Woo-hoo, last weekend in January, we made it! Now we can just look forward to the sub-zero temps in February! Well at least we are back on the sauce to help keep us warm! Anyway, sticking with our healthy theme with a little twist. We need to end things on a bit of a sweeter note for a little treat! This GF, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Pumpkin, Dark Chocolate Chip Bread is a delicious mouthful! Feel good about enjoying a slice of this bread with your morning coffee! Or tea, to each their own.
Who says you can’t enjoy pumpkin in January? I don’t know, but I know it’s not me! Canned pumpkin puree was invented so you can enjoy pumpkin all year long! It’s good and good for you, filled with all kinds of essential vitamins and minerals that promote good overall health (Google it, it must be true 🙂 ). Plus, it’s great for sweet and savory applications! My favorite kind of applications. Since we have been so diligent on eating healthy all month long (in the most delicious possible way) I thought we could close out the month to satisfy our sweet side without going off the rails or spiking our blood sugar!
I have said this before and I will say it again, I am an equal opportunist when it comes to sweet and savory. I can’t pick a favorite. Just like those of you with kids, you can’t pick a favorite child, you may enjoy one over the other at times, but it doesn’t mean you don’t love them equally. That is my relationship with salty and sweet. Ok, we got that out of the way, this isn’t too sweet but definitely scratches the itch. Zero refined sugars, lightly sweetened with coconut nectar and coconut sugar, balanced out with the bitter notes of the dark chocolate morsels, coupled with the pumpkin and warm spices, satisfies all your senses in one loaf of bread! Gluten Free bread that is! Who knew how simple life could be? It is also simple to mix up, no stand mixer required, just two bowls and a loaf pan.
The bread is dense in a good way with a surprisingly light crumb (think pound cake-esque). It’s not too dry, but also isn’t gooey. Again, nice balance of texture and moisture and is filled with good for you ingredients!
Those dark chocolate morsels are really essential, really enhances the flavors and adds a different texture to the bread. Don’t want your senses to get bored! 😉
Just look at that gorgeous pumpkiny goodness! Feel free to smear with a bit of ghee (or any non-dairy spread of choice or dairy if you like to live on the wild side) sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzled with D’Vash Date Nectar!
Let’s whip out those cans of pumpkin I know you still have in your pantry, and whip up this delicious and still nutritious pumpkin bread! Celebrate the end of January (and for some of you dry January) and eat pumpkin any darn time you want! Starting with this weekend and with this pumpkin bread! I won’t tell anyone if you wash it down with a mimosa!
Happy Weekending and Pumpkin Breading It!
Diane
- 2 cups of Gluten Free Flour (I use Pamela's Artesian Vegan Blend)
- 2 eggs room temp
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup coconut nectar
- 2 tbsp. almond oil
- ¼ cup coconut brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1½ tsp. baking soda
- 1½ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cardamom
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp. allspice
- ⅛ tsp. ginger
- pinch of cloves
- 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (72% or higher)
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray and line a loaf pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper with the ends hanging over the edge so you can lift out easily.
- In a large bowl whisk together all your dry ingredients minus the chocolate chips and set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl add the sugars, oils, eggs, extract and vinegar and whisk to fully combine until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir with wooden spoon until all the flour bits are incorporated. Next stir in the chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed. Batter will be thick.
- Pour into prepared pan and evenly spread throughout the pan. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 to 50 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes, remove and allow to cool completely on rack. Serve warm or at room temp. Store left overs wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temp for 3 days. Or you can freeze for up to 2 months.
- Enjoy!
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