A little experimentation

My in-laws brought us some wonderful pears last weekend, and although we enjoyed eating them, we weren't able to eat them fast enough. So, I decided to make a pear baked good or dessert. When I browsed the recipes on my favorite cooking website, I didn't see anything I really wanted to try. I found a pear pecan bread recipe in my reliable Joy of Cooking cookbook, but I could tell it wasn't very healthy. Then, I remembered the zucchini bread that my family has enjoyed a couple of times already. It's healthy and doesn't taste like it is. After comparing the recipes, I combined and modified them to make a moist and delicious Pear Walnut bread.

Pear Walnut Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups grated pear (or mushed if very ripe)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Grate pear and mix with lemon juice.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through baking soda) in a large bowl.

Combine egg substitute and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; add sugar, stirring until combined. Add pears; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in walnuts.

Divide batter evenly between 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Thanks goes to Cooking Light for providing me with a healthy quick bread base!