Date & Walnut Bread

Adapted from www.wellnessletter.com

If you remember date-nut bread from your youth, this recipe will take you right back. To complete the nostalgia, serve the bread spread lightly with cream cheese, preferably low-fat.

Makes 24 slices

Ingredients

2 cups pitted dates (10 ounces), chopped

1 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups NOW Real Food® Non-Instant Rolled Oats*

1 cup NOW Real Food® Walnuts*

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 tablespoons NOW Real Food® Extra Virgin Olive Oil*

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spray two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the dates and boiling water; let stand while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
4. Place the oats in a baking pan and bake for 10 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
5. Transfer the oats to a food processor and process until finely ground.
6. Bake the walnuts in a separate pan for 7 minutes, or until lightly crisped.
7. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the walnuts.
8. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and ground oats.
9. Add the brown sugar, molasses, oil, whole egg, and egg white to the bowl with the dates (and soaking water), and stir to combine.
10. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, then add the date mixture and walnuts, and stir just until moistened.
11. Spoon the batter into the pans.
12. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.
13. Cool them for 5 minutes in the pans on a rack, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

Nutrition information per slice:
164 calories
4.5 g total fat (saturated 0.6 g)
9 mg cholesterol
2 g dietary fiber
30 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
152 mg sodium

*NOW items available at your local health food store