Lisa Grentz, MS, RDN, CD
Pumpkin is a low-calorie nutrient-dense fruit. Even though 80% of the U.S. pumpkin crop is harvested in the month of October, canned pumpkin puree is available year-round and offers the same nutritional benefits as a fresh pumpkin. In fact, a half cup of pumpkin puree has more potassium than half a banana, more vitamin A than half a cup of baby carrots, and more iron and magnesium than two ounces of ground beef.
Combining pumpkin puree with warm spices adds great flavor to baked goods. We couldn’t wrap up this month’s series on pumpkin without featuring a recipe for pumpkin bread. Our healthy modification to this classic fall recipe is gluten-free and contains only natural sugars. We hope it is your new go-to pumpkin bread recipe.
Pumpkin Bread
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup pumpkin seed butter or almond butter
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup GF oat flour
2 tsp. GF baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. fine sea salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
2 TBSP pumpkin seeds, shelled and toasted (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 9” X 5” loaf pan with cooking spray and set
aside.
Whisk together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir until incorporated.
Pour batter into the greased loaf pan. If using, sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the edges begin pulling away from the pan's sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack. Let bread cool completely prior to slicing.
Store covered in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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