Tag: Bread

Gluten-Free Mango Bread

Hi friends! It’s been a while since I worked on some new stuff for the blog but I’m back at it! After finding out I was pregnant in November, truthfully, writing new recipes for the blog wasn’t top of mind. But, this Gluten-Free Mango Bread has been a hit in my book, so I wanted to share! And since I’m focused on foods that are beneficial to both baby and me, turns out mangoes are extremely beneficial during pregnancy.

Benefits of eating mango

Here are some of the benefits of eating mangoes during pregnancy!

  1. Prevents anemia. Mangoes are a great source of Vitamin C (one cup alone gives you 100% of your daily allowance)! They’re also high in Vitamin A and studies have shown that low vitamin A levels at birth are associated with lower immunity. Plus, they’re delicious and refreshing! Even though I’ve relaxed on the low-carb train for a bit, I’ve been adding lots of mangoes to my eating habits (buying the frozen chunks is SO much easier).
  2. Promotes Fetal Development. Folic acid is crucial for healthy development of the fetus, particularly the brain and spinal cord. Eating mangoes can help prevent neurological defects. Mangoes also contain vitamin B6 which is also essential for healthy development of the nervous system!
  3. Loaded with antioxidants. Full of vitamin C, mangoes help combat free radicals that can affect normal fetal development. And vitamin C helps reduce the risk of premature birth.
  4. Helps development of bones and teeth. Again, with that awesome vitamin A benefit! Plus, vitamin A is also necessary for healthy organ development such as the eyes, kidneys, heart and lungs.
  5. Maintains fluid balance. Your blood count increase during pregnancy (boy, did I notice that pretty early on!) so your body needs extra minerals to balance body fluids. Mangoes are filled with electrolytes including magnesium, sodium, calcium and potassium.
  6. Prevents Preeclampsia. Magnesium is also critical during pregnancy as it’s a natural cure for preeclampsia (been using magnesium pretty much every night and it tremendously helps me sleep). Eating mangoes along with taking magnesium supplement (or lotion as I’ve been doing, since it’s better absorbed through the skin) helps build fetal muscles and prevents preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a common condition identified with high blood pressure and symptoms of damage to lungs and kidneys.

“Quick” Bread

This Gluten-Free Mango Bread recipe comes together in just a few minutes in the blender (and it’s Passover-friendly)! And the mangos add a great deal of moisture (I know, the “M” word) and I love adding cardamon, such a warming spice that pairs so perfectly. I topped the bread with crushed pecans to give it some texture but feel free to omit too. It’s a great breakfast option, toasted and shmeared with ghee, butter or cream cheese, or just a delicious snack on its own!

The bread will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, or you can keep it in the freezer.

L’chaim to the mango!

0 from 0 votes
Print
Gluten-Free Mango Bread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
 
Course: bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Flour
  • 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. Ground Cardamom
  • 2 tsp. Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 cup Sugar Or sugar substitute
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Oil Olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil all work
  • 2 Mangos, peeled, pitted, roughly chopped You can use frozen (makes it MUCH easier)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup Pecans, crushed Optional, for topping
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and parchment paper

  2. Combine almond flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl

  3. Add sugar, eggs, oil, mango chunks and lemon juice to a blender container and blend until smooth

  4. Pour mango mixture in the almond flour mixture and fold until evenly combined

  5. Pour into loaf pan

  6. Mix the crushed pecans in a small bowl and sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon (just eyeball it), if using and top the loaf with the mixture

  7. Bake for 50 minutes or until clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean

Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding

A Slice of Heaven

Ah, the heavenly aroma of sweet challah baking in the oven.  The cinnamon sugar mixture bubbling on top.  Maybe your challah has raisins or chopped apples, or a cinnamon streusel draped over the braided beauty.  But here’s a thought for you.  When the holidays are over – when your Sukkah is stashed away for the season, what on earth do you do with all that leftover challah?

Sure you could turn it into French Toast.  But that takes too long.  Or maybe dice them up and bake them into croutons.  So, uh, you can have cinnamon challah croutons in your Caesar salad?  Nope, I have a better idea.

Take that French Toast idea and make it into a casserole.  Behold, Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding! Here, take this napkin to wipe the drool from your chin. 🙂

Let’s be honest, bread pudding is a carb-o-load to the MAX, so this is definitely not keto-friendly (unless that is, if you’re using a low-carb bread to start with). So one piece is really the serving size here. Trust me, this is not a delicate or light dish (and when I say “trust me”, what I mean by that is I used my husband as the taste-tester for this).

Leftovers to the Rescue!

I got the idea after defrosting a challah from the freezer and well, sadly, it tasted a little like freezer burn.  Clearly that won’t get your taste buds salivating, but I went the lazy-girl’s way.  All you do to make this bread paradise is cube up leftover challah, and make a custard, pour it on top and bake.  Like I said, lazy-girl’s version of French Toast, but in casserole form! Genius, I KNOW! And if you look closely, you can see those perfect cinnamon swirls throughout.  Ah, the perfect bite. No more freezer burn taste here!

One side note – my husband mentioned that this bread pudding would be great with some maple syrup on top – or something to “glaze” it.  I didn’t have a photo to share on this post with the glaze, but it’s simple to make! Just a few tablespoons of powdered sugar added with some almond milk (and add in some vanilla extract too), until it gets thick and gooey. Drizzle on top and there ya have it (detailed instructions are in the recipe below).

But beware!  This bread pudding will make your entire household smell undeniably delicious – with an intoxicating aroma of cinnamon and sugar.  If you’re feeling creative, add in some (dairy-free) chocolate chips, or some diced apples, or some dried apricots.  Not that you need a reason to stuff this bread pudding with anymore sugar, but why not.  It’s kugel, gone wild! Or, as I like to say, “leftovers” that are now “makeovers”!  Enjoy!

Yet again, this holiday season is upon us, so here we go again – Chag Sameach dear readers, from your team at Meat Your Vegetables!

 

0 from 0 votes
Print
Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Milk Or use any dairy-free milk you have around
  • 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 tsp. Maple Extract Or use Vanilla!
  • 1/3 cup Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute Or use regular brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1/2 Loaf Sweet challah bread, cut into 2-inch cubes You want to fill the pan but not overcrowd it - this will make about 6 cups
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. and grease a 4-6 cup baking dish with coconut oil

  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the almond milk, coconut oil, extract, brown sugar and salt. Continue whisking until coconut oil is mixed in and melted; cool.

  3. The mixture will start to separate while it's cooling - that's okay. While whisking the slightly cooled milk, add in the beaten eggs and whisk until combined (otherwise if you just pour it in and don't whisk, you'll end up with clumpy scrambled eggs)!

  4. Pour the mixture over the cubed bread immediately. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges have slightly browned.

  5. Serve warm or at room temp. You can also serve this with a glaze on top - simply mix a few tablespoons of powdered sugar and add in a few teaspoons at a time of almond milk (and add a splash of vanilla), until you get a thick glaze consistency - pour over top and devour!