This looks amazing--any way it could be adapted to use the steel-cut oats that are currently in my pantry? Could they be slightly pre-cooked?

I can't believe you just said "tender loaf." *shudders

No butter or oil?

Bwah! "Tender loaf." Oh, clampers, you just killed me dead by pointing that out. The bread looks deelishuss, though. I might just have to try it out this weekend.

mhirsch - I would try maybe cooking the steel cut oats in extra water and then a little beyond when you'd normally consider them done. Drain and rinse them, then add them to the batter. Your batter will probably be a little wetter than normal, but that's ok. You'll also probably end up with a little chewiness from the oats, which could be interesting. If you end up trying it, let me know!

I want to second the question mark of there being no fat in the recipe. I think it needs a correction. Without a fruit puree (dates, apples, bananas), it's very uncommon for baked goods not to have some sort of fat in them.

I'd like to try this recipe, but not until this question is addressed.

This sounds great, I'm always looking for more blueberry recipes this time of year. Will wait to hear on the butter/oil question though... I would probably also add lemon zest, which I think always improves anything blueberry.

On a related note, does anyone have any tips for the best way to wash AND dry blueberries? I always feel like when I try to dry them, I end up smushing some (I am admittedly not so patient, so probably not as careful as I should be)... Maybe it's best to just allow the extra time to let them air dry?

Nope, no extra fat in this loaf! Fat is a tenderizer, so not having it in this recipe makes the finished loaf more bread-like and less cake-like. If you like a richer bread, try adding 3-4 tablespoons of butter or canola oil.

@Brooklynnina - I usually spread the blueberries out on a paper towel, top with another paper towel, and then roll them gently (like ball bearings) to dry them.

Thanks for the tip EmmaC! I guess "gently" is key. ; )

just made this. delicious! didn't miss the butter/oil at all.

i currently have one of these guys in the oven - its taking way more than an hour to bake all the way through, fyi. but it smells delish and is really easy to assemble. will give the verdict after it cools!

The fat comes from the buttermilk, which makes for a very moist quick bread that is very similar to banana bread in density and sweetness, but has a less fine texture, due to the oatmeal. The eggs also play an enriching role, I'm sure.

I made this the other day and we are just finishing up the loaf today, which means we used an enormous amount of restraint in that we did not gobble it up the instant it was out of the oven! Also, don't skip the cinnamon. It makes the kitchen smell absolutely divine when it's baking and it adds a delicious dimension to the loaf.

Mine turned out a bit flat, but I think I have a wider-than-normal loaf pan and my baking powder may or may not be expired. : D And besides, I like my quick breads/pound cakes dense and moist. I also doubled the amount of blueberries, because I had the remainder of a quart (yes, a quart) to finish off and I'm so glad I did! I could easily see substituting other soft fruit (berries or very ripe pit fruit, even rhubarb!) in this recipe, too.

This bread is great as a lighter dessert (eat it like cake with whipped cream, ice cream, or plain) or as a breakfast treat. Or as an afternoon snack. Or a bedtime snack. Or, you know, whenever you have to give in to the urge to eat some. I highly recommend it! In fact, if I hadn't used up the rest of my old-fashioned oatmeal to make it, I would make it again. Maybe with some of the itty-bitty donut peaches I bought yesterday.

P.S. As for steel-cut oats? Because they have such an incredibly different texture and density from rolled oats, I would avoid using them. I don't think they will bake in the same way, even if you pre-cooked them. The rolled oats completely incorporate into the dough in the finished product. There are almost no individual oat flakes suspended in the bread. Steel-cut oats would probably just hang out in the dough, much like the berries. However, if you want to pre-cook them and give it a whirl, let us know the results!

I changed the recipe a bit and made it as muffins instead of quick bread. They turned out great - no problems from lack of oil/butter.

(My "muffinized" version of the recipe is here: http://seasonal-menus.blogspot.com/2009/09/must-be-fall.html)

Perhaps this is a stupid question but here goes...
Can you use frozen blueberries?

Made this today with cranberries & it was so yummy. There is some milk-fat after all. Not sure about frozen blueberries, but I imagine the worst that happens is it takes longer to cook or gets a little gooey inside.

Tell the family it is "breakfast cake" and watch it disappear!

Since buttermilk is rarer than the waste matter produced by a rocking horse here in the midlands, I used a trick gleaned from soda bread making - add lemon juice to ordinary milk to create a "soured milk" substitute. Seems to have worked great! I also used frozen blueberries, since fresh ones are similarly scare here (and added some frozen rasberries since I didn't have enough of the blueberries). It's jsut come out of the oven now, looks and smells great, we're having trouble maintaining the discipline not to attack it right away while it cools!

I just made this--with a few substitutions--and it's fantastic! I don't have buttermilk or blueberries, so I used a chopped apple and low fat yogurt. I also used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and halved the sugar. I think I could use even less sugar, because it's pretty sweet. It's tender and delicious, even without added fat.