Pumpkin Yogurt Bread

I usually don't start baking with pumpkin until November, but this year we were going on a road trip, and I wanted healthy snacks. It seems like once you get in the car to begin your trip, you start eating.  I love making pumpkin bread, cookies, and muffins, with all of the cinnamon, spices, and pumpkin flavor, this time of year. To make my pumpkin bread healthier and ramp up the protein, I used Greek Yogurt and added walnuts.  I love to bake with Greek yogurt, because it gives your baked goods a lot of moistness and extra protein. I doubled the recipe, because I wanted extra bread to put in a hostess gift for our friends that we would be visiting in Florida. From the doubled recipe, I got one 9 x5 loaf, two 4 x5 loaves, and two pumpkin mold cakes.  The bread turned out so well, moist,  not overly sweet,  and full of pumpkin flavor and spices with crunchy walnuts.

 This bread freezes well, and is wonderful for breakfast with peanut butter, or as a dessert or snack.  This would be a good recipe for gifts for friends at the holidays, or as a hostess gift.

If you make this bread, you won't be disappointed. I usually make a loaf of pumpkin bread for my non-chocolate loving son, also. 

Pumpkin Yogurt Bread with Walnuts Adapted from Cooking Light

·      1 cup sugar

·      1/4 cup butter, softened

·      1 2/3 cups pumpkin puree

·      6 oz plain Greek yogurt

·      2 large egg whites

·      2 cups all-purpose flour

·      1 teaspoon baking soda

·      I tsp cinnamon

·      1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

·      1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

·      1/2 cupped walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Add pumpkin, yogurt and egg whites; beat well, and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; stir well. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until blended. Stir chopped walnuts in batter, or sprinkle on top of batter in pan.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Let cool completely on wire racks.

I linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #41
Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!

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