Seasonal scones -- lightened up

More comfort food made healthier: pumpkin scones.

I love the scones at the Cake Rack at Findlay Market, and none more than their (only once in awhile) pumpkin scones. But their version is a once in awhile treat. How nice to be able to have this lighter take on them, and perhaps eat them for breakfast every day. More good news: they freeze well, so you can put half the batch away for later enjoyment.

Whole-wheat flour, lowfat buttermilk and a judicious amount of butter makes this a healthy-foodie style scone.

Recipe: Pumpkin-Ginger Scones

(Makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup regular flour

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not seasoned)

1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

2 T maple syrup

1/2 cup chopped candied ginger

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift together the first five ingredients, through baking soda. Place in the bowl of a food processor, add butter, and pulse a few times until mixture is the consistency of coarse cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, beat the pumpkin, buttermilk, and maple syrup. Scrape into the food processor with the dry ingredients. Add candied ginger and process until the dough is mixed.

Scrape onto a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a square about 3/4-inch thick.

Cut into triangles, 12 in all.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.

Pumpkin Nut Loaf

This cake is delicious with your morning coffee or tea, and also makes a nice dessert with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream.

It's chock-full of healthful ingredients, such as whole-wheat flour, pumpkin, carrots and nuts.

For a sweeter loaf, add the dried cranberries and increase the sugar to one cup. If desired, substitute other nuts you have on hand, such as chopped walnuts or slivered almonds. Chocolate chips make a nice addition, too.If you don't have whole-wheat flour on hand, it's OK to use white flour instead.

Recipe: Pumpkin Nut Loaf

(10 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole-wheat flour

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup canola oil

1 egg

2 egg whites

½ cup grated carrots

¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts

¼ cup chopped pistachio nuts

½ cup dried cranberries (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, blend flours with next five ingredients (through salt). Add pumpkin, oil, egg and egg whites, carrots, nuts and cranberries. Stir until evenly blended.

Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out dry. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert on rack to complete cooling.