The following recipe is adapted from the Farmstead Chef cookbook by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko, just in time for Thanksgiving and an abundant pumpkin harvest. Farmstead Chef offers stories and recipes to nourish and inspire. Kivirist and Ivanko’s 150 recipes are based on their quest to eat what they call “farmsteadtarian”: eating as much as possible from our own gardens, community and, when necessary, from carefully selected sources as close to the farmers, ranchers, food artisans, cheese makers, brewers or growers as we can. It’s about being able to name your farmer, beekeeper or butcher.
Table of Contents
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread
Who knew a silken pumpkin purée and peanut butter made such good partners? This loaf-style recipe yields two loaves; if that’s more than you need, these loaves freeze well or are always appreciated by neighbors. Peanuts are from the legume family, kin to pinto beans and lentils. Peanut butter provides plant proteins along with healthy, non-hydrogenated fats. We’ve learned the hard way that lightly oiling and flour-dusting the pans are crucial steps to ensure the loaf smoothly pops out of the pan.
Ingredients:
1 T. canola oil
1 T. flour (for dusting pans)
3 c. sugar
2 c. pumpkin purée
4 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
¾ c. water
2/3 c. peanut butter
3 ½ c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 ½ t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
Directions:
• Prepare two 8×4 loaf pans by lightly oiling them, then dusting the inside of the pan with flour.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and peanut butter. Blend pumpkin mixture well.
• Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture; mix well.
• Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Yield: 2 loaves.