I discovered this recipe last year while surfing through some online recipes.   I'm so glad I found it. It is quick.  It is easy.  It is a no fuss holiday recipe, which, with all of the cooking and planning and shopping this season, is exactly what I think most of us are looking for.  

I threw this together last night amidst cleaning the kitchen, finishing laundry, responding to emails, and packing for my Thanksgiving trip.  The final product is dense and moist, and you taste all of the pumpkiny goodness along with a subtle hint of sweetness that will keep you going back for another bite.  And since you won't feel like you're eating cake for breakfast, you can feel free to go back for bite two, three, four and so - on.  Plus, with the healthier ingredients like nonfat plain Greek yogurt, canola oil and whole - wheat flour, you're getting an added bang for your bite :)  Just remember all of the extra protein, calcium, fiber and heart healthy fats you are getting with this bread versus the bulk produced coffee pumpkin cake from the store.  Sounds like a win to me!

This recipe is adapted from the blog tastes lovely.  The only change I made was that I used canola oil instead of the coconut oil.  I am not particularly fond of coconut and since science has not confirmed that coconut oil is better for the heart when used in place of canola oil or another oil high in mono and polyunsaturated fats I will continue to use my canola oils to cook and my olive oils for dressings and dips.

NOTE:  I just went to a session at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo this year in Boston that specifically touched on this topic and confirmed that while certain oils containing saturated fats, such as MCT oils, can have positive indications in the body (particularly in clinical settings), other oils containing saturated fats, like coconut oil have still been found to have negative effects.  This is due to the difference in their structural composition and the fatty acids that they are comprised of.  Canola, olive, and flaxseed oil it is for this girl!

But back to the recipe...  I will say again that it's not my own - I just made one little alteration.  Credit certainly goes to Tastes Lovely.  However, I found it and had to share!  Do stay tuned though because there are one or two other little tricks I want to try.  If they work out, I'll be reposting the recipe soon!  

So I hope you give this bread a try.  It is a breakfast bread to wake up for and so good your guests will never know it's healthier  - at least my friends & fiancé didn't :)   So give it a taste, serve a second slice, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Sweet & Simple Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from Tastes Lovely blog

Makes: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup white, unbleached all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole - wheat flour

• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• (1) 15 - ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/2 cup plain, non fat Greek yogurt

• 2 large eggs

• 6 tablespoons canola oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position the rack in the center rung of oven.

2. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the bread from the pan after cooking.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, honey, Greek yogurt, eggs, and canola oil.  

5. Pour the pumpkin mixture (wet ingredients) into the flour mixture (dry ingredients) in two or three stages, gently folding the ingredients together in each stage until all are just incorporated.  Do not over-mix.

6. Transfer the mixed batter to the parchment lined loaf pan.

7. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a knife or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached.  

8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper and cool on a wire rack for another 10 minutes.

9. Slice and serve or wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to take with you to your next party of family visit.