Happily exhausted from a fun and busy weekend, my body dragged itself into the kitchen Sunday afternoon to make a quick and easy lunchbox snack for the week. My boys, usually eager to help with any culinary endeavour, opted to enjoy a little R&R instead of playing sous-chef and I could hardly blame them. As much as I love being and creating in my kitchen, yesterday was not the day for lengthy recipes and long prep lists.
It was, however, the day for blueberry yogurt loaf. Easily made with two small mixing bowls, a whisk and a spatula, this recipe yields a delicious, nutritious snack with ease and speed. Left to bake for fifty minutes, I was able to pick up a book for a few minutes and join my loves in their quest for some relaxation.
Although my boys didn't assist with this recipe, it would be a great one for little chefs to make. They can easily measure the dry ingredients, whisk together the wet ones, butter the loaf pan, and set the timer. Cooking can be a great teacher of time and most little kids love watching the clock waiting for the buzzer to signal the end of the baking time.
Despite the busy (and did I mention fun?) weekend, I was still able to send the family off to work and school with a lunchbox filled with good food..mission accomplished!
Blueberry Yogurt Loaf, adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/2 cup of sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsps lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup frozen blueberries
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease (with oil or butter) a loaf pan and set aside
~ In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
~ In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla.
~ Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir well to combine.
~ Using a rubber spatula, add the oil to the batter, and make sure it's well incorporated.
~ Add the batter to the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.
~ Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
~ Serve as is or with a pat of butter.
~ Enjoy!
Hi...I'm really enjoying your website...I look forward to each new posting!
I haven't been able to find whole wheat pastry flour, can I substitute whole wheat flour instead?
Posted by: Toni | May 25, 2009 at 09:27 AM
Hi Toni,
I'm so glad you're really enjoying the website!
To be honest, I think that whole wheat flour would be too dense for some of
these recipes. The technical answer is that whole wheat flour has a lot of
gluten that the whole wheat pastry flour doesn't have, so it alters the
finished product.
If it helps, I buy the whole wheat pastry flour at loblaws...most of them
carry it but I know the one on Burnhamthorpe does for sure. It's a small
bag and the company is called Oak Manor. I've been swapping almost all of
my cookie/quick bread recipes that call for all purpose flour, for the whole
wheat pastry flour and they're coming out great.
Good Luck!
Posted by: Jan Scott | May 25, 2009 at 11:00 AM
This looks great. I love quick mix breads. I have tried to bake with yeast once but it did not work out too well. I want to try again but am a bit scared. I am working on getting over my phobia. Do you think that you could use frozen strawberries instead of blueberries. They are difficult to find in South Africa?
I also like the idea of using olive oil. Never seen that before.
Keep it coming.....
Al
Posted by: allison | May 25, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Hi Allison - Give my bread recipe a try. It does use yeast but I promise
you, you will be able to make it with no trouble. As for this recipe...I
think strawberries would work fine...maybe chop them up a bit so they're
smaller in size, but it's a great recipe and I'll think you like it.
Posted by: Jan Scott | May 25, 2009 at 09:46 PM
Thanks MBM, i will try it.
I tried to make bread last time and i dont think that i let it rise enough. It was so hard that my hubby joked that it was dwarfish bread! It nearly broke our teeth. That was five years ago so i need to get over my trauma!!! :)
Posted by: allison | May 26, 2009 at 08:02 AM
I promise you the bread recipe is so easy you won't be able to ruin it :)
It's basically putting four ingredients into a bowl, giving them a quick
stir and letting them rise for two hours. Cover and put them in the fridge.
Break off some dough and bake the bread as you need. The dough will keep
in the fridge for up to two weeks. Easy-peasy!
Posted by: Jan Scott | May 26, 2009 at 10:27 PM
i made this blueberry bread the other morning. i was hesitant to use all whole wheat flour (i had no pastry flour) fearing a too dense bread. in the end i decided to go for it. the bread was perfect and moist! once blueberries are really in season here i will definitely be making this again.
Posted by: Leah | June 10, 2009 at 06:47 PM
Leah - I'm so glad it worked out and that it was still moist using the
whole wheat flour. I'll be sure to try it that way as well - and I, too,
plan to make it when blueberries are in season for sure.
Posted by: Jan Scott | June 10, 2009 at 08:33 PM
I made this recipe this morning, I used whole wheat flower, added some cinnamon and instead of olive oil used vegetable oil. Turned out wonderfully, nice and moist. Will make it again.
Posted by: Michelle | January 31, 2010 at 01:53 PM
I'm so glad you liked it. It's a popular snack in our home.
Posted by: Jan Scott | January 31, 2010 at 05:45 PM