Pumpkin Gingerbread

soy-free

This gingerbread gets a nutritious boost with the fall flavor of pumpkin. You can use canned organic pumpkin, or you can make your own. The slow cooker is perfect for gingerbread since things stay moister. You can use regular flour or even a gluten-free baking mix if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour on hand.

dry:
2 cups (240g) whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

wet:
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1 cup (250ml) pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
1/2 cup (125ml) molasses
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1/4 cup (62ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the flax seed and warm water together in another bowl. Combine the rest of the wet ingredients to the flax mixture. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir with wooden spoon until it is just combined. Add to an oiled loaf pan that fits in your slow cooker, or directly to your pre-oiled crock. Cook on high, with the lid vented by placing a wooden spoon across the crock, under the lid.

Cook until a knife comes out almost clean (About 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours cooked in crock, 3 to 3 1/2 hours cooked in loaf pan). Remember if you cook it as a loaf, it will continue to cook a little more after you remove it from the slow cooker.

Yields: About 8 servings
Total Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours cooked in crock, 3 to 3 1/2 hours cooked in loaf pan