Apricot-Orange Bread

This bread is low in all the right places— saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium—without losing any taste and texture.

Ingredients

• 1 package (6 oz) dried apricots, cut into small pieces

• 2 cups water

• 2 tbsp margarine

• 1 cups sugar

• 1 egg, slightly beaten

• 1 tbsp orange peel, freshly grated

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

• 1/2 cup fat free dry milk powder

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly oil two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

2. Cook apricots in water in covered medium-size saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain and reserve ¾ cup liquid. Set apricots aside to cool.

3. Cream together margarine and sugar. By hand, beat in egg and orange peel.

4. Sift together flour, dry milk, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with reserved apricot liquid and orange juice.

5. Stir apricot pieces and pecans into batter.

6. Turn batter into prepared pans.

7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until bread springs back when lightly touched in center.

8. Cool for 5 minutes in pans. Remove from pans and completely cool on wire rack before slicing.

Yield:Two loaves

Serving size:1/2-inch slice

Each serving provides:

• Calories: 100

• Total fat: 2 g

• Saturated fat: less than 1 g

• Cholesterol: 5 mg

• Sodium: 140 mg

• Total fiber: 1 g

• Protein: 2 g

• Carbohydrates: 19 g

• Potassium: 115 mg

Source: “NHLBI: Keep the Beat Heart Healthy Recipes”