Post – Easter Sugar Cravings!

Has Easter left you with an insatiable appetite for chocolate and all things sweet?!

I certainly enjoyed indulging in some chocolate and various Easter treats on Sunday – which has left me craving for more. That’s the trouble with sugar, it leaves you wanting more.

Sweet Vegetables

Sweet vegetables are a great solution to combat sugar cravings, they satisfy the desire for a sweet taste without causing the body to crave more.

Here’s a recipe to help you combat those sugar cravings, and get you back to your veg box, and feeling healthy and vibrant.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 450 g grated raw pumpkin / butternut squash / other sweet root vegetable
• 4 whole organic or free-range eggs
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch nutmeg
• 60 ml olive oil or macadamia nut or cold pressed coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• 300g ground almonds OR a combination of flours of choice – buckwheat and almond work well, or a gluten free mixed flour
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
• pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top  (optional)
• This recipe can be adapted by adding chopped fresh rosemary or chilli flakes to make a savory bread.

Method

Preheat your oven to 150 – 160 C. Fan forced or 180 C if your oven has no fan.
Combine the pumpkin, eggs, salt, nutmeg and oil into a bowl.
Add the almond meal and baking powder and mix well.
Line a loaf tin with baking paper at the base and the sides. The size I used was: 10 1/2 cm wide and 26 cm long.
Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds.
Bake for approximately 1  1/2 hours – check after 1 hour and test as times may vary depending on your oven and temperature. Check with knife – it should come out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tin for 1 hour before removing from the tin.
Cool and enjoy slices with avocado or topped with nut butter.  Great for breakfast or anytime of day! It only lasts a couple of days – so keep in an air tight container or in the fridge. Freeze half of it if you won’t use it within 3 days.

Serve with nut butters or topping of you choice.

Options:

Use half buckwheat or gluten free flour and half ground almonds – to make a slightly lighter, less rich, and less expensive bread.

Replace the eggs with half 400g can coconut milk for a vegan alternative.

Replace the honey and nutmeg with other herbs such as chopped rosemary or thyme for a more savoury bread.

Try using other sweet root vegetables such as parsnips, sweet potatoes or even beetroot!