Recipe: Christmas Pumpkin & Ginger Bread

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at Fuel Your Life! The Christmas tree is up, and our crew is getting into the spirit. Of course, we had to share a Christmas-related recipe for those Chris Cringles out there who relish a good opportunity to treat themselves at Christmas lunch… So, you’ve all heard of eating gingerbread at Christmas, but have you ever tried a dietitian-ified PUMPKIN & ginger bread?! Likely not.

So, let’s change that. Topped with the antioxidant powerhouse, pomegranate seeds, this bread is an excellent choice for anyone who is experiencing inflammation. Beyond that, the addition of cinnamon ups the polyphenol count, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of certain cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative disease. All in all, swap that sugar-loaded gingerbread for a healthy loaf that your body is going to love as much as your taste buds do!

Christmas Pumpkin & Ginger Bread

Serves: 10
Prep time: Approx. 1hr, 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ~400g can pumpkin puree (pumpkin soup)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup real maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup wholemeal plain flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds, plus more for serving

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a ~20x 10 cm loaf pan.
2. Add eggs, milk, pumpkin, oil, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
3. Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and baking powder to a separate large bowl and mix well.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the pomegranate seeds.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and tap the bottom a few times on the counter to even the mixture and reduce air bubbles.
6. Bake for ~60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Let the bread cool for at least ~10 minutes and then slice and serve with extra pomegranate seeds.

Christmas Pumpkin & Ginger Bread Nutrition Stats

Looking for more recipes? Check out our eBook collection for more! For tailored advice recommended just for you, get in contact with one of our dietitians today.