I diverted from my usual breakfast and opted for a slice of this yummy loaf instead- nicely toasted with a generous spread of cream cheese.  It was so good! I must point out that this, hence the "quick....bread" in the title, is actually a soda bread, which means no yeast! It also means that this is a much faster and easier loaf to make!
Breads that have vegetables like pumpkin incorporated into them tend to have a much denser consistency. I love this aspect about them, but that doesn't mean I'm pushing the lighter, fluffier loaves to the side. Those are pretty spectacular in themselves, too! For breakfast especially, though, a denser loaf is more filling and because of the vegetables incorporated into it, it's slightly more nutritious than a plain flour loaf. I nice hearty, filling breakfast is the best way to start a day!
Pumpkin and sage, yet another pair of ingredients that are so commonly seen together. I can't really say that the pumpkin is all that obvious when it comes to the taste of this loaf, but it sure does give it a welcoming colour. The addition of pumpkin seeds give it a good crunch, alongside the crunchy crust, and the sage brings out the pumpkin that, without it, isn't so strong in flavour.

Keep in mind though that quick-breads, soda breads, are best eaten within a day or two of making them. They don't store as well as yeast breads, and definitely not as well as store bought loaves; they're not supposed to!
INGREDIENTS
300g  (10 1/2 oz) plain flour
100g (3 1/2 oz) wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
small handful fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
120g (4 1/2 oz) pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and roughly grated
30g (1 oz) pumpkin seeds
300ml (10 fl oz) buttermilk

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 220ºC (200ºC fanforced/ 425ºF). In a bowl, mix the flour, bicarbonate, and salt. 

Add the grated pumpkin, seeds, and sage, and stir well to combine so that no clumps remain. 

Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk. Stir together to form a dough.

Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a ball, then turn out onto a floured surface. 
Knead the dough for 2 minutes until it forms a smooth mass. You may beed to add flour. 

Shape the dough into a round 15cm (6inch) in diameter. Place on a lined baking tray. 

Use a sharp knife to slash a cross into the top. This helps the bread to rise when baking. 
Cook for 30 mins in the centre of the oven until risen. Reduce to 200ºC( 180ºC Fanforced/ 400ºF).

Cook for a further 20mins. The base should sound hollow when tapped.

Let cool, then slice and serve with some butter!




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