February 8, 2018
Like many other people I was content to just keep eating what was familiar and believed that I was eating well. As Elson M. Haas, MD stated in chapter 9 Diets: “In many cases, such diseases as hypertension, heart disease, adult diabetes, obesity, and even cancer are related more to familial influences, both psychological and nutritional, than to a genetic disposition.” Of course, like most girls growing up in Canada, I tried numerous fad diets without actually analyzing them or thinking of the consequences.
When I decided to take up running about 10 years ago I read a great deal on the “correct way to eat” for a runner and followed it as well as I could. I ate bananas (always had), peanut butter, nuts for nutrition etc… Unfortunately, I always had digestive issues – my goal was not to improve my time running but to actually finish without needing a bathroom stop. Then I decided to go to a Naturopath and have food sensitivities done. Guess what? Sensitive to gluten, bananas, milk, eggs, some nuts. So much for my runner’s perfect diet. I needed to change and did but there were some foods I would still like to have occasionally. Pumpkin loaf was one of them. I found a “normal” recipe and adapted it for my gluten and food sensitivities. It required a lot of research and adaptation but I ended up with a very moist gluten free Pumpkin Loaf.
I could have bought all purpose gluten free flour but I decided to make my own blend.
Gluten Free Flour blend: 1 1/4 cup Quinoa flour; 1 cup Sorghum flour; 1 cup tapioca flour.
I increased the baking powder & baking soda by 1/2 tsp from regular non gluten free baking. Increased baking powder should help it rise and provide lightness.
Xanthum gum is used as a binder (you may want to increase it by 1/4 tsp).
Could use 2 eggs – I am sensitive to egg yolks but can have egg whites.
Also could use 1/2 cup raisins instead of cranberries but I am sensitive to grapes (therefore raisins).
Also increased cinnamon by 1/2 tsp from original recipe (actually could have doubled from 1 tsp to 2 tsp) since more cinnamon is required to bring out case of gluten free baking.
Lowered recommended temperature by 25′ and increased cooking time by 20 minutes since gluten free baking cooks faster on outside than inside.
Check periodically and take out before toothpick completely dry to maintain moisture.
Pumpkin Loaf
Recipe
- 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt (of course sea salt)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cup safflower oil
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 cup coconut cane sugar ( replaced refined white sugar)
- Egg whites ( equivalent for 2 eggs)
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 3/4 tsp Xanthan gum.
Combine all ingredients together. Pour into ungreased loaf pan.
Bake 325″F for 70 minutes or when toothpick comes out almost completely clean.
The real proof that it was a success is that my meat and potato, gluten tolerant husband ate 3/4 of it and was looking for more.
