Vegan Fig and Walnut Bread

This recipe comes together superfast and easy. Feel free to substitute other dried fruit like raisins. apricots or dates for chopped dried figs. Awesome by itself or with a schmear of nut butter for extra protein, fiber and fun. Recipe and photo by Ellen Kanner. Shown here with the bread is Tofu Scramble with Jalapeño and Cilantro.

Makes: 1 loaf

• 1 cup water or tea (black, green, herbal, whatever you like)
• 1/2 cup dried figs, chopped and any tough stems discarded
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground scinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, Sucanet, or other natural cane sugar
• 2/3  cup fresh orange juice (from 2 to 3 oranges)
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Lightly oil a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a small saucepan, heat water or tea over medium-high heat. When it just starts to bubble, turn off heat, and leaving pot on the burner, add chopped dried figs. Leave them to soften while you continue with the recipe.

Pour chopped nuts into a shallow baking pan and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until walnuts are brown and buttery-smelling. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift together whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour and baking soda, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, combine orange juice, oil and Sucanet or brown sugar. Whisk together until sugar dissolves.

Add wet ingredients to dry ones. Stir in applesauce.

Drain figs and add to batter. Gently add walnuts and stir just till combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is golden and puffed and an inserted tester comes out clean.

Wrapped well, bread freezes well or keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, but judging by the audience last week, tends to be consumed immediately.

• Here are more Vegan Quick Breads and Scones.
• Sweet tooth still craving? Here are more Vegan Baking and Sweets.

Ellen Kanner is the Huffington Post’s Meatless Monday blogger, the syndicated columnist The Edgy Veggie, and contributor  to publications including Culinate, Bon Appetit, and Every Day With Rachael Ray as well as her own blog.