We served these alongside a traditional Medieval Knights dinner for my sons preschool and they were the perfect dessert addition! 

Another day, another bread on the homestead. This bread is yeast free and has a sweetness that can be a great foundation to dessert breads, french toast or just served with jam at breakfast or brunch. 

We make this one when we want to take a break from yeast, otherwise we whip up  loaf of my traditional Oat Bread that is vegan and gluten free. 

​Composed of just six simple ingredients, this grain-free bread is dense and satisfying. Though the bread is made from coconut flour, its flavor is only slightly reminiscent of coconut. While you could use this coconut flour bread to prepare sandwiches, I think it's much better suited as a dessert bread or french toast base. ​

We are on a mission this year - to move into the space of not just eating clean and caring for our home in a non-toxic way, but teaching ourselves and our children more actual, sustainable, homesteading skills. 

Being "self-sufficient" was never something I was taught growing up, and I honestly feel unprepared for things that may come in the future and a proverbs 31 wife and mother is to be prepared so that her household doesn't go cold or hungry. 

We have printed a list of skills to teach ourselves and our children, as well as a list of things we'd love to do with our land that the Lord has blessed us to build our farmhouse upon. 

We decided to start simply with things we use everyday - growing a simple garden, learning to start a fire and baking homemade bread from scratch. 

Today, I am sharing a simple and delicious Oat Bread recipe that is vegan and gluten free. Grey helped me make most of it as we used it as a Pre-K lesson for school and it made my heart happy to see him happily learning something that could benefit him and his family in years to come. 

The recipe is below and couldn't have been easier - I didn't need a bread maker - just a mixing bowl, some elbow grease and a simple bread pan and oven! It was GREAT with vegan butter, jam or just fresh from the oven. 

Ingredients:

• 1 C. Gluten-Free Oats (not quick-cooking!)
• 1/2 C. Oat Flour
• 1/2 C. Coconut Sugar
• 1/4 C. Vegan Butter
• 1 TBSP sea salt
• 2 C. hot water
• 1 TBSP. active yeast
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 sprinkle of white sugar 
• 6 C. Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour 

Directions: 

• Do not preheat your oven at this time - as you will take time to wait for the yeast to rise. 
• Mix together oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, vegan butter, sea salt and 2 C. of hot water.
• Set aside once mixed to cool. 
• Activate the yeast by adding 1/2 c. warm water and a sprinkle of sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Stir yeast mixture into oat mixture.
• Making sure your surface and hands are well-floured, mix in 3 C. of your all-purpose flour and begin to knead the dough. Add the remaining 3 C. as you knead to get a bread dough consistency. 
• Cover dough with a damn towel and allow to rise for one hour. 
• Once dough is risen, preheat oven to 350 degrees and punch it down and separate into two loaf pans.
  
• Bake both loaves at 350 for 30-40 minutes until your toothpick comes out clean. 
  
• Enjoy hot out of the oven! Save in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze to enjoy later.  

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