Apple Bread

Apple Bread

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples

TOPPING:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
1/3 cup cold butter

1.  In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in apples.  Transfer to two 8x4 inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray.

2.  For topping, combine the flour, sugar, and walnuts; cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over batter.

3.  Bake at 350* for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. 
Yield 2 loaves (12 slices each)
1 slice equals cal 200, fat 7, fiber 1

This bread is amazing.  I was really surprised by how little you can actually taste the apples.  I ended up reducing the amount of apples to around 2 cups.  It just seemed like 3 cups was so much.  Perhaps if I had added it, you would get more of the apple flavor.  As it stands it has a great cinnamon flavor.  It reminds me of the cinnamon swirl bread that you can buy at most grocery stores.  I am a little disappointed in how quickly the bread began to dry out.  We have been microwaving a slice for a few seconds, and adding a little bit of butter to help bring the moisture back. 

The dough was very sticky, I was worried that perhaps the ingredient amounts were incorrect.  You definitely can't pour it into your loaf pans.  I ended up only using 1 loaf pan, and 3 mini loaf pans.  Realistically, I could have fit it all the larger loaf pan and been fine.  Just watch how much filling you are putting into the pan, because this stuff does rise quite a bit while baking.  You will want to make sure that you leave plenty of room for the topping as well as the rising while the bread bakes.  It makes quite a bit of topping, it appeared to be too much, but flavor wise, it is pretty perfect.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp finely shredded lemon zest (optional)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1.  Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a loaf pan; set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp salt.  Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.

2.  In another bowl, combine the egg, bananas, sugar, cooking oil, and if desired lemon peel.  Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture.  Stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy).  Fold in nuts.

3.  Spoon batter into the prepared pan.  Bake in a 350* oven 50-55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove loaf from pan; cool on rack.  Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf, 16 slices

Pumpkin Streusel Bread

Pumpkin Streusel Bread

Topping:
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into pieces
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Bread:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350*.

2. To prepare topping, combine first 4 ingredients until crumbly. Set the mixture aside.

3. To prepare bread, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 7 ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine the pumpkin and next 5 ingredients (pumpkin through eggs) in a bowl; add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Spoon batter int a 9x5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 16 servings; 1 slice each
Cal 209; fat 6.9, fiber 1.4, cart 34.6; sodium 252

This stuff is awesome. It's the only pumpkin bread we eat. I usually make it 3-4 times a year.

This is a cooking light recipe, and often you can make even more substitutions without loosing the quality of the food you are making. I haven't tried to lighten this up anymore than what has already been done.  The only thing that I change is the raisins.  My husband doesn't like raisins "in" recipes, so we leave them out, and the bread is still wonderful.