Zucchini Bread

Abbie and I had a fun afternoon today making a healthy alternative to an American favorite...Zucchini bread!  It's off of one of my favorite blogs:  100 Days of Real Food.  If you haven't checked out her blog you should head over there.  I love her stuff and will probably share several of her recipes in the future.  We are trying to eat more whole, less processed foods around here and these.  They aren't completely sugar free but close :)  I did modify her recipe a bit and added those into the recipe you'll see listed below.  Are they your typical bakery fresh oozing with butter, sugary goodness muffin?  Of course not!  But my taste tester husband the chef approved!  

Here is the finished product:

Zucchini Bread

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup oil (I used olive oil and actually used a 50:50 ratio of applesauce to oil
• ¾ cup honey (used a 50:50 ratio of honey to sugar...I'm cheap and didn't want to use all my honey :)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F for small loaf pans or 325 degrees F for large loaf pan or muffins.
2. Blend the dry ingredients.
3. Make a well (or hole) in the center and pour in the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla. Stir just until mixed – do not overmix.
4. Fold in the grated zucchini and chopped nuts if using. Pour batter into greased loaf pan(s) or muffin holders and bake until a toothpick comes clean in the top/center of the loaf or muffin.

• If using smaller pans bake for 30 – 40 minutes. I was able to fill four of my small loaf pans.
• For one larger loaf pan bake for 50 – 60 minutes.
• For muffins bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

Enjoy and don’t forget to freeze the leftovers!

Here's a picture of Abbie enjoying one of her new goodies.  I wish I had captured a picture of the process.  She had flour everywhere!  We had a lot of fun though so picture or not....I have the memories!