PT Kitchen: Pumpkin Bread

Author

Jess Kehoe, DPT

Are you a cook from scratch, geek like me?  If so you roast a pie pumpkin around Halloween to have puree for Thanksgiving.  You have also learned that usually you wind up with more puree than that pie calls for....in steps pumpkin bread to save the day.  This is also completely unnecessary and a can of pumpkin puree sure does the trick also!

This recipe was easy to make and turned out pretty yummy.  Of course I added chocolate chips (my kids insisted) but you could add pecans, walnuts, raisins or nothing.  You can also substitute canola oil, olive oil or even apple sauce for the coconut oil.  Often my coconut oil begins to solidify when I mix it with the eggs and other cold ingredients, but this recipe had a slick fix that I will remember to use in the future again.  Simply warm up your mixing bowl, I put mine in the oven for a few minutes as it was pre-heating.  Problem solved!

Made for a great toasted snack with peanut butter this week.  Enjoy!
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Pumpkin Bread

⅓ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup honey or maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup milk of your choice
1 ½ tsp of pumpkin spice blend (OR ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp allspice or ground cloves)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour

1. Preheat the oven to 325 deg and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the oil and honey, then whisk in the eggs. 
3. Continue to whisk in the pumpkin puree, milk, spices, vanilla, baking soda and salt.
4. Use a spoon to stir in the flour until just combined, lumps are just fine.
5. Pour into your prepared pan.
6. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 min and then another 10 on a cooling rack before slicing and enjoying.