Quarantined?? ...Baking time! ;D

Wow what an amazing year it has been so far huh?...Of course i'm being sarcastic. This coronavirus pandemic has been affecting many aspects of our everyday lives all around the world. No one saw this coming: tiny little microbe throwing everything off balance. There is a-lot of anxiety and uncertainty involved with this issue at hand. But if we find ways to help us relive that anxiety and uncertainty we can learn to get through this to. One thing that always cheers me up is spending time in the kitchen! Its not for everyone, but i grown up around my mom and aunts always spending time in the kitchen - its apart of my culture actually and anytime i feel stressed cooking or baking up something good always elevates any negative emotions i am experiencing. 

Additionally, research has proved  that baking or spending time in the kitchen can relief stress. The stress many of us are feeling right now is related to a host of mental and physical problems, and finding ways to cope with that stress is important for leading a healthy life. spending time in the kitchen can help with that.

Not sure what to make? Pinterest is a great place to start or look for some inspiration. Or why not watch some baking and cooking shows on Netflix? It's been my favourite pass time lately. I recently tried this to make a almond and lemon loaf. And i would like to share that today in hopes that you may also like it! It turned out delicious!! you wont be disappointed!

Let's get started!

Ingredients

For the bread:

Þ     1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour - (can substitute partly with almond flour)

Þ     1/2 teaspoon salt

Þ     1 teaspoon baking powder

Þ     1 cup granulated sugar

Þ     2 tablespoons lemon zest

Þ     3/4 cup Almond Breeze Almond-milk Original Unsweetened (regular milk will do to)

Þ     1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

Þ     2 large eggs slightly beaten

Þ     1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Þ     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Final Product ;D

Þ     1 teaspoon almond extract

For the lemon glaze:

Þ     1 cup powdered sugar

Þ     1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Þ     1 teaspoon almond extract

Þ     3 tablespoons sliced almonds for garnishing the loaf

Instructions

1.     To get started preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2.    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. In a small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant. Whisk into the flour mixture. Set aside.

3.    In a separate medium bowl, combine the almond milk, oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract.

4.    Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

5.    Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Place the loaf on a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the sides of the bread with a knife. Carefully remove loaf from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack.

6.    While the bread is cooling, make the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze of the lemon almond bread. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the bread. Cut and serve.

I thoroughly enjoyed this slice after slice. Now go ahead and give it a try and let me know how it went!