Acorn Squash Bread with Seeds and Nuts
A healthy sweet bread made with pureed squash, and toasted seeds and nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, if you have it
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup cooked acorn squash, mashed
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts, or other nuts chopped
- 1/4 cup seeds, a mixture of sunflower seeds, pepitas, and chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon quinoa, uncooked
- 1/4 cup shredded beet or carrot
Instructions
To cook the acorn squash:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and strongly flesh. Pour 1/3 cup of water onto a rimmed baking sheet and add the squash halves, cut side down. Roast for 35 minutes or until the squash is soft and can easily be removed from the skin.
For the Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a standard loaf pan.
- Roughly chop the hazelnuts (or whatever nuts you're using) and place the nuts along with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet. Once the oven is hot, roast the nuts for 8 minutes.
- In a medium bowl add all of the dry ingredients, flour to spices. Whisk to combine.
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine the sugar, maple syrup, oil, egg and squash.
- Slowly add in the dry in gradients to the wet, alternating with the 2 tablespoons of water.
- Then, stir in 3/4 of the toasted seeds, nuts, and quinoa. Fold in the shredded beets.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. If you'd like seeds and nuts on top of the bread sprinkle the reserved 1/4 of them on top 30 minutes into the baking time.
Notes
acorn squash puree may be substituted with another squash puree or pumpkin puree (canned puree may also be used). seeds and nuts may also be interchanged.