Spiced Pumpkin Bread

I love pumpkin bread. Also pumpkin muffins, cookies, and the like. I imagine that you get the idea here. If it's pumpkin, and it's baked, I'm pretty much there.

So this year, I've been seeking a nourishing recipe for pumpkin bread. Nourishing Traditions doesn't have one, and although I've tried to adapt Sally Fallon's Banana Bread recipe to accommodate pumpkin... it hasn't worked out too well.

As I understand it, there are two ways avoid the anti-nutrients found in whole wheat flour. (Read more about this here.) The first method, the one I've used the most, is to soak the grains in water and an acidic medium (cultured buttermilk, kefir, whey, lemon juice, or vinegar). This method works great for things like pancakes, noodles, even yeasted bread. But it is a bit limited, and my results in the pumpkin bread department were less than stellar.

So let's move on to method number two: using sprouted flour. This, as I comprehend it, is where the whole grains are soaked, dried, and then ground into flour. It seems to be a bit more of an intensive process, but the resulting flour can be used in an infinite number of ways...and no anti-nutrients.

Having no ready access to a grain mill, a few months ago I ordered some of this glorious stuff from the To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. It arrived in mid-September, and it's been so much fun to play around with my baking! And it's led me to develop an utterly delicious, and nourishing, recipe for pumpkin bread.


Spiced Pumpkin Bread
(Yields 2 loaves)

3 c. sprouted whole wheat flour
2 c. Rapadura or Sucanat (unrefined, whole brown sugar)
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. aluminum-free baking powder
1 t. sea salt
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. cinnamon
2 c. pumpkin puree
2/3 c. coconut oil
3 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350* F. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans.

First, you'll need melted coconut oil. Place the coconut oil in a glass container, and set in a pan of simmering/warm water. You'll want to melt it gently and slowly.

Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices) in a large mixing bowl. Then add pumpkin, melted coconut oil, and beaten eggs. Mix well.

Transfer to the two prepared loaf pans. Bake 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. After removing from the oven, let the loaves rest in their pans for 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!