Pumpkin Hooray

Throughout the year and especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas time, I am thankful for pumpkin puree.  Canned pumpkin is widely available in the U.S. and yet it is not found in many other countries.  When my husband’s relatives visited us from England, I was surprised that they had never seen canned pumpkin before. 

American farmers harvest specific pumpkin varieties that are better for making canned puree than the large pumpkins grown for Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns.  I stuff and bake small decorative pumpkins for dinner and reach for canned pumpkin when it’s time to bake a pumpkin pie or make pumpkin bread. 

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This interesting YouTube video demonstrates how Libby's makes pumpkin puree on a grand scale:

Pumpkin pie is a bit healthier than many other pies because it’s made with a vegetable that’s rich in beta-carotene.  Canned pumpkin puree is certainly easier than using fresh pumpkin when making a pie. If you follow the Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe listed on the can, and use low-fat condensed milk, it’s a fairly healthy dessert.  Baked a day ahead of time and refrigerated, it tastes even better than when it’s eaten on the same day it’s prepared.  Baking desserts a day early will allow you more time to focus on cooking the holiday meal. 

Pumpkin bread is another wonderful way to use canned pumpkin puree.  You know a food you've prepared is a winner if your grown children ask for the recipe. Our daughter recently made the following pumpkin bread recipe for her friends and said it turned out well. 

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Although this is called “bread,” it should really be considered a dessert because of the high sugar content.  Think of it as pumpkin cake that’s baked in a bread loaf pan.  It redeems itself as a dessert because it's high in vitamin A.  Remember, as with all desserts, eat this in moderation along with a healthy diet:

Pumpkin Bread

You will need:
¾ cup unbleached flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup (or less) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup canola (or olive) oil
1 cup 100% pumpkin puree (not canned pumpkin pie filling)
¼ cup water
½ cup chopped walnuts

What to do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Sift together the flour, sugar, spices, and baking soda in a large bowl.  Mix the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, and water in a separate bowl. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients just enough to moisten.  Stir in the nuts.  Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.  Bake 50-60 minutes until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Turn bread out of the pan after 5-10 minutes and let cool on a rack.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Serving Size 1 slice; Yield: 12 slices
Calories: 252
Calories from Fat: 118
Total Fat: 13.1 grams (20% Daily Value*)
Saturated Fat: 1.1 grams (6% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 grams (6% Daily Value)
Vitamin A: 64% Daily Value 
*NOTE: 5% Daily Value or less is considered LOW; 20% Daily Value or more is HIGH

Recipe Analysis Summary:
Good points:
Low in sodium
Very high in Vitamin A

Not so good point:
High in sugar (that's why this should be served as a dessert!)

Pumpkin bread makes a healthy holiday gift.  I hope you'll include me on your list this year!

Be Well,
Mary

P.S.  Please ignore the text box below; your comments are always welcome here.