Making a holiday dessert loaf and realizing that your legitimately able to categorize it under “breakfast” makes this recipe 100% AWESOME. Emilie Hebert is an inspiring foodie who I feel I can connect to both with my passion and love for healthy food and also on a personal level as she is such a real, honest, open-hearted woman with a beautiful smile and a heart of gold. @emilieeats I’ve gotta say this is definitely one of my favs!!!
Soooo the smell of my house right now is insane! If only I could press that non-existent “smell this!” button right now I can guarantee you you’d be up off your butt so fast to make this! Buttt for now I’ll just keep explaining why its the most healthiest, delicious holiday loaf there EVER was!
Made with simple, wholesome, in-season ingredients that are not only satisfying but the perfect way to keep you full and fuel you through these “christmas rush” kind of days. I enjoy mine most mid-afternoon with a dollop of plain SKYR yogourt, a drizzle of maple syrup and of course a large herbal tea!
Just some fancy facts on fresh Cranberries — “Cranberries have vitamin C and fiber, and are only 45 calories per cup. In disease-fighting antioxidants, cranberries outrank nearly every fruit and vegetable–including strawberries, spinach, broccoli, red grapes, apples, raspberries, and cherries. One cup of whole cranberries has 8,983 total antioxidant capacity”. — WOW!
Now add in your fresh orange juice/orange zest, ground flax, true cinnamon, coconut oil, organic applesauce, and pepitas! Talk about a nutritious, flavour packed, chewy, addictive-ness that will have you wanting another slice or two, or three 🙂 …honestly though, who’s counting???
There really is something about fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables that make every recipe just that much better. The quality, the taste, the nutrition, and the fact that your supporting local farmer’s and farmer’s markets make you appreciate every bite that much more. That’s why having more than one slice is TOTALLY something I’m encouraging!
I’m always trying to discover ways to bake with easily digestible Spelt Flour because it makes me feel good and does not leave me bloated or irritable. However if you are gluten-free or celiac and can not tolerate spelt whatsoever then simply substitute with a gluten-free blend such as BOB’s 1 to 1 GF Flour or do as Emilie did and use a whole wheat blend! Either way this loaf will turn out fluffy and oh-so-delicious!
As you can see I got SO excited to photograph this loaf I didn’t wait long enough to let it completely cool so my slicing isn’t perfect! Make sure to wait at least 10-15 minutes before slicing so that it will look just as pretty as it tastes! Unless of course your making it for yourself! The tick-tocking of the timer will be sure to drive you mad!
I would highly recommend making 2 loaves and freezing one to have ready to bring along to one of your holiday gatherings as it does make the perfect Christmas dessert. As it’s main colours are green and red it sure does scream “Christmas!” and like I mentioned before… how awesome is it that you can enjoy it anytime of day???
Begin this years holiday baking with this amazing, healthy, fresh cranberry-orange zest loaf that will be sure to bring the biggest smile to you & yours! Enjoy for breakfast with a drizzle of maple syrup or fresh homemade cranberry compote! Or if you have a sweet tooth, enjoy it in the evening warmed up with your favourite holiday beverage!
Happy (almost) December friends! XOXO
(vegan) 
(dairy-free)
