I don’t know about you but I have notebooks of recipes passed down or given to me by relatives and friends. When I decided to go vegan five years ago, I figured those recipes would get lost in the wind due to all the new vegan recipes I had discovered. What happened is the exact opposite. Sure I’ve embraced a LOT of new recipes and dishes and my palate is very thankful but I’ve also learned to take these old, tried and true recipes and convert them to vegan. This pumpkin bread is one, and one that deserves a standing ovation.
Growing up my best friend was Lisa, our moms were bf’s too. We took dance together, played Barbie’s together (don’t judge), competed together, traveled together, and had a lot of sleep overs. Lisa was a year older then me so when she went into junior high and I was still in elementary, age, status, and new interest separated us. Back then there was no cell phones or Facebook so if you wanted to stay in touch you had to pick up the “home” phone, have a real conversation, and make a plan and stick to it. That didn’t happen so we continued to drift apart only staying informed about each other through mutual friends.
Fast forward to about five years ago and we re-connected. Time and distance did not play a factor in how close we still felt after all those years. It was memories and shared experiences that instantly brought us together to renew our friendship. After thirty years though a few things had changed. We had careers, husbands, kiddos, and even grandkids (ummm, her not me). We also had many new passions and one in common, food!
I was newly vegan so when Lisa gave me a loaf of her pumpkin bread with the recipe I jumped for joy. Easy to make, loaded with flavor, super moist, and my family loved it but it contained eggs and a lot of processed oil, sugar and flour. Sigh. No need to fret though, I put my vegan cape on and worked the recipe over, and over I did! I personally think my version is better, definitely healthier, and I hope you’ll agree.
Kat’s BF’s Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 large loafs; 4-5 loafs if using tin foil pans; or 24 regular size muffins
1 1/2 cup of organic coconut sugar
1 1/2 cups organic brown sugar
2 Tbs flaxseed powder (grind flaxseed in coffee grinder)
6 Tbs warm water
1 cup coconut oil
4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
2 tsp mace
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup water
2 cups of fresh pumpkin or use one can organic pumpkin (150z)
1 cups of nuts of choice – optional
To make: Mix ground flaxseed with warm water in a small bowl and set a side to gel. Mix all ingredients as cake including flaxseed mixture, pour into a oiled bread pan (use olive oil or coconut oil) 3/4 full, bake for one hour at 350. When top cracks they are done. Or you can be like me and make these handheld muffins.
Mmmmmm, pumpkin muffins!!!!
Eat one, freeze the rest or these will quickly disappear.
Mending the mind and body through plant based nutrition.
Kat