Quick Breads

Quick breads remain a staple comfort food in our house. They offer ease and contentment in a loaf. My recipe for Whole Wheat Olive Oil Produce Quick Breads tends towards health and flexibility. Use this recipe, if you have some overripe bananas on the counter, a bumper crop of zucchini, or an extra bag of cranberries at Christmas. Soon, I will be cooking up plenty of Pumpkin Puree at my house after all the pumpkins I bought for decoration this fall have served their purpose -- I specifically buy only a few pumpkins for carving and try to fill out the rest of my needs with edible pumpkins for this very reason. If a rainy day or sore throat or busy week are leaving you dragging, prepare a loaf of quick bread to your liking and feel the comfort in both body and soul. Note: You can also use this dough to make regular or mini muffins as directed below. See? Flexible!

Whole Wheat Olive Oil Produce Quick Breads

4 eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini or
2 cups grated carrot or
2 cups coarsely chopped cranberries or
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree or mashed ripe bananas

2 cups unbleached all- purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal or oat bran or wheat bran
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or combination of spices to taste (see below)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Optional: add spices to taste. I suggest --
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup chocolate chips or coarsely chopped pecan or walnuts or unsweetened coconut, optional

1. Grease and flour two 8-by-4 inch loaf pans or line muffin pans with baking cups for 24 regular size muffins or 48 mini muffins.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Beat in oil, buttermilk or yogurt, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in produce or choice. Set aside
3. In a separate bowl, combine flours, flax seed meal or bran, cinnamon or spice mix of choice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined.
4. Fold in chocolate chips or nuts, if desired.
5. Divide batter into prepared pans.
6. For bread: bake at 350°F for 60 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. For regular muffins: bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. For mini muffins: bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 2 loaves or 24 regular-size muffins or 48 mini muffins