Pumpkin Power Bread
Now, I will be the first to admit that I am no baker. Sure, I play one on TV sometimes, and if I have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express the night before, I can pull off cookies or brownies. But otherwise, I am a miserable failure at the craft of baking. I normally leave that stuff to my wife. However, in my quest to make nutritious food for my kids, I have recently taken up this mantle of culinary artistry.
You see, I wanted something to feed the kids for breakfast before school. I could give them the sugary cereals I had growing up as kid. I mean what is better than starting out your day with a huge bowl of Fruity Pebbles? A huge bowl of Captain Crunch maybe? A huge bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch? No, I figure there has got to be something better than high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and artificial flavors.
As I mentioned in my PB&J Smoothie post, mornings can be a real nightmare. Breakfast needs to be quick and easy and nutritious. But, how can you make that happen while getting everyone off to school and work? The answer is my latest recipe for PUMPKIN POWER BREAD. This recipe makes two loaves of bread (enough for several mornings) and it is packed with nutrition that the kids will never see. Just like the Pasta with Basil Sauce, I have hidden some nutrient dense foods inside.
And as an added bonus, this recipe has no oil, little added fat, protein, fiber, Omega 3 Fatty acids, Lignans, essential amino acids, Vitamin A, Niacin, and Vitamin B6. Now some of the ingredients may be foreign to you, but rest assured they can be found in most grocery stores. So, put on your baking hat one Sunday afternoon, and whip up a week’s worth of healthy breakfasts. Your kids won’t know how good they have it.
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Walnuts
- ½ Cup Pumpkin Seeds
- ½ Cup Rolled Oats
- 2 Tbs. Chia Seeds
- 2 Tbs. Hulled Hemp Seeds
- 3 Cups Whole Wheat Pasty Flour
- 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- 1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg
- ½ Tsp. Ground Cloves
- ½ Tsp. Allspice
- 1 ¼ Cups of Date Sugar
- ½ Cup Ground Flaxseed
- 10 Tbs. Warm Water
- 2 Tbs. Maple Syrup
- 15 Oz. Can of Pumpkin
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
Instructions
First of all, don’t freak out about the long list of ingredients. I promise this recipe comes together very quickly (about 20 minutes of prep and the rest is all baking). So, take the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, oats, chia & hemp seeds, and put them in a food processor. Pulse until they resemble a coarsely ground flour. This is the nutritious stuff hidden in the bread. Next combine your flour, baking soda & powder, salt, spices, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flaxseed and warm water. Then whisk in the canned pumpkin, applesauce, and maple syrup. Pour this wet mixture into your bowl with the dry ingredients. Add in your coarsely ground seeds and oats and mix to combine. Don’t worry, but the batter will be very thick and dense. It will take about 2-3 minutes to thoroughly mix everything, but just think of it as a mini arm and shoulder workout.
Divide the batter evenly between two loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake the loaves in a preheated 325 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven, remove the loaves from the pans, and cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes. This bread freezes beautifully, so don’t be shy about making a double batch and tucking some away for next week.
https://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/pumpkin-bread/
Hidden Nutrition
Unfortunately, this breakfast does not come with a prize inside the box. Healthy food does sometimes come with a price. However, you can be certain that the kids (and the whole family) will enjoy this recipe. Quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious all in one meal…who knew it could be possible? Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
[…] agreed to not judge in the opening paragraph. Sure, I have the delicious PB&J Smoothie and the Pumpkin Power Bread in the arsenal; however, I felt like I needed something else to offer my ladies for […]