Healthy, Quick Breads for Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and, if you're like me, you've begun to think of all of the delicious food that comes to the table during the holiday season. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, and a variety of holiday bread are just a few that come to mind. However, there's a reason these foods aren't a year-round staple. Most of them are full of fat or sugar--or both. It's no wonder millions of people make weight loss resolutions for the new year. Most people are simply not willing to give up the familiar foods of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm one of them. These foods are comforting and traditional, and they help make the season special. On the other hand, with obesity and diet related health problems on the rise, one begins to wonder whether we will have to give up holiday meals for good. The answer is a resounding "no!" There are ways to make the food we enjoy eating healthy, while keeping flavor intact.

My favorite food is bread, and I have been baking bread for years. My grandmother first taught me how, and the smell of freshly baked bread from the kitchen lifts my spirits. Especially in the sometimes dreary winter months, warm bread from the oven can be just the thing to brighten my day. As I've become more health conscious, I've looked for ways to reduce the sugar and fat contents of my baking, and I'd like to share with you all some of the things that I've discovered.

We'll discuss quick breads first. A quick bread is a batter bread that does not require kneading or rising time. It is not, however, necessarily "quick" to make, as most bake for upwards of 45 minutes. Compared to bread that needs to rise multiple times, though, it is quicker to prepare. Many quick bread recipes call for butter as the fat, which adds a rich flavor and a nice texture to the bread. However, butter is full of saturated fat, which is not good for your heart or arteries. Margarine could be used, but, as an artificial product, I believe there are better alternatives. Depending on the bread, we will use canola oil, mashed banana, applesauce, or a mixture of the three, to achieve the desired texture. Apple sauce and banana also add flavor. They do tend to make the bread slightly heavier, though. As for sugar, in many cases the applesauce or banana will add sweetness to the bread. The addition of dried fruits also sweetens and adds a variety of flavors, which allows us to cut the sugar called for in normal quick breads by over half. Even in other baking, I've found that reducing the sugar in the original recipe by half makes no noticeable difference to the sweetness of the bread, cookie, or cake. We will also use whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour in addition to or instead of white flour. Whole wheat flour contains more nutrients and fiber than white flour, but it also has the tendency to make the bread heavier, so we try to achieve a balance that is both healthy and has a nice texture. Both of the whole wheat flours can usually be found in large grocery stores.

Now, on to the recipes!

Zucchini Apple Bread - This bread is a nice holiday bread, using cinnamon and nutmeg. I shred the apple and zucchini with a cheese grater, which allows the small pieces to blend into the batter during baking so that they are no longer visible when the bread is done. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and another 70 or so to bake. If you prefer, you can use all white flour to have a lighter bread, although the bread is not very dense even if you use the whole wheat flours.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded apple

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, from the all-purpose flour down through the salt.
2. In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the oil, applesauce, and sugars.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray two loaf pans with vegetable oil.
4. Shred the zucchini and the apple.
5. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture, and stir until just blended. Fold in the zucchini and apple, pour into pans, and bake 50-60 minutes. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, remove the loaf pans and cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then remove the loaves from the pans and cool on the rack.

Everything Fruit Bread - This bread began as a simple banana bread, but I livened it up with oats, fruit and nuts, as well as removing the butter and reducing the sugar. It is a hearty bread with a lot of fruit flavor.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 Tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 mashed bananas
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup chopped dried fruit (cranberries, apples, apricots, raisins, prunes, anything)

1. Mix dry ingredients flour through salt in a large bowl.
2. Mix sugar, oil, and applesauce in a small bowl. Add eggs and stir. Add vanilla.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F and spray one loaf pan with vegetable oil.
4. Mash bananas. Chop dried fruit and walnuts.
5. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in fruit and nuts. Bake 35-45 minutes. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, remove the loaf pan and cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then remove the loaf from the pan and cool on the rack.

Blueberry Bread - This is a sweeter, more simple bread than the previous two. It is easier and quicker to make. It would go nicely with tea or coffee, as a dessert.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup non-fat milk
3 Tbs canola oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray one loaf pan with vegetable oil.
2. Mix dry ingredients from flour to salt in a large bowl.
3. Mix eggs through oil in a smaller bowl.
4. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, stirring until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Bake for 60-70 minutes. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, remove the loaf pan and cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then remove the loaf from the pan and cool on the rack.

Carrot Bread - I usually bake this batter in muffin tins. They make a wonderful addition to a holiday breakfast, especially, but of course can be eaten any time. They are light and tasty.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 egg whites
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 peeled shredded apple

1. Mix the dry ingredients from flour through baking soda in a large bowl.
2. Mix the eggs through the vanilla extract in a small bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray or line muffin tins.
4. Grate carrots, shred apples, and chop nuts.
5. Add liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in carrots, nuts, raisins, and apple.
6. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake 15-18 minutes. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, remove to a wire rack. Cool 5 minutes in tins, then remove the muffins and cool on a wire rack.

Quick bread recipes are customizable. Perhaps you would prefer to use rice or soy milk instead of cow's milk. Or maybe you don't like nuts--leave them out! Almost anything goes. You can add different spices, such as allspice, or different dried fruits, like currants or mangoes. Instead of blueberries, use blackberries or raspberries. The important thing is to find a flavorful bread that you can enjoy during the holiday season. And of course, there's no rule saying you can't make the bread during the rest of the year, too.