Honey-sweetened Pumpkin Spelt Bread with Walnut and Pecan
It is the time of the year again when people get a bit crazy about pumpkins. All of us in the family love pumpkins; it is such a versatile vegetable. My mother likes it braised with dried shrimp, my daughters love it steamed, or made into pumpkin mantou, I love it in everything, soup, bread, cake or simply roasted.
Pumpkin is a nutrient dense vegetable, providing a wide variety of vitamin, mineral as well as fiber with a relatively low amount of calorie. It is also a rich source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that plays a role in protection against cancer, boosting the body's immunity, and contributes to eyes and skin health. Pumpkin is also rich in fiber, vitamin C and potassium that are beneficial for heart health. Not to forget pumpkin seeds that are also a nutrition powerhouse rich in various minerals such as magnesium, potassium, manganese and zinc, as well as phytosterols that acts as free-radical scavenging antioxidant.
The possibilities of food made with pumpkin are endless, from soup to side dishes to dessert. For the healthier version, include pumpkin in savoury dishes instead of as a dessert. Keep the seeds, clean and bake them at 150 deg Celsius in oven (with spices such as five spice powder if desired) to make for a healthy snack. Cut pumpkin into pieces and add it to rice when cooking, or when roasting chicken/meat, or into dhal for added fiber and sweetness.
I have always loved baking and cooking with pumpkin. We happened to have pumpkin at home and ran out of bread this week, so I decided to bake a pumpkin bread. It has been a very busy week, and I almost had to put the bread baking plan on hold, until a change of plan to bake a quick bread instead. A quick bread is very easy to make, and it can still be as healthy as a loaf of yeasted bread, albeit a different texture.
For this recipe, I used wholemeal spelt flour for easier digestibility and for its nutty, sweet flavour. As usual, I choose to bake without refined sugar, and use just enough amount of honey to sweeten as addition to the natural sweetness provided by the pumpkin. Pecan and walnut are added to provide an extra crunchiness as well as additional fiber, mineral and unsaturated fatty acids. Our four-year-old helped through the process as usual, it's that simple to make. Do give this recipe a try, bake it in a loaf pan for an easy yet hearty breakfast, or in muffin cups as snack. Or serve it as a dessert with vanilla ice-cream or mixed berries yogurt at the side.
Pumpkin spelt bread with walnut and pecan (Serves 8-12)
Ingredient:
230g wholemeal spelt flour (you may use wholemeal wheat flour, increase milk to 50ml instead of 40ml used in this recipe)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Himalaya salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
60g olive oil
1 egg, beaten
40ml milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g honey
350g pumpkin puree
80g chopped walnut
30g whole pecan
Method:
To prepare pumpkin puree, cut pumpkin into small pieces and steam for 15 minutes till soft. Mash with a fork or puree in a blender for finer consistency. Measure out 350g for use.
Preheat oven to 170 deg Celcius. Lightly grease a 7-inch loaf pan and set aside. If making into muffins, line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper muffin casing and set aside.
Sift wholemeal spelt four with baking powder, salt and cinnamon powder into a mixing bowl. Add in walnuts.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat olive oil with egg till well blended. Stir in milk to combine, followed by vanilla extract and honey. Lastly, add in pumpkin puree and stir till well blended.
Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the sifted flour and fold with a spatula till just combined. Do not over-mix.
Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth surface with spatula and sprinkle with pecans. If baking into muffins, scoop large spoonfuls of batter into muffin cups and evenly distribute. Top with 1 or 2 pecans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes for loaf pan or 20-25 minutes for muffins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let sit for at least 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan. Serve warm.