Low-Fat Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Pecans

My love affair with pumpkin bread began in college. I remember the first time I saw a gorgeous, orange loaf on the "Sweet Treats" bar at breakfast. Spicy, sweet, and a little bit savory from the pumpkin puree. One taste, and I was hooked. Every time pumpkin bread appeared at the dining hall, I eagerly snatched at least two slices. I think it was a significant contributor to my freshman 15. Well, that and the Seven Layer Bars, ice cream machine, Peanut Butter Bars, unlimited bagels... I have a weakness for carbs and sweets.

The pumpkin bread I'm sharing with you today is low fat. That's so I can feel guilt-free when I eat at least two slices. Which I will, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, until it's gone. Inspired by the pumpkin muffins at my  local coffee shop, I stirred in ruby red cranberries for a beautiful burst of color and flavor. Sprinkling pecans on top lends a hearty and satisfying crunch. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Low-Fat Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Pecans
Adapted From: Cooking Light
Serves: Theoretically, this makes two loaves with 12 servings per loaf. 12 servings. Riiiiiight.

3 1/3 cups flour, plus 2 tablespoons for tossing with cranberries
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup cranberries* (optional)
1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9"x5" loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk together 3 1/3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

In a separate bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, whole eggs, egg whites, oil, and yogurt. Mix together until thoroughly blended. Stir water and pumpkin into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Toss cranberries with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. (This will help them stay suspended in the bread.) Stir cranberries into batter.

Evenly divide batter between two prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle pecans over batter. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

A few notes: Check the bread after about 45 minutes of cooking. If the nuts are starting to get too brown, tent the loaves with aluminum foil. If you'd like pumpkin muffins instead of pumpkin bread, I think you'd need to bake them for about 20-22 minutes. (Although, full disclosure, that's just a guesstimate.)

*Using cranberries is optional, but it's a highly recommended option in my book. Also, if you're using frozen cranberries, don't thaw them first.

These are a few of my favorite (food) things

You're standing in the snack food aisle at the grocery store with a bag of tortilla chips in each hand. Bag A has fabulous packaging and a catchy name. Bag B has an ingredient list that would make Barbara Kingsolver proud. But which chips taste better? A fellow shopper wanders past, "You've gotta try Bag A. They are the best." And she disappears off to frozen foods. 

Was that...an angel? You ask yourself as you promptly pop Bag A into your cart. 

I'm no grocery aisle angel, but I have benefited from the recommendations of strangers on many occasions. I thought the least I could do was share some of my favorite food finds with you. 

Please note: These just happen to be items I enjoy. No one asked me to try them or tell you what I think. This is unsolicited advice, people. Do with it what you will. 

Terra Sweet Potato Chips

The ultimate salty-sweet snack, the husband and I both go bonkers over these sweet potato chips. We buy a gigantic bag every time we go to Costco. (Should I remind you that only two people live in our house?) Although it would be a stretch to say they're healthy, I do appreciate the short ingredient list: sweet potato, oil, sea salt. No wonder they're so good. 

Chobani Greek Yogurt

I like peach. The husband likes blueberry and strawberry. We both like the creamy texture and crazy amount of protein in each serving. (There are 14 grams of protein in 6 ounces of Strawberry Non-fat Chobani. FOURTEEN GRAMS!) Also, this yogurt has ingredients that I can pronounce. Another brand of Greek yogurt I tried had some weird thickening agent that felt funny on my tongue. That may not be a scientific explanation of anything, but I'm not buying that other stuff again. 

Stonyfield Farms French Vanilla Yogurt

Again with the yogurt. As much as I like Chobani, when it comes to vanilla, I'm a Stonyfield girl. The non-fat is good, but the low-fat is even better. Try scooping up your yogurt with apple slices. Or top it with fruit and granola. 

V8 Golden Butternut Squash Soup

As you've probably gleaned from my plethora of butternut squash soup recipes, I love the stuff. But sometimes I'm not in the mood to hack up a whole squash. Or I just don't have the time. Or I'm feelin' lazy. Then I pull out this little, green box (yep, box) of soup, and all is well with the world. To add some heft to your meal, dunk some cheesy bread into your soup. Drool. 

