Carrot-Walnut Bread

• HEALTHY
• MAKE-AHEAD
• VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1. Vegetable oil cooking spray
2. 3 medium carrots (7 ounces), thickly sliced
3. 1/2 cup walnut halves
4. 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
5. 1 teaspoon baking soda
6. 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
7. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
9. 2 large eggs
10. 1 cup sugar
11. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
12. 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the carrots and boil over moderately high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash the carrots with a potato masher. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a pie plate, toast the walnuts for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
3. Sift the flour with the baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale yellow. Whisk in the oil and buttermilk. Stir in the carrots and walnuts, then stir in the flour mixture until blended.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until risen and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.