Healthy Pumpkin Bread

Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Fall is prime-time for squash family vegetables, and no other squash rules this time of year like the pumpkin does! Here is a healthy take on one of Fall’s favorite recipes, pumpkin bread.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil or cooking spray
• 2⅔ cups sugar
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ⅓ cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• ⅔ cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup toasted wheat germ
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1½ cups raisins

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray two 8 ½-by-4 ½-by 2 ½-inch loaf pans or 24 muffin tins with cooking spray.
2. Cream together sugar, canola oil, applesauce, pumpkin, eggs and yogurt until smooth.
3. Stir together flour, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Combine the dry mixture with the wet mixture; stir until well combined. Fold in raisins.
5. Pour into prepared pans (fill muffin tins ⅔ full). Bake for 50 minutes (loaves) or 25 minutes (muffins).

Instead of raisins, substitute sweetened dried cranberries, which lend a tangy taste.

This recipe freezes well as muffins or bread, up to three months. Thaw at room temperature, in the microwave (about 15 seconds per muffin or slice, or in the toaster [slices only]).

Recipe by Corrina Riemann, RD from Cooking Healthy Across America, © American Dietetic Association.

Nutrition Information

1/12 of one loaf or one muffin

Calories: 240; Total Fat: 4.5g; Saturated Fat: 0.5g; Cholesterol: 35mg; Sodium: 300mg; Total Carbohydrate: 46g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Protein: 4g.