I said healthy.  Not icky.

Why bother, right?

Well, you see, my teeth are sweet but big butts aren’t neat.  At least on me.  It’s okay on Kim Kardashian, because let’s face it, she has more going for her than a large tushie.

Yes, that’s right.  It’s the impressive Birkin bag collection.

Spontaneous Hausfrau’s Birkin collection = 0

Kimmie K’s Birkin collection = 9

She wins.  Though that number is only rumored.  Whatevs.  The closest I come is with a pair of Birkinstocks.

(That isn’t even quite the truth – I went through that phase in college and got over that phase in college.  Because, you know, I wanted to be gainfully employed.)

Anyway, where was I?  Oh, yes – my teeth. They’re sweet, and I like to enjoy a treat EVERYday, particularly around that doomed 4 o’ clock hour I like to refer to as a “snack or a nap” time.  It’s that time when you’re really starting to drag and you need to either get a little sumthin-sumthin in your mouth or snore it out at your desk.

You know that saying about a cupcake a day keeping the doctor away?

No?

A girl can always dream.

Cupcakes are fun, but they don’t add much to the daily nutritional profile.  As much as I love my desserts, I do try to seek some balance in my diet.  No sense in eating something on a daily basis that is going to leave you feeling all cracked out, thirsty and delirious.  I only like feeling this way on Fridays.  You feel me?

So, I took a banana bread recipe and swapped out a lot of the fat for pumpkin.  The wheat flour was replaced with a more nutrient and fiber dense blend of fresh buckwheat and oat flours.   Coconut sugar makes an appearance instead of the white stuff.  And, I gilded a few lilies with a handful of crystalized ginger.  So, I still feel special.

The results let me feel a little indulgent every afternoon and keep my tummy from rumbling before dinner time.

Calming the beast within.

Much to Mr. Hausfrau’s delight.

Gingered Pumpkin Banana Bread

1/3 c. egg whites

2 bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1 1/4 cup oat flour

3/4 cup raw buckwheat groats, ground into a fine flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325.  Grease a standard-sized loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the mashed banana, oil, pumpkin, and coconut sugar.  In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.  Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until no streaks of flour remain.  Fold in the vanilla and crystallized ginger.

Scrape the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, until deep golden brown.  Cool for 45 minutes and serve.