Every year as the weather cools, my husband and I crave breads, cookies, and other baked goods.
Something about cooler weather and the holidays activates our sweet tooth. (Yikes!)
This year we made some life-changing health choices, and we’re determined to carry it over into the holiday baking season. We’ve taken loved recipes and tweaked them a bit to offer more wholesome options.
I hope you enjoy this healthier version of pumpkin bread as much as we do!
Ingredients:
1-3/4 level cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, whites separated
3/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
1/4 cup milk (maybe more as needed)
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (we use Lily’s chips that are sweetened with Stevia)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350* F. Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by rubbing with butter or coconut oil and sprinkling with flour. Shake out excess flour.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together until just combined. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs yolks, agave, and coconut sugar together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil/butter, and milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. Be careful not to overmix. (Whole wheat flour tends to be drier than regular flour. Add more milk if the batter seems very dry.) Beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.* Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes.
Bread can be stored at room temperature but lasts longer if placed in the refrigerator.
Perfect with a cup of coffee!
*Baking tip: toss the chocolate chips in a little bit of flour before mixing to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
