I’ve been making my own sourdough for a while and although it’s much less time consuming than you’d think, it does require a level of organisation that’s beyond me sometimes. I try to make two loaves at a time and slice and stash one in the freezer, but my boyfriend eats so much bread that it doesn’t stay there for long.

This is where soda bread comes in, it’s super-easy to make and most importantly, ready in less than an hour. It’s not a direct substitute for your average white loaf, it is a bit heavier, but full of flavour. I love it toasted and slathered in butter with a simple vegetable soup and it’s a delicious base for a cheese and pickle sandwich.

I’ve been making this oat soda bread a lot recently – I love the idea of adding oat flour for extra goodness. What’s oat flour? Well, you just blend oats to a powder in a food processor. But this version is my current favourite – adding some grated sweet potato (or butternut squash or carrots) to the mix with a handful of walnuts makes this the perfect bread for cheese. (In the picture above, I made a sandwich with some hummus and winter slaw.)

If you’ve never made bread before, then this is a great place to start. No need to worry about yeast, kneading or proving. Simply mix everything together, then bung it in the oven. Once you’ve mastered soda bread, give one of these a try.

Recipe adapted from Good Food

350g plain flour
150g wholemeal flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
75g walnuts, chopped
300ml buttermilk (or yoghurt)
125ml semi-skimmed milk

• Preheat the oven to 230C.
• Mix all the ingredients together into a soft sticky dough. Tip out onto a floured work surface and shape into a rough loaf.
• Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

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