Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Uh-Oh, She's Creating Again!

Yup, I've been cookin' in the kitchen again! Today I bring you one of my two recent culinary experiments, one of which is a sweet and healthy Christmas gift for the wonderful Exxon ladies, the other a savoury use of leftovers that is now sitting comfortably in the deep freezer for Andrew to enjoy when he comes home in December, with a serving set aside for Daddio!

I apologize for not being as long-winded today but I am battling a bit of a chest cold (that was kindly donated by the SF) and I'm a little zonked from the meds. Enjoy the bits of comfort coming your way, in whatever form they may be: food, friends, family, or a warm blankie fresh out of the dryer. We can all be so fortunate!

What I loved most about making these breads was the smell of them as they baked up. If you like molasses, these are definitely the tea-time treats for you. They are dark, rich, and full of blueberries, oranges and seeds as well as added moistness from pumpkin, though you would never be able to tell that was an ingredient just by looking at them. They have some great health benefits too, with manganese and iron from the molasses, Vitamin C from the oranges, and a host of antioxidants from the blueberries I threw in. If that wasn't enough, the breads also have whole-wheat flour, pumpkin seed and millet in them, which are all health-boosters on their own! Nothin' like a little Christmas body lovin' from the oven!

Seeded Pumpkin-Fruit Quickbread
Serves 12
½ cup whole wheat four
½ cup flour
½ cup hempseed, shelled pumpkin seed or millet
¼ cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ cup dried blueberries
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
¼ cup canola oil
Juice and zest of one orange
¼ cup molasses

  1. In large bowl, stir together two flours, seed, sugar, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, blueberries and salt.
  2. In medium bowl, lightly whisk egg until frothy. Whisk in pumpkin, oil, juice, zest and molasses.
  3. Add to flour mixture; mix well with wooden spoon. Don't beat or over-mix.
  4. Pour batter into lightly greased or oiled 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan.
  5. Bake in preheated 350F oven 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
  6. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.
  7. Remove bread from pan to cool completely on rack before slicing.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 177.7
Total Fat: 5.9 g
Cholesterol: 17.7 mg
Sodium: 26.6 mg
Total Carbs: 31.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
Protein: 2.9 g
Check back tomorrow for some spice from the stove!

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