Italian Herb Beer Bread

Before today, I was quite sure I posted my famous beer bread recipe.  Alas, I can't find any evidence of this on Morsels and Moonshine.

It was one of the first recipes that I tested over a year ago.  But, for some reason I can't explain, it wasn't ever posted.  Well, we're upon baseball and tailgating season, so it's about time that this bread recipe gets some attention!

Let me tell you the reasons I love this bread: first, it's a quick bread.  No waiting for yeast to rise, no messing up the proofing process.  Traditional breads and I have a love/hate relationship and sometimes I just like to bypass that whole process.  From start to finish, this recipe takes less than an hour.  If that's not recipe incentive, I don't know what is!

Secondly, this recipe is pretty simple and foolproof.  I'm confident that you can't mess it up.  Mix the dry ingredients and then the wet ingredients.  I tried to craft this recipe to be vegan and the healthiest version possible, so I made sure the oil was coconut oil.  Some Italian herb recipes call for Parmesan cheese, but I subbed that out for some nutritional yeast.  By adding that spice, you still get that cheesy flavor.  

Third, the bread is light and fluffy.  Can't you tell from the pictures?!

If you don't have marjoram, don't sweat it - it's not integral.  It's just the spice that gives pizza sauce that distinctive flavor, making it different from spaghetti sauce.

Italian Herb Beer Bread
3 c. organic whole wheat pastry flour
3 tsp. baking powder, aluminum-free
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 c. organic cane sugar
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. basil
2 T. nutritional yeast
1 bottle of beer, like Yuengling
1/4 c. coconut oil, melted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease an 8x8 oven-safe pan or bread pan with coconut oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices (including the yeast).  Using a wooden spoon, stir in the beer and coconut oil.  Make sure everything is combined well - it will be a very tacky dough.  Scrape the dough into the greased pan and do your best to flatten it out.

Brush the top of the dough with a little bit of melted coconut oil.  If you want, you can sprinkle additional spices on top.

Bake the bread for 25-35 minutes, perhaps more if you use a traditional bread pan.

This bread tastes amazing right out of the oven - it will be hard for you not to eat it all then!  If you're saving it for a party or tailgating event, it tastes great with dill dip or other fresh herbs.  I highly recommend it!

Cheers!
-Aileen