This whole-grain bread mimics the flavors of your favorite carrot cake. Whole-wheat flour provides fiber, and the carrot and coconut add sweetness, reducing the need for sugar. Carrot cake bread makes a filling breakfast or mid-morning snack.

Yield: 8 slices

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine ground sea salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup raw sugar
• 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp low-fat milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp chopped raw walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the egg and yogurt. Fold in the sugar and then the milk. Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until everything is combined. Fold in the carrot, coconut, and walnuts.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.