I took a quick study break this weekend to do a little baking. It has been a while since I’ve had even the time to think about cooking, between studying for my five different classes in biochemistry, bio-statistics, nutrition policy, research methods, and doctoral research – they are definitely keeping me busy! I’m learning a lot for sure, and I think its solidifying my understanding of the many nutrition issues we are facing as a society. It’s nice to have a firm understanding of diabetes at the biomolecular level, for example.
But it is also nice to get back to some cooking, and understand the value of food at the level of my taste buds! So I decided to whip up a loaf of some pumpkin-apple bread from a recipe in Vegetarian Times. It is really tasty, but unfortunately it completely fell apart as soon as I took it out of the pan. I think it is because we didn’t have any eggs so I did some experimenting with adding more pumpkin puree – but that didn’t work so well. In any case, I bet it would hold together if you follow the recipe – let me know if you try it out!
Pumpkin-Apple Bread
Adapted from Vegetarian Times, October 2012
The original recipe in VT was for pumpkin-pear bread. I didn’t have any canned pears, and thought some tart apples would be a nice contrast to the sweet bread, so I replaced the pears with a fresh apple. I also made a few other changes, but wouldn’t recommend leaving out the egg, so it is included in the recipe below.
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup almond milk
- ½ 15-ounce can of unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large granny smith apple, peeled and diced
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
In a different bowl, mix together the oil and egg until well combined. Whisk in the almond milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Once combined, fold in the diced apples.
Spray an 8 or 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Spread the batter in the loaf pan, and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Tasty Easy Healthy Green Recipe Ratings:
| Recipe Report Card | Notes About Recipe Ratings |
|
Tasty Rating Four Chefs (Delicious!) |
Even though the bread fell apart, it was still very tasty! |
|
Easy Rating
Four Easy Chairs (ABC, Easy as 123…) |
There is a reason this kind of bread is called “quick bread”—it didn’t take me away from my studies for too long. |
|
Healthy Rating
Two Apples (Surgeon General’s Warning!) |
Although the bread does have apples and pumpkin, it also has a good amount of oil and added sugar. |
|
Green Rating
Four Leaves (Mother Earth Approved) |
Mostly organic ingredients, but not local. |
I’ve never had pumpkin apple bread before but it sounds and looks devine. Sounds like such a fantastic autumn dish.
The reason I actually started writing this comment is because I wanted to say how lovely the picture on the top of this post looks. Fantastically staged with the couple of apples complimenting the bread. Well done.
This is a perfect fall dessert, Sally. I prefer the combo with apple.
All the best with your study!
Take good care, Sally.
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This sounds great. I’ve already made two batches of pumpkin bread this fall and I think this will be batch #3! Your studies sound crazy – biostats and biochem?! Let me know if you ever need another guest post
two of my favorite fall flavors!!!
What a great way to spend your study break! We all thank you! I noticed you gave it a healthy rating of two apples. Some times we just need a little fat and sugar for a pick me up.
This is so full of Autumn flavors! Perfect with a cup of hot chocolate!
Sounds like a delicious fall flavor combination. I have made a lot of pumpkin breads and apple breads, but never thought to combine the two. I must try this.
Best of luck with your studies!