1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, optional

1 cage-free egg or 2 cage-free egg whites, beaten

½ cup Wholesome Sweeteners’ Organic SUCANAT

¾ cup buttermilk

¼ cup corn or sunflower oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup bosc pears, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients plus the optional cardamom.  In another bowl, combine the next 5 ingredients and beat together.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture.  Beat together until smoothly combined.  Stir in the diced pear and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into an oiled 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan, bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted in the center tests clean.

Makes 1 loaf.