Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread

Since this week marks the second anniversary of MKA, I thought it might be fun to revisit the very first recipe posted on this blog, Apple Bread, and give it a bit of a make-over. 

When I first made this bread, it was good, but I always felt it had room to be better.  With a few changes, I think I have a real winner.  Dense and moist, as a quick bread should be.  With all the fresh apples around, this is an excellent way to use them up.  Feel free to add walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries to it too but I left them out to help keep it more diet friendly.

The original recipe called for applesauce, but I left it out entirely and used 2 cups fresh grated apples.  I used golden delicious, because they were on sale last week,  but I am sure any baking type apple would work.  I don't really care to eat Golden Delicious out of hand, so this bread was a perfect way to use them up.  The original recipe called for milk, but I left it out and replaced it with (and then some) plain nonfat Greek yogurt.  I used brown sugar instead of white and upped the cinnamon amounts.

Like any quick bread, this one is much, much better with a stronger apple flavor the next day.  So it's best if cooled, wrapped tightly and stored overnight before enjoying it.  But if you can't wait that long, it's good fresh from the oven too!  ( I may have tried it BOTH ways!)

Fresh Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread

Servings - 16   Serving Size - 1/16th of bread   Points Plus per Serving - 4 Points+

Calories - 139.6,   Total Fat - 4.2g,   Carb. - 24g,   Protein - 3.9g,   Fiber - 0.8g

* the easiest way I have found to cut a quick bread into 16 slices is to cut it into 8 slices, then cut each slice in half.  This gives you 16 smaller halves that are thick enough not to fall apart.  Of course, for those not watching their calorie intake, a full-sized piece is fine! 

2 cups all purpose flour (can be half whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups grated apple (peels and cores removed)  ( you can use finely diced apples as well) 

2 large eggs

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt ( I used Chobani ) 

1/4 cup canola oil

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat one 9"x5"x3" loaf pan with cooking spray. 

2.  In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.  Set aside.  

3.  In med sized bowl, combine the apples, eggs, yogurt, canola oil, and lemon juice.  Stir to combine.  Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until JUST COMBINED.  Don't overmix!  

4.  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, if desired,  and bake for approx. 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Let rest in pan for 10 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.  As I mentioned, this quick bread is better the next day, so cool completely then wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap and slice the next day....or not!  lol  

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This version of this bread is very good.  Like I mentioned moist and dense, yet still pretty low in fat and calories.  The apple taste really came out the next day.