Ellie Krieger’s Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries
Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries
(Makes 8 servings)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- 1 cup fresh whole cranberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, honey, oil, eggs, and egg white until well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just enough to combine evenly. Gently stir in the cranberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1-inch thick slice)
- Calories: 290
- Total Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Carbohydrate: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
Copyright 2011 Ellie Krieger. All rights reserved
Let’s Brunch!
While the origins of the meal remain a mystery, the word “brunch” first appeared in print in an 1895 article for Hunter’s Weekly. In “Brunch: A Plea,” British writer Guy Beringer proposed an alternative to the heavy post-church fare of the day, in favor of a lighter mid-morning meal.
“Why not a new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee?” Beringer suggested. “Brunch is cheerful, sociable, and inciting. … It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.”
More than a century later, Beringer would be happy with the way America embraced and elevated the culinary hybrid to an art form — a tradition treasured by the hungry (and the hungover).
“At brunch, the last thing you want is last-minute fuss,” says Ellie Krieger. “Basically, these recipes can be prepped in advance.”
To keep it light, think alternatives. “For breakfast, people lean on traditional bacon and sausage,” says Krieger. “Instead try Canadian bacon which delivers the same smoky pork flavor, but is a much leaner option.”
As for presentation, Krieger suggests an inexpensive, edible tablescape. “Pick up fresh, colorful spring vegetables and herbs at the farmers market,” Krieger says. “A bunch of fresh mint in a simple vase or untrimmed radishes on a plate makes an elegant centerpiece.”
All recipes courtesy Ellie Krieger.
Spicy Egg and Avocado Wrap
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 4 large red-leaf lettuce leaves
- 4 whole-wheat wrap breads (about 9 inches in diameter)
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, sliced
- 1 medium tomato (about 4 ounces), sliced
- 1⁄8 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon prepared Thai chili sauce or hot sauce, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place eggs in a 4-quart saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Remove from heat, rinse with cold water and peel. Remove yolks from 4 of the eggs and discard yolks. Slice remaining egg whites and whole eggs into 1/4-inch slices.
Lay piece of lettuce leaf over center of each wrap bread. Top each with avocado, sliced eggs, tomato, and cucumber. Sprinkle with chili sauce and season with salt and pepper. Fold one side of bread about 2 inches over filling to form pocket and roll into wrap. Eat immediately or cover in foil and store in refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Nutritional Info
Per Serving (1 wrap)
- Calories: 370
- Total Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Carbohydrate: 45 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 medium-fat meat, 2 vegetable, 2 fat
Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
- ½ cup walnut pieces
- ½ cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 8 slices cinnamon raisin bread
- 1 peach (or apple or pear), pitted (or cored)
Directions
Toast walnuts in dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly, then chop them finely. In small bowl, add chopped walnuts to yogurt and honey and stir until well combined. Spread will keep in refrigerator in airtight container for up to 3 days. Just stir well before using. When ready to serve, toast bread and cut fruit into 1/4–inch slices. Spread about 1 tablespoon of walnut spread onto each piece of bread. Top each piece with few slices of fruit. Eat immediately.
Nutritional Information
Per Serving (2 pieces)
- Calories: 250
- Total Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Carbohydrate: 37 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, ½ fruit, ½ low-fat dairy, 1 fat
Egg in a Basket with Smoked Turkey and Asparagus
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound asparagus stalks
(about 3/4 bunch), woody bottoms removed - 4 pieces whole-wheat sandwich bread
- 4 teaspoons butter, melted
- Cooking spray
- 6 ounces sliced smoked turkey, sliced again into thin ribbons
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs
Directions
Place asparagus in steamer basket over pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Chop asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with melted butter. Using 3-inch cookie cutter, cut hole in center of each slice of bread; reserve cutouts.
Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook turkey slices until browned around edges, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until it is heated through, about 2 minutes, then season with pepper. Transfer mixture to plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Place 2 bread slices and cutouts in same skillet and crack one egg into hole of each slice. Cook until egg whites are set and bread is toasted on underside, about 3 minutes. Using spatula, flip bread/egg slices and cutouts and cook additional 1 minute. Transfer bread/egg pieces to individual plates. Repeat with remaining bread slices and cutouts. Top each one with 1/4 of turkey-asparagus mixture. Arrange cutouts on each plate.
Nutritional Information
Per Serving (1 egg in a basket with ½ cup asparagus-turkey topping and 1 bread cutout)
- Calories: 270
- Total Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Sodium: 630 mg
- Carbohydrate: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 medium fat meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat
Foods to Reduce Inflammation
In a campaign to raise awareness and educate women about rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Ellie Krieger, registered dietitian and host of Food Network’s hit show Healthy Appetite, offers simple diet tips to promote and support healthy joints.
Not to be confused with osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on aging joints, RA is an autoimmune disease that may also affect the eyes, skin, or lungs. Here, Krieger shares with the Post some foods that may reduce inflammation in the body and help relieve the painful swelling and stiffness that is often associated with RA.
“Inflammation is the main thing. And there are foods I find so interesting, particularly spices like turmeric, which is one of the main ingredients in curry. Try curry on cauliflower or use ginger in an Asian-flavored stir-fry. These spices have been linked with having an anti-inflammatory effect,” says Krieger.
Although mainly developed for patients of RA, Krieger’s campaign recipes are beneficial to anyone trying to eat a healthier diet. “It’s about spicing up your life with wonderful flavors. I have a recipe for a Blueberry Blast Smoothie, which is milk blended with a little honey and some fresh (or frozen) blueberries. You’re getting antioxidants, and you’re getting your Vitamin D in essentially what I think tastes like a milkshake.” Additionally, Krieger shares her Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Dressing, an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and a good source of iron and vitamin A.
Blueberry Blast Smoothie
(Makes 1 smoothie)
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
- 1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
- 1 teaspoon honey
Put all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.
Nutrition Information
Per serving:
- Calories: 195
- Total fat: 1 g (sat fat 0 g, mono fat 0 g, poly fat 0 g)
- Protein: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
- Sodium: 134 mg
Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Dressing
(Makes 4 servings)
- One 15.5-ounce can of chickpeas, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon honey
- 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 cups lightly packed)
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint
In medium bowl, combine chickpeas, parsley, and onion. In small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice and zest, cumin, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Pour dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to coat evenly. In small bowl, stir together yogurt, orange juice and zest, and honey. Serve chickpea salad over bed of spinach leaves. Top with yogurt sauce and garnish with mint.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/2 cup chickpea salad, 1/2 cup spinach, and 1 tablespoon yogurt sauce
Per serving:
- Calories 175
- Total fat: 9 g (sat fat 1 g, mono fat 5.5 g, poly fat 1.5 g)
- Protein: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 147 mg
Krieger recently teamed up with Emmy winner Deborah Norville and a panel of experts to discuss and share information important to people with RA. Proper nutrition, fitness, relationships, career management—it’s all part of an online talk show to educate the public on a disease affecting more than 1.3 million Americans, most of which are women. For more information, visit newwayra.com/newwayra/home.html.
Recipes courtesy of Ellie Krieger.