My name is Ms. Adams and I have a bread problem. Like a serious one. Give me a bowl full of bread and I’m set. Wheat bread, rye bread, banana bread, it really doesn’t matter. And those bread baskets at restaurants, don’t even get me started—they’ve been the demise of many fancy restaurant attempts.
I get my bread affair honestly though. My Mom loves bread, my nephew loves bread. In fact, my brother and sister-in-law used to bribe my nephew with bites of bread to eat other food. We’re kind of carboholics, which might be a good thing if bread had really any sort of redeeming factor to it—too bad it doesn’t usually.
So rather than banish bread from my diet, which would inevitably lead to a midnight bread basket bonanza, I decided to embrace it. If bread is something that gives me great pleasure, why not make a bread that gives me a little nutritional boast. At least that way I won’t feel so bad about indulging my carby cravings. In general, this is my approach to healthy eating. If there’s something you love that isn’t great for you, don’t punish yourself by forbidding the food, instead find a way to incorporate it in a healthier way. It will lead to a happier you and a more successful healthy eating practice.
So when my carby cravings just won’t subside, I call on this energy bread, because at least it means I’m getting a full serving of fruit and a nice kick of protein while I dine on the forbidden side.
Ingredients
- 1 cup protein powder
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup succant
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup dried fruit, diced (you can use any combo you like—I used raisins, apricots, and cranberries)
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons hot water, whisked)
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup dates, diced
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together succant and applesauce.
Whisk in flax egg and milk.
In a small bowl, mix together dry ingredients, protein powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, rolled oats, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add dry ingredient to wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
Fold in dried fruit, dates, and almonds into mixture.
Prepare 9 inch bread pan with non-stick spray.
Pour bread mixture into pan and then sprinkle the top with sunflower seeds.
Place in oven to bake for 40 minutes.
When toothpick comes out clean from the center of the pan, remove bread from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Then remove bread from pan and place on cooling rack to cool completely.
This bread is great all on its own. The perfect combo of crunch, salt, and sweet.
But if you enjoy bread with some extra pep, a little jam goes a long way.
I however being the bread addict that I am can never manage to get any jam on my bread before it makes a b line to my mouth.
I guess I like my bread unadulterated.
Carby goodness and all.