Lemon Blueberry Loaf

I am always looking for ways to expand my cooking repertoire and try new things. Today I took a big risk and decided to create a low-fat recipe that would be packed with taste and enjoyable. Moving outside my comfort zone was frightening, and waiting for those 50 minutes to pass so I could finally try my very own creation felt like days, but it was all worth it in the end. Trust me, if you have a sweet tooth and don't want the guilt trip, this is an easy and delicious recipe you need to try!

Recipe yields 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup applesauce

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp lemon zest

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup honey

1 cup blueberries

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine applesauce, 2 tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, milk and honey. Whisk well until all ingredients are well combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Whisk to combine ingredients. Create a well in the center of the bowl.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no streaks of dry mixture remaining.

Add blueberries to the batter and gently mix to evenly distribute the blueberries. Be gentle not to crush the berries or your loaf will turn purple!

Coat your loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the entire batch of batter into one loaf pan and place in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes or until you can remove a toothpick and it comes up clean.

While the loaf is in the oven, combine 2 tbsp of lemon juice with the sugar. Continue to stir until all sugar has dissolved in the lemon juice and the mixture becomes thick. This will be your glaze for the top of the loaf.

When ready, remove from the oven and let cool. When the pan is cool enough to handle, remove the loaf and set it on a dish.

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf. Let the glaze set for 10-15 minutes.

Cut into slices and serve for breakfast, dessert or a nice mid-day snack. It is sure to hit your sweet tooth but not leave you feeling guilty. Enjoy!