Diary of a Semi-Health Nut

ramblings + recipes of a semi-healthy nut

*Banana Pumpkin Bread*…Fall is sooner than we think!

by

So I get home and I see the same 3 sad bananas looking at me,
all brown, saying, “You better make something with me…and fast!”

I’ve procrastinated it a couple of days because I JUST made cookies (Cookies )…but oh well they will be gone soon!

I am almost positive I like baking more than I like cooking which can be bad…sweets are not meant to be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner (apparently).  But sometimes baking can be healthier than you think…

As I was cleaning up the other night, I also noticed a can of pumpkin in my baking cabinet (Daddio bought me a separate cabinet for all my baking stuff…let me tell you, it was necessary).  For some reason I thought banana and pumpkin together would be a great idea.  Weird combo right?  But pretty healthy!  Bananas and pumpkin, plus I put oatmeal and chia seeds.  🙂

I would like to present to you:

Pumpkin Banana Bread with Cinnamon-Vanilla Glaze {Print Recipe}
Modified from About.com

Ingredients:
Bread:

  • 3 mashed bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 can pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 TBS Coffee-Mate Cinnamon Vanilla Creme
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 TBS chia Seeds

How To:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
  2. Mix mashed banana, pumpkin puree, oil, egg, and creme in a large bowl.
  3. Add oats and chia seeds.
  4. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add together.
  5. Bake for about an hour or until toothpick check comes out clean.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Glaze:

  1. Melt 4 TBS butter on the stovetop.
  2. Add 2 cups powdered sugar.  Stir.
  3. Add 2-3 TBS Vanilla-Cinnamon Creme.
  4. Add a bit o cinnamon.
  5. Poke holes in bread and drizzle over top!  Tastes similar to the glaze on a doughnut!

I had the opportunity to share this marvelous bread with some relatives last night.  Our whole family on my mom’s side are going to a surprise anniversary party in Chicago this weekend, so an uncle from Texas drove up here and we got to get pizza and hang out slash plan for the weekend.  I even made the fam walk 2 miles with me after dinner. A little exercise never hurt anyone right?? 😉

It’s pretty dense bread, so I only had half of a slice.

In other news…
If you have been following me on Facebook (Diary of a Semi-Health Nut) or Twitter (SemiHealthNut), then you know that my amazing mother has a goal of losing fifty pounds in fifty weeks.  She’s calling it the 50/50 challenge and she’s asked for my help!

Really all I have done so far is offered my encouragement and support because she is pretty wise in the ways of healthiness being a nurse and all.  I am so proud and excited for her to get healthier!

I asked her if she would check in and write a blog post here and there for me to post and she actually e-mailed me her first one which I will be posting soonish.  Be on the lookout!  This woman is a fantastic writer and an inspiration!

I just have a favor to ask my readers…
Pretty please send some encouraging comments her way!  You can comment on my Facebook or Twitter or on this blog, and I might be putting her e-mail address up as well, but please let her know she can do it!  I know she can, but sometimes a task like this can be daunting, especially in a woman’s forties where metabolism isn’t necessarily on her side.  Thank you all in advance!!!

That’s all for now!  Try the pumpkin-nanner bread and let me know what you think.

Have a happy, semi-healthy, blessed day!

~Amanda @ Semi-Health Nut~