Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Strawberry Bread

It’s March and in Chicago that means winter. But I still have spring on my mind, especially whenever I see the plentiful strawberries and oranges at the supermarket. I love to throw fresh strawberry slices on spinach salad for lunch. We also have plenty of oranges to nibble on after dinner. Yes, I do sometimes eat healthy desserts!

I love the combination of strawberries and oranges in particular. They seem to bring out the best in each other. My recipe, Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Strawberry Bread, is the perfect blend of citrus and sweet. I just made this bread this morning for my kids to have as a snack. It takes as much time to whip up as it does to preheat your oven. And the result is so worth it the 50 minute wait. Everyone I know raves about this bread once they try it and are utterly shocked when they hear there’s no eggs or dairy in it. You can also feel good knowing there isn’t a ton of sugar and fat in it to weight it down. The recipe calls for frozen or fresh berries; use whatever you have on hand.

Make a loaf for breakfast, or serve with Tofutti cream cheese at lunch. For us, just a nice little slice with a glass of Soy Milk does the trick. Enjoy!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE STRAWBERRY BREAD

Yield: 1 loaf

• 11/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 21/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 11/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and spray a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan with dairy-free baking spray.

In a blender, purée strawberries, water, oil, applesauce, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and pour the strawberry purée into the well. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan, and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

Cool completely before slicing.