18 August 2015

Quick healthy bread with almonds and cranberries

healthy_bread

When I was little ,for me, a bread was nothing but a white playground with brown boundaries, where, I could paint it with colorful jams or pale yellow-ey butter.I loved it so much that I always prayed that amma would keep those breads smothered in mango jams or mixed fruit jams or just butter in my lunch box which amma would hardly do it.For her those breads were not that healthy and moreover I had that unstoppable tendency to finish off those jams and butter at a stretch as if I was self-competing.My body was also very happy as it swelled with pride and I became chubby in denial .

nuts-quick-bread

I also remember the tutti fruity bread ,which was another favorite during childhood days,which I had no way but to compete with my brother and he always proved, no matter how chubby I was he was indeed stronger.

When I came to US,any type of  breads were a boon to me especially white ones. Whenever,I saw these breads in supermarkets,they would be luring me saying ,"Pick me up ,I can be your instant breakfast everyday!" . Needless to mention,they were always in my "must buy" item list . However,when my body weight seemed to accumulate into something that even my weighing machine used to make fun of , I consulted my Dr.Google what to do to keep it under control and all the articles said one thing in common,get rid of anything that is in white or made up of white .So,the white playground was no longer enticing to me!

bread-almonds-cranberries

However ,it is undeniable that breads are always a boon as a quick breakfast or a quick snack,so , I started making some quick healthy versions of it .I call it bread cake actually . For instance Zucchini bread ,this quick healthy Banana bread recipe made with whole wheat flour,almonds and cranberries.

almond-cranberry-bread

                        Whole wheat Banana bread with almonds & cranberries

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 1 1/4 teaspoon
Eggs,large - 2 nos
Yogurt - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 the cup
Banana,ripe,mashed - 1 no
Oil/butter - 1/2 cup
Almond extract - 1/2 teaspoon
Dry cranberries - 1/2 cup
Sliced almonds - 1 cup

Powdered sugar - 2-3 tablespoon to sprinkle (optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
  2. Coat a loaf pan (81/2-in*41/2-in),with some butter and keep it aside.
  3. In a medium bowl,whisk together the flour,baking powder and keep it aside.
  4. In another large bowl,whisk together the eggs,yogurt,sugar,oil ,mashed banana and almond extract.
  5. Now add the flour mixture with the wet mixture and mix it well until well combined.Fold in the cranberries to it.
  6. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and little powdered sugar on the top of the bread .
  7. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake it for like 50-65 minutes until golden brown and a wooden pick or a small knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool off completely.
  9. Healthy bread full of goodness is ready.
Note:
This bread is a little dense one.To make it more lighter,use sour cream instead of yogurt.You can even omit banana ,I wanted to use my over ripe banana to make the bread sweeter and use less sugar (I used only 1/2 cup sugar) so I just hid it inside this recipe.


This healthy bread is not only my quick breakfast to go sometimes but it is also a pre-workout food as well for my hubby .

homemade-bread-slice



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