Healthy Homemade Pumpkin Bread!

I had the most wonderful weekend, going to the beach with some friends and relaxing in the sun, exploring the tide pools, but it's all felt very autumn-like. Hence, (yep, I'm fancy- I say hence) my craving for pumpkin did not fade. Actually- it's kind of become an unsatisfied yearning... But anyways I wanted to prove myself worthy of saying I had made real pumpkin bread the old-fashioned way (I'm usually not a strong believer in mixes)so I picked out a recipe and I can assure you- it smells exactly like thanksgiving in my house right now. Even though I usuay pass on the cinnamon too, the way it mingles with the pumpkin literally makes it irresistible.

So if any of you out there are feeling the Fall vibes as the leaves start a-changin', try this recipe and I'm sure you'll be delighted. :-)

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
(from Stephanie Gallagher)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin puree, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and oil together. Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring just until moistened (overmixing will cause the bread tobecome too tough). Add chocolate chips.
3. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Happy Baking!

Jessica

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

With the leaves starting to fall these days and the cold windy weather we had all day, I wanted to make something comforting and simple.

And, weirdly enough I've had pumpkin on the brain this whole week. I finally got myself to Whole Foods and bought canned pumpkin! Mmm, I was so excited to see it on the shelves again. However, I sinfully bought a boxed mix for the pumpkin bread. BUT, I added real pumpkin! And chocolate chips :-) Either way, this deliciously moist and spicy bread definitely hit the spot.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

(from a mix)

Ingredients:

• 1 package pumpkin bread mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned organic pumpkin
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the dry mix with 2 eggs and pumpkin. Stir until smooth and fold in chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and a knife stuck in the center comes out clean.

I hope you're enjoying the tell-tale signs of fall approaching!

Happy Baking!

Jessica

Treat of the Week for Work: Healthy Zucchini-Walnut Bread

Yesterday, my amazing coworkers brought me a fresh zucchini from a neighbor's garden- it was organic and HUGE! I was so thrilled to have such a fabulous ingredient to bake with, and they suggested I use it for zucchini bread- yum! I scavenged around a bit to find a good recipe and discovered a wonderful and healthy bread, that ended up tasting amazing.

My favorite thing about this recipe is how healthy it tasted- not in a gross, bland way, but in a way that I knew I was eating something that wasn't stuffed with preservatives or sugar- perfect! :)

The only changes I made to the original recipe were to half the sugar and exclude the cinnamon (yuck!) since I knew the apple sauce would sweeten it on its own. And instead of lemon extract, I subbed in vanilla- I love me some vanilla extract! (It just always adds that homey and warm essence that I love)

Zucchini-Walnut Loaf

(adapted from Eating Well)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated zucchini, lightly packed (about 8 ounces)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 mini 6-by-3-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Whisk egg whites, sugar, applesauce, oil and lemon extract (if using) in a medium bowl. Stir in zucchini.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients; slowly, mix in the zucchini mixture with a rubber spatula. Fold in walnuts. Do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
5. Bake the loaves until a toothpick comes out almost clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

Give it a try and I guarantee you will love this for a nice breakfast on the go!

Happy Baking!

Jessica