Light Strawberry Bread

This light strawberry bread recipe is a delicious way to use leftover strawberries that are a bit too overripe for eating. I purchase large containers of strawberries and often end up with a few mushy leftovers! Well no more! 

The original recipe can be found at http://www.southernplate.com/2011/05/srawberry-bread.html, but I made several changes to lighten the bread and make it healthier. I added a strawberry yogurt to the mix to lighten it, and reduced the oil by half.

I used whole wheat pastry flour, rather than white flour. The original recipe also called for pecans, but I would use whatever nuts are the cheapest at the time, and that you enjoy. The cinnamon gives the recipe its yummy flavor. I make breads often, and this is one of my favorites!

Ingredients for 2 Loaves Strawberry Bread:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, sliced and chopped

• 1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute (for the berries)

• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups white sugar

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

• 1/2 cup oil (your choice)

• 1 6 oz strawberry yogurt

• 4 eggs beaten

• 2 cups chopped nuts

Directions for Strawberry Bread:

• Place the sliced strawberries in a small bowl and mix with the 1/4 cup of sugar. Set aside.

• In a mixing bowl, place flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and mix until well combined.

• Mix the oil, yogurt, and eggs together until well blended.

• Mix the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix.

• Add strawberries and nuts and gently mix again.

• Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

• Cool ten minutes in the pans and then remove the bread and finish cooling them on a rack.

It’s a great lifestyle solution to limit sweets, as much as possible, but when you do indulge, choose healthier options that include fruits or vegetables. You can usually reduce the oil by half in fruit breads by substituting applesauce, low-fat buttermilk, or yogurt for half of the oil.

It’s always a healthy diet habit to lighten recipes and lower the calories whenever possible and to choose healthy snacking choices.

Enjoy!