Fruit and Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

A quick squiz at my circa 1995 Secrets of Fat Free Cooking book reminded me of the fact that I used to do a lot of my baking using pureed prunes, especially in recipes using chocolate or oatmeal, as a substitute for some of the fat and sugar. There is something very synergistic about prunes and baking. One of my absolute favourite tarts in the world is a semi-sweet chocolate and prune tart - heaven! Given my culinary direction at the moment - healthier than the last year or so - I thought a nice fruit and nut breakfast bread might be in order. I made a big loaf, and cut it into thickish slices and froze them individually in baggies. I (or Cakes) can pop them out of the freezer and into the toaster in the morning. That is if they last that long!

One of the really great aspects of this recipe is the toasted nuts. Toasting nuts before you use them in baking really allows their flavour to amplify into something much bigger than it would be minus the toasting. You can get away with relatively fewer nuts this way without sacrificing any of the flavour, and, if you're counting calories, that's always a good thing. I also briefly toast my wholemeal flour in a dry stir fry pan - it develops a lovely nutty flavour that really enhances the taste of this bread. The bread is slightly sweet and very nutty and fruity tasting. One small slice is plenty for breakfast!

Thos recipe's adapted from one appearing in Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking by Sandra Woodruff.

For one loaf (12 thick slices depending on the size of your pan. My pan's very wide):

• 140 gms (1 +1/4 cup) quick cooking oats
• 310 ml (1 + 1/4 cup) evaporated skim milk
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
• 120 gms pitted prunes (about 1/2 cup)
• 30 ml (2 Tablespoons) water
• 125 gms (1 + 1/2 cups) whole wheat flour (toast this in a dry non-stick skillet first!)
• 100 gms (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 50 gm (1/3 cup) toasted pecan bits
• 50 gm (1/3 cup) dried cranberries
• 50 gm (1/3 cup) dried blueberries

Combine oats, milk and vanilla and set aside to soak for 10-15 minutes.

Place prunes in a food processor and turn on. While processing dribble the water in slowly and process until you have a smoothish paste. If the prune skins still form specks in the paste, that's fine. 

Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in mixing bowl and stir until combined and there are no large lumps of brown sugar remaining. Mix in oatmeal and milk mixture and process a minute or two to blend well. Stir through nuts and fruit.

Pour into a non-stick loaf pan and bake in the centre of your oven at 325 for 35-40 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack. Allow to cool for a further 20 minutes before slicing.

Per slice: 202 cal, 3.3 grams fat, 5.2 grams fibre, 3.5 points.

Comments

[Kalyn]

I'm excited to hear you are putting the nutritional information and WW points on your recipes now. I'll be checking back often to find things for my Blogher posts.

[texmex]

Ouah looks healthy and really clean your mould after cooking... My moulds are usually old and showing signs of multiple uses...

[Tania]

This looks like a fabulous breakfast treat! After eating my way through too many amazingly cheap but divinely rich three-course meals as part Winterlicious here in Toronto, I'm so in the mood for low-fat and healthy things (not to mention an angioplasty). Thanks for the recipe!

[genevieve]

thank you! i've been dying to find a healthier recipe for breakfast breads...and the regular applesauce/yogurt substitution has always failed me.

[karen]

After seeing this recipe today, I scurried out to gather the ingredients, came home, and made it! After it cooled, I toasted a slice and added a bit of butter. It's wonderful, and has all sorts of flavors and textures going on. Thanks!