Wishes, Birthdays, and Pumpkin Pecan Ginger Bread

Legend has it that the time 11:11 holds some magical power to enable wishers everywhere the opportunity to have their desires granted at two opportunities each day.  The time of day always makes me smile, because legend also has it that one of the coolest people I know, my friend Tara, was born at 11:11 a.m., on November 11th.  I think that today, when she blows out her candles (perhaps at 11:11?) that it's pretty mandatory that her birthday wish comes true.

Tara also recently joined us lucky gluten free folk, and so, in honor of her birthday, I thought I'd do a little baking this morning.

I feel like baking is a form of meditation:  you can get lost in the ingredients, in the smell of the spices, the stirring and measuring.  I also feel like you can focus on someone or something while baking as a way of clearing your mind and sending someone well wishes.  You've probably experienced that whenever you make dinner for someone else -- your mind is on them the whole time you're cooking.  In thinking of what to make in honor of Tara's birthday, I thought about a cake, but Tara's more of a practical girl:  a nice slightly sweet bread would do the trick.  Tara's been working on a farm this past growing season, so something that was being harvested now seemed appropriate as part of the bread:  pumpkin, of course.  Tara loves nuts, so pecans went into the mix, along with some warming crystallized ginger. 

Tara is one of those people who came into my life and we made an instant bond.  We met in college, long-haired and creative, ready to take on the world.  Tara is actually the person who inspired me to start drawing -- she was taking an art class when I met her and seeing her drawing in the hallway of our dormitory inspired me to pick up a pencil myself.  Tara is one of the most adventurous people I know:  after college, she has lived in cabins in state forests without electricity, built bridges along hiking trails, learned how to prevent forest fires in California, lived on top of Mt. St. Helens, farmed, and won chainsaw competitions.  She's definitely someone who you'd want around if the world ended.  Or not -- she's just a lovely person to talk to over some tea...and maybe this pumpkin pecan ginger bread. 

Pumpkin Pecan Ginger Bread

• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can pumpkin puree 
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a bread pan with your oil of choice. In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and soda, ginger, pecans, and spices.  Mix well to ensure everything is distributed evenly.  In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the eggs, almond milk, and vanilla extract.  Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing well.  When everything is combined, pour the mixture into the bread pan.  You can sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on top of the loaf -- it'll be super aromatic when it comes out of the oven.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cooked through the center.

Happy 11-11-11 -- I hope your wishes come true.