Galganov's Recipe for
One Loaf of Vegan Oatmeal Bread!

Now let's go make a loaf of this delightful, vegetarian oatmeal bread!

Method I (mixing):

1. Sprinkle yeast onto warm water and let sit a few minutes.
2. Add salt, molasses and oil and mix vigorously.
3. Add 1 1/2 Cup rolled (or instant) oats and mix well.
4. Add 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat flour and beat 100 strong strokes with a wooden spoon.
5. Add 1/2 cup of white flour and work it in well.
6. Add the balance of the white flour 1/4 cup at a time working it by hand as the dough becomes too stiff to work with your spoon - adding flour only until the stickiness is gone from the dough.
7. Knead the dough for about 7 minutes - until it feels silky-smooth.
8. Form the dough into a flat ball and lightly rub a thin coat of oil over the surface of the dough. Then return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover it
9. Put the bowl in a warm, draft-free place (we use the oven with the oven light on) and let it rise for 70 minutes (or until the dough has doubled in bulk).

Method II (forming):

1. (After first rising) Turn dough out onto your (lightly floured) work surface. Press the bubbles out of the dough - flattening it into an oval shape. Cover it with a dish towel and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
2. knead and shape the dough for the pan.
3. spread a little oatmeal on your work surface and roll the top of the dough (the length opposite to the seam in the oatmeal.
4. Slightly dampen the fingers of one hand and rub the top of the loaf (the side with the oatmeal to dampen very slightly) then roll the top on what ever may be left of the oatmeal flakes.   This dampening of the top and oatmeal flakes helps the flakes stick to the dough.
5. Place the dough in the pan seam side down (oatmeal flakes up) in the loaf pan.
6. cover the loaf with a piece of parchment paper (or wax paper although it sticks a little more) and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 50 minutes or until double in bulk.

Method III (baking):

1. With the optional container of water in on the lowest rack in the oven - Preheat the oven to:
      if metal - 475^oF (246^oC)
      if glass or silicon - 455^oF (234^oC)
2. Put loaf in middle of hot oven and bake for 12 minutes
3. After 12 minutes, remove the container of water (if you started with one) and lower the temperature of the oven to:
      if metal - 450^oF (232^oC)
      if glass or silicon - 430^oF (221^oC)
   Cover the loaf loosely with a piece of tin foil and bake it for an additional 25 minutes. (Leave the loaf to bake uncovered if you want a deeper, harder crust.)
4. Tap test (tap the bottom of the loaf) to check for doneness. If tapping the bottom of the loaf yeilds a hollow sound the loaf is cooked. Otherwise, return the loaf to the oven for just a few minutes more.
5. If the bottom is a bit soft while the top lookes nice. In this case:
   return the loaf to the oven for about 2 minutes - WITHOUT the loaf pan but - with the top still covered with foil.
6. Tap-test for doneness.
7. When cooked, move to a wire rack to cool.

The Background Story
One Loaf of Vegan, Oatmeal Bread

This is just a beautiful, vegan, oatmeal bread - rich in warm flavours contributed by a simple though delightful selection of ingredients. We prefer baking with whole, rolled oats rather than the quick oats ... and we use these rolled oats in this recipe as well. While essentially the same as quick oats, we prefer the firmer texture of the whole, flaked, rolled oat and the fact that it has been less processed/handled prior to our use. Besides, these large flakes of oats certainly look nicer than a few small crumbs of oat pieces.

Unlike most of our other loaves, we use molasses to sweeten this loaf. We like the warm flavours of the rolled oats and a bit of whole wheat flour. The beautiful, warm sweetness of the molasses, added very modestly, plays nicely with these other ingredients.

Still, this is the easiest oatmeal loaf to make and should be included in any home baker's repertoire of breads. It could end up being a favourite - even with those who aren't oatmeal lovers. This recipe yields one full-sized loaf of about 1 1/2 Lbs (about 600 g).

Please note: This recipe has not been tested with steel cut oats. Using steel cut oats may cause need to adjust the volume of oats and/or other ingredients.