Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

I adore the fall, it is my favorite season.  In my garden every year, I have a plethora of winter squash and pumpkins coming to maturation...a huge highlight in this household!  In my very limited garden space, I always choose to devote a lot of square footage for them, and they DO take up a lot of room!  I love the colors, I love the flavors, and they are so good for you!  Be prepared for lots of pumpkin/squash recipes in the coming weeks.  I already have a pumpkin donut recipe mastered, but we've eaten them too fast for pictures so far.  I have promised many people this recipe will be here within the week....so look forward to it!  For this recipe, I baked my very first Cinderella pumpkin.  I have read many posts where people say cooking your own pumpkin is not worth the hassle...but I disagree!  There is a flavor and texture that come from fresh pumpkin that can not be beat.  There is nothing wrong with using canned, but if you have the choice...give it a whirl (literally!).  There are many varieties that cook up wonderfully.  My favorite are Sugar Pie, Cinderella, and Fairytale pumpkins.  Butternut and Buttercup squash are also outstanding.  Pick up something that catches your eye at the farmers market, there are so  many pretty ones!  Just know that your average jack-o-lanterns are not intended for consumption..unless we're talking about your worms in a worm bin!  Follow any recipe for baking your squash, there is a lot of information out in cyber world on how to bake your pumpkin or squash perfectly, I have also given a general outline below.

L to R, Buttercup, Cinderella, Butternut, and Sugar Pie

COOKING TIP:  To make your own squash/pumpkin puree see this post!

LUNCHBOX TIP: Freeze individually sliced pieces of bread for your lunchboxes!

Makes 4 mini loaves or 1 1/2 regular loaves

2 1/4 cup brown rice flour (or any mix of brown rice, millet, teff, or oat)
1/2 cup tapioca flour (or other starch)
1/2 cup palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 cup sugar (or more if you like your bread more sweet, or more palm sugar)
2 teaspoons baking powder (corn-free!)
1 teaspoon guar gum
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, canned or fresh (Please refer to this post for how to bake your own squash or pumpkin)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil, canola, or other light flavored oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup (or more) dried cranberries (if yours are overly dry, it is yummy to soak them in orange juice to plump them)
Optional: dark chocolate chips, nuts, orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and sugar together until well mixed.  Sprinkle in the flours, baking powder, guar gum, salt, and cinnamon and whisk in briskly to the wet pumpkin mixture.  Pour into greased pans of your choice.  Mini loaves take about 30 minutes, large loaves take about an hour.  I sometimes make muffins if there is any extra batter remaining in the bowl, and those take about 20 minutes.  All of them are done when a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  As with all gluten free breads, remove from the pan after about 5-10 minutes so the bottoms do not get soggy!!

This recipe was shared on Five Flu Fighting Foods and Pennywise Platter Thursday