Christmas Bread
Cherries, bananas and macadamia nuts are a perfect trio in this holiday quick bread. And, the calories are slashed with this Recipe Makeover!
Per serving: 167 calories, 6g fat, 23mg cholesterol, and 14g sugars.
Saves: 131 calories, 8.5g fat, 31mg cholesterol, and 12g sugars.
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hr
Extra Time: 20 mins
(for cooling)
Yield: 16 x slices (or 1 loaf)
About this Recipe Makeover
Quick breads can be a delicious addition to brunch or holiday meal. However, many quick breads use high calorie ingredients as illustrated in the traditional recipe.
Christmas Bread is a healthier made-over recipe. To make it even lower in calories, cholesterol, carbs, and sugars, we further adapted it by replacing maraschino cherries with dried cherries, and butter with low-cholesterol vegetable spread.
Ingredients Show Makeover Show Traditional
- 10 oz dried cherries, deseeded *
- 2 Tbsp cherry juice *
- 1/3 cup low-cholesterol vegetable spread, softened
- 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts or walnuts
- 1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coarsely chop cherries; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, put butter, brown sugar, eggs, and cherry juice. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until well mixed. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with mashed bananas, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in cherries and nuts.
Lightly spray a 9x5x3-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake in a preheated oven 1 hour, or until golden brown and wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. When cooled, wrap in plastic wrap or store in a tightly covered container.
Variations:
* If desired, replace dried cherries and 2 Tbsp. cherry juice with a 10-oz. jar maraschino cherries (use the maraschino juice in the recipe).
Can serve bread with nonfat or low-fat cream cheese, if desired.
Serving suggestions are not included in the nutritional analysis.
Tips:
For holiday gifts, wrap homemade loaves in colorful gift bags or wrapping paper with bows.