Sweet Potato Oat Loaf

Is anyone else starting to get a little pumpkin-ed out…already!? I definitely am. And the saddest part is that there isn’t even canned pumpkin puree here in Mexico for me to  make all the recipes I am seeing on blogs and Pinterest. I did find some classic Halloween pumpkins in the grocery store the other day, but have not yet gotten around to making my own puree. What I have realized though, is that sweet potato puree can take the place for pumpkin puree in most recipes with similar results.

This Sweet Potato Oat Bread was inspired by Kathy’s recipe for Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread. It is probably closer to a baked oatmeal than a bread since it is so…moist. Sorry, I know lots of people dislike that word but what else am I supposed to call it!?

I love that this bread is not too sweet. It is low in fat and sugar, has no refined sugars, and has only healthy carbohydrates. The sweet potatoes plus lots of cinnamon lend a natural sweetness to the bread without having to use too much sweetener.

If you do not already have oat flour on hand, you can make it by processing gluten free rolled oats in a food processor until they form a rough powder/meal. I like to keep the oat flour a bit rough for this recipe because it gives the bread an oatmeal texture.

The mixture will seem wet when ready for the oven, but the oats will absorb the moisture as the bread cooks. When you fill the bread pan up it will be filled to the top, but the bread does not rise much so don’t worry.

Now, my final comment about this bread is a bit of an issue. The oven where I am currently living is not the best oven. By that I mean that there are no numbers on the knob and the oven heats very unevenly. So, what I did was use Kathy’s temperature and timing as a guide in my recipe, but you should keep a close eye on the bread to make sure it doesn’t burn, and that it cooks all the way through.

Sweet Potato Oat Loaf
Makes 9 slices.

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups oat flour, gluten free
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon baking powder
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sweet potato puree (about 2 large sweet potatoes)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup agave syrup

Toppings:
1 ½ tablespoons chopped pecans
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1. Thoroughly wash sweet potatoes. Roast them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees farenheit for about 45 minutes or until tender. Let cool completely and peel skin and brown parts off. Place in a food processor with about 1/2-3/4 cup water and process until completely smooth. You can add more water if necessary.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to completely combine.
3. Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to completely combine.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk to completely combine.
5. Add mixture to a greased 9×5” pan and top with pecans and pumpkin seeds.
6. Bake at 425 degrees farenheit for 20 minutes. Then reduce heat to 395 and bake for an additional 25 minutes. About 40-55 minutes total should be about enough. You can check to see if you bread is done by using a toothpick or knife.

Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 259 Fat: 10.7 g Carbohydrates: 36.1 g Protein: 6.7 g Fiber: 4.8 g Sugar: 10.3 g