Not only do I enjoy making delicious fall meals, but I think it’s really great to experiment with baking seasonally as well. Today, when I was walking around my local farmer’s market, I took notice of all the great produce available and realized that not only could you use those ingredients in dinners, breakfasts and lunches, but also in quick bread recipes. Easy quick-breads are great to pack in lunches, for a breakfast on the go, or for a mid-afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Anyways, here are four bread recipes you have to try before the end of the November. Your family will thank you as soon as the luscious scent of quick-bread wafts through your home. Grab your favorite fall preserve and get baking!

Fig, Date and Walnut Bread

(Inspired by a myrecipes.com post)

In an earlier post in September titled Getting Figgy With It: Five Awesome Things About Figs, I discuss the health benefits and some cool facts about these under appreciated fruits. They make great additions to your baking creations, and this recipe is a prime example. Figs and dates both add a density and moisture to a homemade quick-bread that is really great this time of year.

Ingredients

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk 
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup chopped dried figs
1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup packed organic brown sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°.

2. You are going to them make a reduction with the first four ingredients listed above. In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the buttermilk, nutmeg, orange rind and cloves  just until bubbles begin to form around edge.It’s important to NOT bring it to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in figs and dates. Let stand 20 minutes or until fruit softens.

3. Combine sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl and stir with a whisk until everything is all mixed in.  Stir in cooled milk and fruit mixture.

4. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl–being sure to make a well in center of mixture. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 x 4-inch greased loaf pan. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Sweet Potato Bread 

Looking for a cool, new way to use up those sweet potatoes laying around? Why not bake with them? Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and are a great addition to muffins, breads or cookies. They also can be used to make a sweet potato pie. Anyways, here is one of my favorite ways to eat them. Be sure to roast the sweet potatoes before mashing for some extra flavor.

(Inspired by a food.com post) 

Ingredients

2 cups  organic white sugar
1 cup olive oil
3 eggs
2 cups sweet potatoes, roasted and mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped pecans ( or any other nut of your choice).

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Combine sugar, oil, egg, sweet potatoes and vanilla together.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except walnuts) together well and add to wet ingredients. Stir everything together until mixed well.

4. Fold in the pecans or nuts of your choice.

5. Pour into 2 standard greased loaf pans.

6. Bake for approximately 75 minutes or until thin knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Carrot Bread

A variation to this carrot bread that my former roommate, Cait Kennedy taught me, is that you can actually incorporate organic carrot baby food to make your bread more delicious. The baby food is just carrot puree and will give the flavor depth. If you are feeling a bit adventurous, add a jar or two with the grated carrot. I promise, you’ll thank me later.

(Inspired by Prepared Pantry post) 

Ingredients

2 cups grated carrots
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4  teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups organic white sugar
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (soy or almond work just as well).
(also, you can add 3/4 cup of any kind of desired nut).

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease two medium-sized loaf pans

3. Grate, measure the carrots and set aside.

4. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a larger-sized bowl.

5. Wisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the sugar and add the oil, vanilla extract and milk.

6, Make a depression with the dry ingredients (known as a well) and add the wet mixture with the carrots (and the nuts if desired). Mix everything together until barely combined.

7. Pour the batter evenly between your two loaf pans. Bake on the top shelf in the oven for 45 -50 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted in the middle of the loaves and it comes out clean. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on wire racks.

Green Diva Meg’s Gluten-Free, Reduced Sugar
Banana Bread

GD Meg makes this all the time. She was experimenting with baking using Truvia and this recipe is quickly become a family staple. Not as seasonal perhaps, but I’ve tasted it and it is delicious!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup gluten-free, all-purpose flour (GD Meg uses Bob’s Red Mill
3 1/2 tablespoons Truvia (stevia-based sweetner) (or 12 packets)
4 tablespoons sugar (GD Meg uses a natural, organic kind)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 very ripe bananas (mashed up)
1/3 cup melted butter (let it cool a bit)
1/3 cup vanilla flavored soy or coconut milk creamer
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Grease a 9 x 3 x 5 loaf pan.

3. Melt the butter. let it cool a bit.

4. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.

5. Mash up the bananas and whisk together with the creamer, egg, butter and vanilla in a separate bowl.

6. Fold the wet mixture into the big bowl. Don’t over mix it or the bread will be tough. It will be kind of thick.

7. Put it in the greased loaf pan and bake for 50 – 60 minutes.

Also, Check out GD Meg’s awesome Zucchini Bread recipe on EatDrinkBetter.com!

Fig, Date and Walnut Bread Image via myrecipes.com
Sweet Potato Bread Image via Cenla Focus
Carrot Bread Image via Shutterstock
Nut Bread Image via Shutterstock
Banana Bread Image via Shutterstock