Chocolate Chip Pumpkin bread...

By request, I'm posting this recipe. It's absolutely wonderful - and it goes fast!

The original recipe ran in Cooking Light magazine and was modified slightly by my friend Julie C., who shared it with me.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

1-1/3 cups sugar

15 oz can pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup fat-free vanilla pudding

4 lg egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1-1/4 tsp salt

2-1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a wire whisk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda, stirring well. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into two medium, nonstick bread loaf pans (8 1/2" x 4 1/2" each). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack. Remove from pans and cool completely on the racks.