Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread #SundaySupper

I’m very scent oriented. By that I mean I like things that smell good.  Who doesn’t?  Well Dad since he’s having an issue and can’t currently smell much of anything, but other than that we all love closing our eyes, taking a deep breath, and being greeted by something magnificent.

Flowers.  Rain.  Freshly cut grass.  Shampoo and conditioner.

And don’t even get me started on food smells.  They are life.  sometimes a smell is almost as good as eating the real thing.  In the case of coffee, it’s usually better.  Though the Whole30 has taught me that coffee is wonderful, yes, even black.

Smells can alert us to danger, relax us, enhance memories and remind us of old ones.  It’s rather amazing how powerful something so seemingly simple really is.

Lemons and citrus in general are some of my all-time favorite smells.  Yes, they are food and remind us of all good citrusy foods we love, but they are also a little sweet and fresh and clean and calming.  There is actually scientific proof that lemons are calming and can help remedy a headache.

I am not ashamed to admit, I have now and then cut a lemon open just to smell it all day long.

When zesting lemons for this Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread, I could see the oils bursting into the air and inhaling the scent was wonderful.  Though citrus is really a winter thing, the brightness totally reminds me of spring and hope and life.

The smell when this bread was baking wasn’t too shabby either.  Of course, neither is the taste.  In fact, this is one of my favorite things I have made in a long time.  Maybe it’s because it was one of my first real tastes of dessert since the Whole30, but I have a feeling it’s also because it’s awesome.

What’s not to love about a dense, cakey loaf studded with tons of poppy seeds and fragrant with lemon juice and zest.  I don’t typically like the crusty tops of treats like this, but there was something about these corners, all caramelized and crunchy that is beyond addictive.

Finished with a sticky glaze, this bread needs to be the next thing you bake.  Don’t forget to take some time to smell the lemons while you do!

Don’t forget to check out the other Sunday Supper dishes!  Thanks to Lisa Grant of Jersey Girl Cooks for hosting!

Sunday Supper Citrus Recipes That Will Make You Smile

Breakfast

• Chocolate Orange Cinnamon Rolls by Caroline’s Cooking
• Creamy Vanilla-Orange Overnight Oats by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Key Lime Muffins with Key Lime Glaze by Family Around The Table
• Lemon Donut Holes by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread by Pies and Plots
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Muffins by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Tiny Batch Blood Orange Marmalade by What Smells So Good?

Main Dishes

• 10 Minute Lemon Pasta With Crispy Basil by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Asian Lemon Chicken by Brunch-n-Bites
• Calamansi Shrimp on Couscous by Asian In America
• Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Citrus-Glazed Scallops with Chunky Avocado Salsa by The Weekend Gourmet
• Lemon Lime Shrimp Cocktail w/a Citrus Yogurt Dipping Sauce by The Freshman Cook
• Lemon Ricotta Spaghetti with Peas by Cricket’s Confections
• Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• One Pan Parmesan Lemon Chicken and Asparagus by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Orange Beef by Palatable Pastime
• Easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken by My Savory Spoon
• Slow Cooked Orange Chicken Breasts by Simple and Savory
• Thai Lime Basil Chicken Stir Fry by Wholistic Woman

Desserts

• Banana Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Clementine Pistachio Pomegranate Upside Down Cake by Sunday Supper Movement
• Easy Japanese Lemon Yuzu Bars by The Ninja Baker
• Key Lime Chiffon Pie by Food Done Light
• Lemon & Blueberry Skillet Cake by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Lemon Key Lime Layer Snack Cakes by Crazed Mom
• Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee by Soulfully Made
• Pink Grapefruit Meringue Tart by Baking Sense
• Sittin’ On a Sandbar Key Lime Pie by Gourmet Everyday
• Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe by Life Tastes Good
• The Best Lemon Bars Recipe by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Triple Citrus Macaroon Mascarpone Tart by The Crumby Cupcake
• Triple Lemon Poke Cake by Shaken Together

Beverages

• Homemade Grapefruit Soda by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Pineapple Orange Smoothie by Dizzy Busy and Hungry
• Ruby Red Mimosa by Our Good Life
• Simple Meyer Lemon Margaritas by My Life Cookbook
• Watermelon Limeade by From the Bookshelf

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