Healthier Pumpkin Bread and Cream Cheese Frosting

You know what today is?  Today is the first day of the fall season, my favorite season of the year.  Why?  Because it brings all things pumpkin to every coffee shop, bakery, restaurant, and grocery store.  My sisters hate it, but I love it because I want to try anything and everything that has pumpkin in it.  My favorite, besides a pumpkin latte, is the pumpkin bread seen in most coffee shops and bakeries.  I love the smell of the spices and the flavor of pumpkin with a combination of cream cheese frosting.

I think I'm drooling as we speak.  Since most pumpkin desserts are full of unhealthy fat and sugar, I've replaced a few things in an old recipe I've used before and created a new healthier version.  And, since I replaced eggs with flaxseed, the bread can also be considered vegan.

 I've also created a lower fat cream cheese frosting to top it off with (note:  the frosting is NOT vegan).  This batter is versatile as it can be made into pumpkin bars, cupcakes or mini muffins.

Healthier Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

Pumpkin bread 

2 Tbsp whole flaxseed, ground
6 Tbsp water
1/2 cup olive oil (or canola)
1 cup sugar (or brown sugar or honey)
1/2 can pumpkin puree, about 7.5 ounces
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Frosting

3 Tbsp reduced fat cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
powdered sugar, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
2. Mix the ground flaxseed with the water and let sit for about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in one bowl and whisk.
4. Combine the pumpkin, flaxseed/water mixture, oil and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix in a stand up mixer for 30 seconds on medium speed.
5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix at medium speed until fully combined.
6. Transfer mixture to a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Place in oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. For frosting, combine the cream cheese and yogurt and whisk until semi smooth.  Add powdered sugar to taste, mixing until smooth.