Hello from the Methow Valley! We’re here for the week playing in the snow, skiing, getting cozy by the fire and enjoying the peace and quiet. The dogs were simply euphoric to be out in the snow (check out IG stories to see Scarlet romping around) and we were pretty excited too. When we’re not skiing we’re writing holiday cards, snacking on gingerbread and marveling in the awe inspiring beauty of nature. Being here makes me appreciate and love the natural world all the more and has reinspired me to do everything I can to preserve and protect it. For me this means educating and affecting change surrounding sustainable agriculture. As many of you know, this blog has always been a place for me to share my thoughts on sustainability in hopes of influencing the daily decisions people make about what they eat. Well, I’ve recently decided to take my commitment to a new level and donate a percentage of my income from every sponsored post to non-profits in the agriculture and food sectors. I’ll have more details on this soon so stay tuned. In the meantime… This date gingerbread is moist and rich with just enough spice and a crunchy streusel topping. You could also add pecans and/or chocolate chunks to dress it up even more. Wishing you all a holiday full of peace, joy, gratitude and gingerbread.

XO Sasha

Date Gingerbread 

Makes 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE GINGERBREAD

1 cup olive oil

1 cup pear sauce or apple sauce

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

3 humane certified eggs

1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup chopped dates

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

PROCEDURE

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the oil, pear sauce, molasses, eggs, sugar and salt until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the chopped dates and stir to incorporate.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and set aside while you prepare the streusel.

In a small bowl combine the butter, sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Rub the mixture between your fingers to break the butter into pea-sized clumps. Crumble the streusel over the batter and bake for 90 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.