Healthier Pumpkin Walnut Bread

I love anything with pumpkin, from pumpkin cheesecake to yummy pumpkin muffins!  I know to most people pumpkin is more of a fall flavor but I love it anytime of year!  This healthier pumpkin walnut bread is the perfect lightened up treat, with just a hint of sweetness but still moist and delicious.  This recipe is perfect anytime for breakfast or a snack with a cup of coffee.

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Maybe my love of pumpkin started because of my grandmother leaving pumpkin pies cooling on the counter.  Something about that smell just brings back so many great memories.  This bread smells delicious baking with the aroma of pumpkin and spices.  I love pumpkin bread but usually bakery breads are made with lots of sugar and vegetable oil.  I had to make a lighter version that still had a delicious pumpkin flavor.

How do you make oat flour?

I usually use a combo of oats, all purpose flour and whole wheat flour in my muffin and bread recipes.  This is my trick to getting my husband on board with a “healthy treat.”  Sometimes with muffins I’ll just throw the old fashion oats as is into the mix.  But with this bread I wanted a smoother texture so I pulsed the oats in my Ninja Blender.  It grinds them to a flour-like texture in just a few seconds.

What heart healthy oil can I use for pumpkin bread?

My goal for this bread was to keep it super moist without lots of oil.  What I really wanted to avoid was the vegetable oil that I saw in so many recipes.  My mom has allergies to soy which is a key ingredient in vegetable oil.  I like to share my recipes with her so I decided that avocado oil would be the best choice!  It has a milder flavor than olive oil and does well in baked goods.  If you haven’t tried it yet I think you’ll like it’s versatility!  It’s great for cooking at high heat too!
I also thought adding a little whole milk Greek yogurt would help add moisture with less fat.  You could use a low fat yogurt as well, but just make sure it is a plain variety.  The combination of the avocado oil and the Greek yogurt really worked perfectly in this pumpkin bread recipe.

What are good "add ins" for pumpkin bread?

You could add lots of different things to pumpkin bread.  Chocolate chips are always good either in the bread or you could melt and drizzle over the top!  I choose golden raisins and walnuts but pecans and dried cranberries could be another winning combo.  Mix in what you’re family likes!

Don’t let a bread or muffin recipe ever intimate you!  This pumpkin walnut bread recipe really couldn’t be easier.  You can mix this in about 20 minutes, pop in the oven and have a healthy breakfast or snack you can feel proud to serve your family!