irish soda bread saturday

It’s hard to believe that yesterday was a snow day, because today feels like spring. Right now, the windows are cracked, my hair is in a ponytail, and I am wearing capri yoga pants, drinking seltzer, and I don’t feel chilled. It’s too good to be true! This morning, Connor & I went out for some errands, and 5 minutes into the car ride, I shrugged off my coat and later opted for iced coffee at Starbucks instead of my usual hot vanilla blonde. I enjoyed the last hurrah of winter yesterday, but now I am truly ready for spring.

This morning was one of those mornings when we hardly had any groceries, so I had to get a little creative for breakfast:

{2 bananas + 2 tbsp almond butter + 1 egg}

These were really good! Despite the fact that I flipped the first two pancakes waaaay too early, the entire finished product tasted delicious. I added some syrup and it was the perfect little breakfast to get the day started.

After breakfast, Connor earned some boyfriend points by accompanying me on a couple theatre-related errands. I had to pick up some costumes for my show (including the ugliest slash most awesome wedding dress ever). We made an impromptu stop at HomeGoods where I found these amazing oversized flowers that make me think of Alice in Wonderland meets Honey I Shrunk The Kids, but will be perfect for our “tropical” set. Pictures to come, for sure.

Back home, I set out on a baking project: Irish Soda Bread. Around this time of year, I always crave Irish Soda Bread, probably because of the huge display of it at every entrance to every grocery store. I have always used Ina Garten’s recipe, which is definitely a go-to staple, but I decided to make it a little bit healthier this time. I swapped out the sugar with Truvia, butter with Earth Balance, and I used Chobani’s conversion chart for the buttermilk:

(Could Chobani be any more awesome? I don’t think so!)

The finished product is so yummy, and I’m afraid I’m going to eat it all in one or two days. It just goes with almost everything! It can be a breakfast…it can be a side for lunch/dinner…or it can be a dessert.

Kneading the bread is always my favorite part of this recipe. It reminds me of playing with clay or Play-Doh. I probably over-knead, because I enjoy it so much, but oh well.

Recipe time? You bet:

Healthier Irish Soda Bread (adapted from Ina Garten)

You will need…

• 4 cups flour
• 6 tbsp Truvia (or 4 tbsp sugar)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 4 tbsp Earth Balance or butter
• 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt (I recommend Chobani, of course)
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 lg egg
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup raisins + 1 tbsp flour, combined

Method…

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, Truvia, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Add the Greek yogurt, butter/Earth balance, and buttermilk. Mix until combined. Add the orange zest and vanilla. Add to the flour and mix thoroughly (recommended to use a mixer with a dough hook.)
4. Add flour-coated raisins to the dough and fold to combine. 
5. On a floured surface, knead the dough for a couple of minutes. Form into a rounded loaf and place on the prepared baking sheet. Score the dough with a small knife – I made a large “X” across the top.
6. Bake in preheated oven approx 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool. Enjoy!

As a parting shot, I will tell you that Connor & I watched Celeste & Jesse Forever last night, thinking it would be cute and quirky and a fun Friday night movie.

Although it was entertaining, and funny at times, um…this movie is super depressing. Don’t. Just don’t. Save yourself and watch 5oo Days of Summer instead, which is just as depressing but somehow more “worth it”, and JGL > Andy Samburg any day.

Reader Question(s): 

• Have you ever made Irish Soda Bread before? Any favorite recipes?
• What movie depresses you?