- Image by Kristin Brenemen via Flickr
What do you serve drop-in family and friends when they stop by your house this season? Here is an easy entertaining idea that is sure to please your guests. It is one of my favorite breads to have on hand during the fall season and on into the holidays. Pumpkin Bread has been my mainsty for a number of years. It combines the mellow pumpkin flavor with cinnamon and nuts, plus, it freezes well. You can make it into smaller miniature loaves for gift
giving if you want. Children like to make it into cupcakes. Simply pour the batter into muffin tins about two-thirds
full.
Pumpkin Bread
3 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk or water
2 cups (16 oz. can) pumpkin
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
In large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; add the rest of ingredients. Mix well. Stir in nuts. Fill
two well-greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans one-half full. Bake in 350 degrees oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out on cooling rack.
Makes 2 loaves
This bread is high in sugar and oil so keep those slices thin and without butter! But pumpkin is loaded with much
nutritional value and I like to think the high sugar and oil consequences are overshadowed somewhat by the
pumpkin’s nutrients! Again, moderation is the key.
The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant,
beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to
vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.
Current research indicates that food containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of
cancer and offers protection against heart disease. It has also shown to be effective against the degenerative aspects
of aging.
Here are the nutrition facts for 1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt pumpkin:
Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Just a little pumpkin trivia: Pumpkins range in size from less than a pound to over 1,000 pounds. The largest
pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds. That would make quite a few pies! The largest pumpkin pie ever made
was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of
sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake. I have one question: Why would anyone want to do this? Other
thoughts also linger with me — who will eat this and is good food being wasted? Remember, pumpkin pie should be
refrigerated.
May you enjoy good, healthy food.
Lee Jackson
Books for cooks and apple lovers
children, families and parenting professionals
http://www.imagesunlimitedpub.com
