Inspired Pecan and Date Loaf

To inspire:

To fill (someone) with the urge or the ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative."

By sheer probability, I assume that rarely (if ever) is there something new under the sun in the world of recipe development. I'd wager that almost every recipe you'll find has a doppleganger gracing someone else's blog post, magazine article or glossy cookbook page.

This is an awesome thing. This means that the magic and power of inspiration is in full-force in our society, and particularly in the health-food world. Isn't that why most of us are doing what we're doing? Working to improve the minds, bodies and spirits of others through inspiration? I wish I could hand-hold each and every one of my readers through their health journey, but I can't. So there is nothing so awesome as hearing that you've made my recipe, enjoyed it, felt nourished inside and out.

Actually, there is something more awesome. Even better is when you take one of my recipes and add pinches, double up favorites, take-out here and there to make it fit your pantry and your palate. That is the true definition of inspiration...encouraging someone else to be creative.

And so, though it comes quite naturally to me to develop my recipes "from scratch", I know my wheels are spinning with the subconscious influence of thousands of recipes I've seen/tasted over time.

Today's recipe is one such. I have been following Ella Woodward of Deliciously Ella for several years, gleaning inspiration from her bright smile, time-friendly meals and beautiful pictures. Recently, she posted a recipe for a Date Pecan Loaf, and I must have taken particular note of it. A week or so later, I was overcome with a baking urge and scoured my pantry. I spotted juicy medjool dates and raw pecans, and an hour later I had an LL Balanced version cooking on the counter.

I haven't tasted Ella's Date Pecan Loaf, but if it is anything like mine, it is outrageously delicious. There is something about the flavor of buckwheat in baked goods that feels like a weekend in the piney mountains, or a cozy blanket on a rainy day (yes, I will take it that far). It's rich and earthy and packed with fiber, protein and vitamins. It's also completely gluten-free. I share Ella's love of gooey medjool dates, and I love the idea of chopping them up as a 'mix-in'. This allowed me to cut back on the amount of sweetener, because each bite has a sticky sweet piece of date in it.

This one-bowl wonder comes together in a snap, and it's pretty foolproof if you want to mess with your own variations. I loved it smothered with almond butter for breakfast, but it's also dense enough that you can keep a slice on you as a snack and it won't fall apart.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, with your very own twist. Be one more domino in the chain of inspiration towards a fuller, healthier life!