A couple weeks ago when it was still warm enough to make you sweat, we stopped by a lemonade stand on the corner of the street. We chatted with and met new neighbors. I was juggling a cup of lemonade and a nap-ready, wiggly baby while trying to keep four new names straight. (I’m abnormally good with faces but adversely awful with names.) A homeless woman walked up, put her change down on the table without hesitation, and walked away with a cup of lemonade in hand and a smile on her face. My mind was a thousand different places, but present enough to absorb that brief moment.
Shortly after, I headed home to put Hallie down for a nap. I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman and the lemonade. I was mad at myself for not digging out my wallet to pay for her drink, though she didn’t ask. It didn’t even cross my mind initially. Yet I was amazed she spent what was probably half the money in her pocket, to her name, on a cup of lemonade.
Food is a basic need, no matter your socioeconomic status. But good food, real food, isn’t readily available for all paycheck sizes. You can skimp on clothes and housing without compromising your health. But when it comes to food, the inexpensive, affordable variety is typically nutrient-stripped, boxed, and over-processed. It’s the kind that leaves you hungry, growling, sluggish, and empty.
We have plenty in this house. Far more than plenty. All of our basic needs are met, most times in excess. We invest quite a bit of money on our grocery bill, even more so after bringing Hal into the world. I want to fuel that little body with the good, fresh, nutrient-rich stuff. But that’s not an option for some of my neighbors.
I’m teaming up with the Greater Twin Cities United Way on their Stop the Growl campaign to help bring awareness to the hunger issue. The stats are alarming—20% of families in the Twin Cities struggle with hunger, that’s 1 and 5 families. It gives me the chills. And not the good kind. Hunger isn’t necessarily a lack quantity. It’s a lack of quality.
At a basic level, food is made up of calories. Calories equal energy. When we eat good calories, our bodies (typically) work well. When we eat bad calories, our bodies function poorly. Food is more than just 3 social meals a day. It’s a basic need. If you live in the Twin Cities area, consider supporting the Stop the Growl campaign to help make good food more accessible to everyone. $10 buys one week of fresh produce and healthy groceries for a family in need. $40 buys a month.
I’ve based this recipe off of my favorite banana bread. It’s quick, comes together fairly easy, and always bakes through without burned edges. A slice of this bread is a bit of a treat over here. But, as usual, I’ve snuck in wheat flour and yogurt for added nutrients. Though they have nothing on the nutritional benefits of pumpkin.
1/3 c. liquid (1 part plain yogurt and 2 parts milk)
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
2 tbsp. all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tbsp. salted butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
handful of pepita seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300°f. Lightly butter or spray loaf pan. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Turn heat to medium-low and continue to cook until browned and golden, swirling occasionally*. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves**.
Into cooled butter, whisk in pumpkin, yogurt/milk, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture, and stir together until just combined. Over stirring will create a dense, tough loaf.
Make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine ingredients. Using your fingers or a fork, mash together butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Distribute crumble evenly over batter. Sprinkle pepita seeds.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan completely. Removing too early sometimes results in a broken loaf. Carefully loosen from pan and invert. Serve or store lightly covered for up to 4 days.
Notes
*If browning butter makes you nervous or if you need to cut time, just melt the butter and proceed with the recipe as follows.
**If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, forgo adding the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
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So appreciate your heart in this. It’s hard for me to comprehend all that I have sometimes and it’s overwhelming when I think about all of those who are lacking. Love the beautiful topping on this bread!
Such a great thing to bring awareness to. Basic needs are something that we can forget don’t come to all, and helping in our own communities is the first place to start. Also, Hallie is just the cutest. More Hallie pics.
This has been on my mind lately, more so since Matilda began to eat proper food over the Summer. Food is something we have never scrimped on in our house and I think how lucky I am that I am able to afford to write a food blog and bake excessively. I will be adding extra food to our local food bank boxes this Christmas in the hope that some children will be able to have abit more over the coming season. Beautiful photos and Hallie looks adorable with that cake.
This is such an important issue! “Hunger isn’t necessarily a lack of quantity. It’s a lack of quality.” Couldn’t have said it better. Thank you for this post, Melissa!
such a lovely recipe for such a great cause. the company I work for is a big supporter of the United Way, so I’ve been able to see first-hand the incredible work they do in communities across the country. thank you for sharing.
