PREP TIME: 20 mins COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 hour SERVES: 4-5 people

Introduction

Golden on the outside and soft on the inside, this bread makes a delicious breakfast or snack topped with avocado or pesto. It's filling and nourishing with protein, good fats and the anti-inflammatory benefits of pumpkin. Pumpkin is low in kilojoules and has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels. I steam my pumpkin first, it makes the bread super sweet and easier to digest.

Ingredients

• 450g steamed pumpkin (pat dry)
• 4 organic eggs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 350g ( 1 1/2 cups) almond meal
• 2 tablespoons white chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• Handful of pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C fan-forced (320°F).

2. Combine the pumpkin, eggs, sea salt, and olive oil into a bowl. Add the almond meal, chia seeds and baking powder and mix well. Rest the bread mixture for 15 minutes.

3. Line a loaf tin with baking paper at the base and the sides. As a guide, a 10cm wide by 26cm long tin works well. 

4. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds. 

5. Bake for approximately 1 hour until cooked through and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tin for 1 hour before removing from the tin. Cool, and enjoy!.

6. Thanks to the Therese Cutter, The Healthy Chef for the inspiration for this delicious recipe.​​​​​​​​