Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Enjoy the aroma of pumpkin pie all year long with this delightfully rich and hearty quick bread. Pour a glass of low-fat milk to enjoy with a slice at breakfast - and you and your family are ready to start the day.

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.