Bolthouse Farms Classic Ranch Yogurt Dressing 

I'm a simpleton, but I love Ranch dressing:

Cut-up Veggies with  Ranch Dressing + Pizza  = Well-balanced (just go with me here) Dinner 

Iceberg Lettuce + Sliced Celery + Mandarin Oranges + Ranch Dressing = Heavenly (and easy!) Salad

Many other bottled dressings taste fake and chemical-y. All of the Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressings that I've tried taste real. And with 45 calories in 2 tablespoons, I can really load it onto my carrot sticks. Like, really load it on.  

Kashi TLC Dark Mocha Almond Chewy Granola Bars 

They are chewy. And crunchy. And chocolate-y. I love these granola bars. They have just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy my sugar craving, but with 6 grams of protein, they stick to my ribs, too.

P.S. All photos are sourced from the products' websites. My camera skills are not that hot. 

Simple Cheese Grits

It's the end of February, and winter is draaagggging. The chill has officially crept into my bones and taken up residence. Gray skies weigh heavily on my soul. And the snow clouds looming in the distance? Those just make me cranky.

Maybe that's why I've been whipping up comfort food like it's my job. Earlier this week it was Shepherd's Pie, and now cheese grits. I think we should take bets on what's next. Meat loaf? Fried chicken? Macaroni and cheese? Mmmm. Now I'm getting hungry.

P.S. Please excuse the bland nature of this plate. White meat. White grits. White plate. Bo-rang!

Simple Cheese Grits
Serves: 4

2.25-2.75 cups broth or water (I used one can of vegetable broth, which was approximately 2.25 cups, and half a cup of water.)
1/2 cup grits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
Salt and pepper


Bring 2.25 cups broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in grits. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until grits are creaming, about 14-17 minutes. Make sure you stir the grits occasionally as they cook. If they start looking too dry, simply stir in a bit more broth or water. I ended up using a total of 2.75 cups of liquid. Once grits are cooked, stir in cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*I used cheddar cheese because it's delicious, and I happened to have it in my fridge. I'm sure these grits would be equally delicious with your favorite cheese. If you use a more powerful tasting cheese like Parmesan, you may need less than half a cup.

Shepherd's Pie

I have another confession today: I can't stand making mashed potatoes.

I don't know what it is; mashed potatoes are such an innocent food! Maybe it's the peeling and chopping. And for some reason, it's always tricky for me to tell when the potatoes are cooked through. Plus the whole mashing thing. I like my potatoes kind of lumpy, but that's not popular with mashed potato connoisseurs. So outside Thanksgiving, we don't eat too many potatoes of the mashed variety at my house.

Now that we've established my distaste for mashing potatoes, I have to tell you what I loooove: Shepherd's Pie. You know what Shepherd's Pie requires? Yup, mashing stupid potatoes. Bugger.

A hankering for Shepherd's Pie recently drove me to desperate measures:

Ye gads! I bought mashed potatoes from the refrigerated foods section at the grocery store! My father the Irishman would be ashamed. Don't tell him.

When you make your Shepherd's Pie, feel free to mash your own potatoes. But if you buy potatoes pre-mashed, I won't judge.

Shepherd's Pie
Adapted from Real Simple
Serves: 8

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots
Salt and pepper
1.5 pounds ground beef (I used ground sirloin.)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1.5 cups frozen peas
5 cups mashed potatoes*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 10" high-sided, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high. Add onion and carrots. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes, until vegetables are beginning to soften. Transfer to a separate bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet. Add the beef and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often to break up the beef, about 8 minutes, until meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the skillet. Stir in tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring, for one minute to cook off the raw taste of the flour.

Stir in broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the flavor bits that have accumulated there into the sauce. Add peas and cooked onions and carrots. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.

