Lemon-Pear Breakfast Bread

There are few non-food magazine's food sections that I get very unique and healthy recipes from, one of them being O Magazine. You can subscribe to just the food part of her newsletter and I always find something I want to make. This bread was one of them. Two reasons, the lemon, the pear and the poppy seeds. Oh, that's three. Well I already knew that lemon and poppy seeds are often paired together, it was the use of pears that intriqued me.
I just had to bake this bread.

No, it is not full of breakfast oats or grain cereal or anything relating to an energy bar. Sorry, this is just a basic fruit bread like banana, but with pears.

I used white whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular whole wheat but I did not change anything else.
The recipe stated a bake for 75-85 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and in mine, that was at the 65 minute mark.

There are four things you need to make a decision on if you bake this bread....
-Whole wheat pastry four produced a tender crumb, but regular whole wheat flour will give you a nuttier flavor. Up to you.
-It is not a sweet bread like a banana bread can be, so if you prefer your bread on the sweeter side, add another 1/4 cup of honey.
-If you use the pastry flour, a thin slice may break when you use cold butter, so toasting the bread is recommended or use room temperature butter. If you like yours, dry and sans anything, but still want it firm, cut the oil to 1/3 cup and make sure you have hard, under-ripe pears which will produce less juice.
-Make the recipe as is and add a touch of sweet before eating with a sugar-free or no sugar added jam.

This bread just wiggled it's way into the #1 spot on my breakfast bread list.

Lemon-Pear Breakfast Bread

Makes 1 Loaf (about 8 servings)

• 1/2 cup canola oil and 1 Tbsp. canola oil for pan
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup purchased pear puree (3rd stage baby purée)
• 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
• 2 ripe pears , grated

Directions

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 35 to 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush a 9" x 4" loaf pan with oil; line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup oil, lemon zest, eggs, honey, pear puree, and poppy seeds. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in grated pears.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until bread is golden brown, slightly cracked on the surface, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 75 to 85 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand until completely cool, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Nutritional Information

Per one-inch slice: 355 calories, 6 grams protein, 2 grams saturated fat, 6 grams fiber.