SUNDAY, RAINY SUNDAY (& A RECIPE FOR ELDERBERRY HAZELNUT BREAD).

Last Sunday was chilly, dreary and rainy all day long.  Sometimes, I just love days like that-- I don't think I even changed out of my pajamas-- all I wanted to do was bake, drink tea, and watch movies.  I asked Peter (one housemate) if he would pick some apples from our tree for me (I promised apple pie!)and I asked Raf if he would go berry picking down the street with me (we bundled up and brought an umbrella).  Elderberries are beautiful (bright red stems and midnight blue berries) and delicious and they grow like crazy around here.  So do small blackberries.  I baked another apple pie (second since moving in) and made elderberry bread.  The recipe for the bread is below--it turned out SO good, it is pretty nutrient dense (and not too sweet), and you can use any type of berry or nut you prefer.  The bread was perfectly moist-- they call that "squidgy" here-- haha! We ate the pie before taking pictures, but the apples are pretty!  Anyway, this was our rainy Sunday bounty... 

Low Fat/ Low sugar Elderberry Bread with Hazelnuts:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, or a combination of whole wheat and unbleached white flour
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats (I used 1/2 Scottish oats and 1/2 muesli)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 bananas,ripe
scant 1/2 cup muscovado sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs (I used one whole and one just whites)
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
3/4 cup elderberries
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (or any nut, really)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. In medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, nuts, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
2. In separate medium bowl, mash bananas with fork. Add muscovado sugar and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Beat in egg whites and yogurt.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients together for a somewhat smooth consistency. Gently fold in elderberries.
4. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.