Everyone loved this bread no matter which way we made it: all strawberry; all rhubarb, or a combination of the two. We also used half a cup of applesauce in one recipe with great success, when we ran short of strawberries.

1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon zest OR 1/4 teaspoon lemon oil
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) mashed strawberries*
1/2 cup (3 7/8 ounces) vegetable oil

*Note: Use 1 1/4 cups cooked rhubarb in place of the strawberries, to make a slightly tart bread. Start with 2 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb. Cook over medium heat (or in the microwave) to make about 1 1/4 cups unsweetened rhubarb sauce. You may also substitute rhubarb for just some of the strawberries, to make strawberry-rhubarb bread.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or spray with non-stick vegetable oil spray) a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the walnuts, flour, sugar, soda, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon, eggs, strawberries and vegetable oil. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, whisking until well-blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a rack to cool completely, 1 hour or longer. For best flavor and easiest slicing, wrap the bread while still slightly warm and let it sit overnight.

Nutrition information per serving (1/12 of loaf made with strawberries, 65g): 242 cal, 13g fat, 3g protein, 13g complex carbohydrates, 16g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 35mg cholesterol, 108mg sodium, 93mg potassium, 17RE vitamin A, 14mg vitamin C, 1mg iron, 12mg calcium, 48mg phosphorus.

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. XI, No. 4, Spring 2000 issue.