Vegan Irish Soda Bread

I am starting this year by relaxing on my diet a little.  I am just going to go with healthy vegan and be happy with that.  I have been REALLY strict on my diet since August 1st and have lost quite a bit of weight and I feel like I am at a place where I can just concentrate on healthy and keep a watchful eye on my caloric intake and call that good.

I have been wanting to try a soda bread for a while and I found this recipe and couldn't wait to try it.  So here is the recipe I am going to give a try:

Vegan Irish Soda Bread

makes one round loaf, about 12 servings

adapted from Happy Herbivore

Ingredients:

    4 cups whole wheat flour
    2 cups non-dairy milk (I used original almond)
    2 tsp apple-cider vinegar
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp baking soda
    2 tbsp raw sugar (optional)
    1/2 cup raisins, nuts, seeds, etc. (be experimental!)

Directions:

1. Combine apple-cider vinegar and milk; set aside.
2. In your largest mixing bowl, measure in your flour, soda, salt, sugar/seasonings/nuts/fruit, etc. Whisk thoroughly so as to get an even mixture.
3. Meanwhile, whisk your cider/milk combo, so as to curdle it a bit. You’re looking for a faintish yellow that’s bubbly-foam-like.
4. Slowly pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon. Adding the milk mix in intervals helps this whole process. Also, the dough will be flour-y all the way through, so don’t be alarmed by that!
5. Once moist and mixed, gently knead the bread a few times only. The purpose in this is not so much to activate the gluten (the acidity of cider-milk-business does that), as it is to firm the dough into a ball. It becomes tough and unpleasant if you handle it too much.
6. Score an X on the top of the circle. (optional)
7. Place on a greased baking pan or cast-iron skillet (the Irish way) and bake for 35-45 minutes. Poke the middle with a skewer, chopstick, thermometer – something thin and sharp. If it comes out clean, it is ready to enjoy!