Pumpkin Bread. Quick, Healthy & Tasty!

I am weaning myself off of the sweets.  Goodness, it is so easy to get into a food slump that requires a daily punch of sweets to keep you going.  My weakest time of the day is the afternoon, think 2-4 O'clock PM.  During this time, it's too early to start thinking about dinner (or wine!), but it's too late for lunch --- so what does that equate to in my world?  Something sweet and a cup of tea!  

There are many things in the food kingdom that could satisfy a sweet craving, but when you fall in a slump the real sugary, processed stuff always hits the spot.  Well I'm breaking that slump and you should join me.  The hardest part is making the choice, do I have a cake/cookie/etc (processed junk) with my tea or do I have something with some substance to it?  The cake/cookie/etc (insert favorite sweet) has virtually no nutritional value.  It leaves you temporarily satisfied, but likely to go back for more. 

Again, the choice is the hardest part.  Once you move past the junk and have some real food, it's not so hard.  This recipe is great for the rest of you guys that are weaning yourself off the processed junk.  I realize this recipe still has some processed ingredients in it, but it's a far cry from the usual suspects (cake, cookie, candy bar, etc).  It's whole grain (whole wheat flour), healthy fats (olive oil), vitamin-rich (pumpkin puree, seeds) and tastes great.  

I think ignoring your body and avoiding sweeter stuff all together is a set up for failure.  It will likely lead to overeating eventually.  So allow yourself to eat what your body craves, but tweak it to make it healthier!  If you stick with it you'll eventually go for the healthy stuff automatically!   I've also been having fresh fruit, dried fruit/nuts, yogurt, whole grain toast/PB/honey, and dry cereal for sweet satisfiers. 

This is such a tasty recipe to fill the afternoon void, or even for breakfast with a little lowfat cream cheese.

Plus, it's a "quick bread" recipe, so it's extremely easy.  All quick breads involve the following steps:

1. Mix dry ingredients

2. Mix wet ingredients

3. Combine wet & dry  (DO NOT OVER STIR! It's makes the bread tough and "tunnely")

4. Pour into pan & bake

5. Insert in mouth!

This recipe was adapted from a great blog called  My German Kitchen...in the Rockies. Check it out.

Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

*  3/4 cup whole wheat flour
*  2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
*  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*  1 teaspoon baking soda
*  1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
*  1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

*1/4 teaspoon cloves
*  1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

*  2 eggs
*  1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
*  1/3 cup brown sugar
*  1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
*  1/3 cup honey

*  2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds/pepitas

Mix the above dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients until well combined.  Add the wet and dry ingredients together and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined.  Don't over stir!

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and sprinkle with pepitas.   Bake in a 350* oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from loaf pan.

(At high elevation this bread took about an hour to bake.  I'm still getting used to the elevation factor)

Enjoy!

D