A Super Random, Super Squash Loaf

In my never-ending quest to rotate the stuff in and out of the bottomless pits (or our fridges and freezers), sometimes the most random combinations of ingredients find their way into my baking. I mean really - how often are you left with a touch of this or a quarter-cup of that, nothing really enough to form a recipe on its own, but too much to warrant throwing out.



Thus, the freezer becomes a sort of "low-tech graveyard" for those bits and pieces. Peeking into any of ours, you're likely to find summer blueberries from a few pie recipes and a loaf or two, a giant Ziploc filled with homemade chicken stock ice cubes, over ripe bananas and even some leftover roasted squash puree that I just couldn't bear to get rid of. To be specific, it was the pulp of a few delicata squashes that I had roasted off near the end of the season, peeled and mashed, planning to use them for... something. Yeah, that "something" never seemed to present itself over the bulk of the winter, even though it would be the most logical season for enjoying the caramelized sweet potato-like flavour of the vegetable. So in the freezer it sat, until I finally got tired of looking at it and busted it out. A handful of leftover gogi berries, some silken tofu and an apple later and this baby was in the oven baking away to a supremely moist result. It stayed insanely tender for days, not needing any adornment to be enjoyed!

Serves 8

1 cup graham flour (or whole wheat flour)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup gogi berries, soaked in hot water and drained

1 medium apple, peeled and diced finely

Preheat oven to 350F, grease a large loaf pan.

Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl, set aside.

In a food processor, puree tofu, squash, oil, maple and vanilla extracts, ginger and sugar until smooth. Scrape into a large bowl.

Add the dry mixture and stir just to blend everything. Fold in the berries and apple pieces.

Bake for 1 hour 25 minutes, until it tests done.

Cool in the pan for 25 minutes before turning out and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Total Fat: 9.3 g

Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

Sodium: 38.6 mg

Total Carbs: 54.3 g

Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g

Protein: 6.2 g