Sunday, December 16, 2012

Healthy Snack of the Day: Healthy Pumpkin Bread

So this pumpkin bread recipe was an accident, in that I didn't have all the ingredients for the recipe I was initially following, so I had to improvise. I also tried to go with lower calorie options when I could, and not compromise the taste, and luckily it worked out!

The original pumpkin bread recipe, which looks like it will end deliciously, I found at Ingredients, Inc.http://www.ingredientsinc.net/2012/11/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread-with-greek-yogurt/#.UM5FhG_AdyQ

This recipe calls for chocolate chips (1/4 c), which by all means you can include, I was going to leave them out because I'm allergic and I wanted to be sure to have a piece myself. Now, halfway through the recipe, I also realized that I didn't have any pecans (1/4 c. chopped).......so stuck with a bowl of batter ready to bake, I had to do something, so I just added a few touches of my own and made a pumpkin bread that has received endless compliments!



Here's the recipe that I used:


  • 1 container (6 oz) of nonfat Greek yogurt (I used Oikos plain because it was on sale, Chobani will work just as well)
  • 1/4 cup butter (I used "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light" spread, and true to name, no one new any different
  • 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons Truvia baking blend (the original recipe calls for 1 1/4 cup of granulated sugar)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
  • 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (the original recipe calls for 1 3/4 cup of all purpose flour, but the whole wheat pastry flour tastes sooooo good in this bread)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon all spice (this was my own addition)
  • a couple shakes of orange zest (this was my own addition)
  • turbinado sugar crystals to sprinkle on top of batter (my own addition as well)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

2. Combine yogurt, sugar, and butter into a bowl and cream together.

3. Beat in the eggs until just mixed, and then mix in the pumpkin.

4. In another bowl, mix well the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, all spice, and orange zest. (If you decide to keep the chocolate chips and pecans, add them here).

5. Pour all at once the dry ingredients directly on top of the wet mixture and stir until it is slightly moistened.

6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

7. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of the batter (this will create a slight crunch and nice golden color on the top of the bread).

8. Bake the bread in the oven for 60 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean) and let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan to a rack and let it cool completely.



ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!