Getting your morning smoothie going in the morning, packing a natural energy bar for the commute, fitting in a detox juice at lunch … there’s a lot of ways to achieve the high-health benefits of superfoods throughout the day, even if you lead a busy (aka normal, *sigh*) lifestyle. But what about when you want something a little more decadent?
Surprisingly, baking is a great way to sneak in some very powerful ingredients into the hands and mouths of unsuspecting sweets lovers. When making a batter, I almost instinctively swap out a few spoonfuls of flour with protein powder, add in scoops of adaptogenic herbs such as maca or astralagus, and in many cases, even mix in some vegetables! I mean, why NOT add in some benefits?! Amazing Grass has made this sneaky way to cook easier than ever with their (truly) delicious green superfood blends, which now come in three limited edition holiday flavors: Chocolate Peppermint, Holiday Cookie, and Pumpkin Spice. I was honored to create three exclusive recipes for their holiday campaign, and was absolutely blown away at how great these blends taste! What’s more, each special powder contains more than just a collection of top notch greens (like wheatgrass, spirulina, and broccoli), it also offers powerful antioxidants from superfoods like green tea and acai, essential fatty acids from flax, and even digestive enzymes to ensure your body assimilates all this goodness like a pro. If you’re as excited as I am about all the holiday goodies coming up, you’re definitely going to want to check these superfood gems out. To get started using them, try my pumpkin spice bread that’s lower in sugar, stashed with good fats, and full of green superfood power (shhh)!
Pumpkin Spice Bread
A delectably moist pumpkin bread, packed with festive flavor and healthy superfood benefits.
Makes 1 9-inch loaf
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed powder
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 scoops Amazing Grass Green Superfood Pumpkin Spice
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned (unsweetened) pumpkin puree
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-inch x 3 7/8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch paper overhang on all sides to create flaps. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flaxseed powder, almond milk, and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to momentarily to thicken and gel.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, Amazing Grass Green Superfood Pumpkin Spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
To the large bowl with the flaxseed gel, add the melted coconut oil, ½ cup coconut sugar, and vanilla, and mix well. Stir in the pumpkin puree. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, gently patting into a loaf shape and smoothing out the surface as needed (batter will be thick). Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut sugar. Bake bread for 60-70 minutes, until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Gently turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
Bread will last for 3 days. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Amazing Grass has generously offered an exclusive discount to JulieMorris.net readers: Get 40% OFF your order with code JULIEMORRIS16 (you must create an account in order for the code to work). This post is sponsored by Amazing Grass – all opinions expressed are my own.