Spoon mashed potatoes on top of the meat and vegetable mixture in your skillet. Bake 40-45 minutes, until filling is bubbling and potatoes are lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

(If you would like to make two smaller Shepherd's Pies like I did, simply transfer the meat and vegetable mixture into two (or three or four or twelve) smaller oven-safe dishes and top with mashed potatoes. Cook until filling is bubbling and warmed through.)

* If you're a better person than me and decide to mash your own potatoes, Real Simple suggests the following:
3 pounds potatoes (I like to use Yukon Gold when I do mash my own.)
Salt and pepper
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and add 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and return potatoes to the warm pot. Add milk, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash potatoes.

Confession

Hello, and happy Monday, dear readers!

I spent the weekend in Buffalo visiting my nephew Jack. Oh, I suppose I also visited my parents, brother, and sister-in-law, but (no offense everyone else), Jack was the cutest. With all the nephew snuggling I had to fit into a short visit, I didn't do much cooking. I did, however, find time to scarf down a beef on weck sandwich at Charlie the Butcher.

I've talked about this wonderful restaurant in the past, so I won't wax eloquent again. What I will say is this: Next time you're in Buffalo, do yourself a favor and go to Charlie the Butcher. You won't regret it.

Remix: Prosciutto & Cheese Sandwich with Fig Jam

This weekend I wanted a sandwich, but I wasn't in the mood for peanut butter and jelly. Immediately I started taking my temperature to confirm I didn't have some kind of fever or incurable disease because, really, I can't tell you the last time I wasn't in the mood for PB&J. It's my favorite, and I want it always. Anyway, once I was certain that my health was intact, I set about discovering an acceptable alternative that I was in the mood for. 

Prosciutto? Mmm. Sounds good. Cheese? Uh, yes, please! Fig jam? Drool...

So, I whipped up an open faced version of this Prosciutto and Cheese Sandwich with Fig Jam I made almost exactly one year ago. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for PB&J that day either. And I survived to tell about it.

Open-Faced Prosciutto & Cheese Sandwich with Fig Jam
Serves: 1 hungry girl

2 slices of hearty bread
2 tablespoons fig jam (Your local market should sell this along side the strawberry preserves. It's really lovely. Give it a try!)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or 2 large slices of mozzarella)
4 paper-thin slices of prosciutto

Turn the broiler to high. Meanwhile, divide fig jam evenly between two slices of bread, schmearing it all the way to the edges. Top the jam with mozzarella, evenly dividing it between both slices of bread. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. (Watch your sandwich carefully to make sure it doesn't burn!)

Pile 2 slices of prosciutto on each piece of bread. (The warmth from the melted cheese will soften the prosciutto and make it dreamy.)

Buttermilk Waffles

Yesterday the husband sent me 18 long-stemmed red roses at work. Yeah. Just had to brag on him for a minute. I've got a mighty fine Valentine.

Although I don't get a gorgeous bouquet of flowers every Valentine's Day, the husband and I do have a tradition: breakfast for dinner. It all started seven years ago...

It was our first Valentine's Day as husband and wife, and the husband offered to cook dinner. When I got home from work, the house was a flutter of activity. Grocery bags were strewn about the kitchen. Ingredients were piled on the counters. The husband was flying maniacally from stove to fridge to sink to microwave... "Happy Valentine's Day, hon!" I hollered over the din. "What's cookin'?"

He looked at me seriously. "Waffles."

And a tradition was born.

Buttermilk Waffles
Adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com
Makes 8 waffles

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk*
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Extra butter, maple syrup, and berries for serving

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Set a metal cooling rack on top of a large baking sheet. When the waffles are done, you can keep them crispy and warm by setting them on top of the cooling rack in the oven.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they are just combined.

Heat your waffle iron to your desired temperature and spray it lightly with vegetable oil spray. Pour about 1/2 cup batter into each waffle mold and cook waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions, until they are golden brown and crisp. Transfer waffles to the cooling rack in the warm oven to keep them toasty. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve waffles with plenty of butter, syrup, and berries.

*Don't have buttermilk on hand? Make your own! Combine 2 cups milk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes until it thickens up.