Oh this is such an important message – I get so upset to think about the children who don’t get the right kinds of food everyday. I will look into a similar project in my area. Thank you for making us aware! Also this pumpkin bread looks delish. Brown butter = major drool factor! Thanks for sharing
Such an important campaign. I find it almost impossible to imagine what it would be like to go hungry. I sometimes complain that there’s nothing in our fridge but really? It’s an embarrassment of riches.
Love this post, not only the absolutely gorgeous and delicious pumpkin bread, but your story. So touching, and so true – I’ve been working on a project for a social entrepreneur class I’m in about access to affordable, healthy food and it’s shocking how little access there is for low-income individuals. I love how you’re making a difference!
We’ve never experienced true hunger in our house, either, but the widespread prevalence of undernourishment exists right under our noses. Thanks for the reminder, Melissa; it’s such an important message to share.
Your point about food being a basic need and something that can’t be skimped on without adverse effects is something that I often think about as a food blogger. Because food blogging really is a bit of an excessive/privileged hobby, isn’t it? Sometimes I feel guilty — I make all these baked goods and often times end up eating less than half of it and giving the rest away to coworkers who also have more than enough. This is such a lovely, well-written post.
That’s so true, Michelle. It seems we could all act with a little more intentionality and awareness. Maybe it doesn’t mean changing anything that we’re making, but, maybe it does mean sharing with folks who wouldn’t otherwise get to have a wholesome meal. Maybe it’s also about committing to providing education about the food system at large, and calling it out when we realize something is wrong.
I love this post. Thanks for being a part of this, Melissa!
So appreciate your heart in this. It’s hard for me to comprehend all that I have sometimes and it’s overwhelming when I think about all of those who are lacking. Love the beautiful topping on this bread!
A beautiful post and a great reminder that not only should we be thankful for what we have, but we should give back to those who don’t.
Such a great thing to bring awareness to. Basic needs are something that we can forget don’t come to all, and helping in our own communities is the first place to start.
Also, Hallie is just the cutest. More Hallie pics.
This has been on my mind lately, more so since Matilda began to eat proper food over the Summer. Food is something we have never scrimped on in our house and I think how lucky I am that I am able to afford to write a food blog and bake excessively. I will be adding extra food to our local food bank boxes this Christmas in the hope that some children will be able to have abit more over the coming season. Beautiful photos and Hallie looks adorable with that cake.
This is such an important issue! “Hunger isn’t necessarily a lack of quantity. It’s a lack of quality.” Couldn’t have said it better. Thank you for this post, Melissa!
Such a great post Melissa! And lovely words. This bread looks delicious!
such a lovely recipe for such a great cause. the company I work for is a big supporter of the United Way, so I’ve been able to see first-hand the incredible work they do in communities across the country. thank you for sharing.
Oh this is such an important message – I get so upset to think about the children who don’t get the right kinds of food everyday. I will look into a similar project in my area. Thank you for making us aware! Also this pumpkin bread looks delish. Brown butter = major drool factor! Thanks for sharing
What a great post and I’m loving browned butter lately!
This is so important and a reminder like this is needed everyday! Also, your little girl is TOO cute!
Such an important campaign. I find it almost impossible to imagine what it would be like to go hungry. I sometimes complain that there’s nothing in our fridge but really? It’s an embarrassment of riches.
Love this post, not only the absolutely gorgeous and delicious pumpkin bread, but your story. So touching, and so true – I’ve been working on a project for a social entrepreneur class I’m in about access to affordable, healthy food and it’s shocking how little access there is for low-income individuals. I love how you’re making a difference!
We’ve never experienced true hunger in our house, either, but the widespread prevalence of undernourishment exists right under our noses. Thanks for the reminder, Melissa; it’s such an important message to share.
Your point about food being a basic need and something that can’t be skimped on without adverse effects is something that I often think about as a food blogger. Because food blogging really is a bit of an excessive/privileged hobby, isn’t it? Sometimes I feel guilty — I make all these baked goods and often times end up eating less than half of it and giving the rest away to coworkers who also have more than enough. This is such a lovely, well-written post.
That’s so true, Michelle. It seems we could all act with a little more intentionality and awareness. Maybe it doesn’t mean changing anything that we’re making, but, maybe it does mean sharing with folks who wouldn’t otherwise get to have a wholesome meal. Maybe it’s also about committing to providing education about the food system at large, and calling it out when we realize something is wrong.
I love this post. Thanks for being a part of this, Melissa!