Cookie, my dog, adores zucchini. Additionally, kale, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. I suppose you could say that my dog eats well. And iplaced a piece of zucchini bread on my desk this morning where I believed she couldn’t access it. I then overheard some scuffling and gobbling. Before I could grasp it, she stole that piece of bread and devoured half of it.
I assure you, this dog is my soul mate. If you want to see it, I have a video of it. All that was said was that Cookie and Kate endorse this recipe for zucchini bread. It is light and fluffy, gently flavored, and loaded with tiny green zucchini confetti.
If you’ve previously loved zucchini bread, allow me to highlight a few variations between my recipe and the norm. These five factors will make you adore this healthier zucchini bread:
- Instead of using a full cup of white sugar, I substituted 1/2 cup of honey (or maple syrup). Although it isn’t excessively sweet, if you like, you can add another sprinkle of honey or maple syrup to each slice.
- Additionally, I prepared this bread with white whole wheat flour rather than refined flour, making it entirely made of whole grains.
- This bread can be easily produced without any dairy products at all because I used coconut oil in place of butter.
- The majority of recipes for zucchini bread ask for one cup of shredded zucchini, but I like mine with one and a half cups. Even so, because zucchini doesn’t have a lot of flavor on its own, I can’t say there is a noticeable zucchini flavor to it.
You can simply make it gluten-free or vegan by following my recipe notes.
Also read: Watermelon Mimosas
Ingredients:
- raw walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped, 34 cup.
- Melted coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, plus 13 cup; and honey or maple syrup, plus 1/2 cup
2 eggs - 1/2 cup choice of milk or water
- one tablespoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder plus additional to drizzle over top
- Vanilla extract, two tablespoons
- 12 teaspoon of sea salt, fine-grained
- 14 teaspoon of nutmeg, ground
- One small to medium zucchini, weighing about 7 ounces, needs to be grated into 1 12 cups. Before adding it to the batter, gently press out any extra moisture over the sink.
- 1 34 cups of either normal or white whole wheat flour
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set the oven to 325 F. To keep the bread from sticking, grease a 9″ × 5″ loaf pan. If you’re going to toast the nuts, make cleaning simple by lining a small, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- preheat the nuts: Pour the chopped nuts onto the baking sheet you have prepared after the oven has finished preheating. Bake the nuts for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through, until aromatic and toasted.
- Honey and coconut oil should be combined in a sizable mixing dish. They should be mixed by whisking them together. Add the eggs and well beat. (If your coconut oil hardens when it comes in contact with cold ingredients, just lay the bowl on top of your stove for a few minutes to warm it up, or warm it in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds.)
- Whisk in the milk, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and salt. Using a large spoon, add the zucchini (be sure to squeeze excess moisture out of the zucchini first). Flour should only be added and mixed briefly. Some lumps are okay. If using, gently fold in the toasted nuts at this time.
- The batter should be poured into a loaf pan that has been lightly dusted with extra cinnamon. Run the point of a knife in a zigzag motion across the batter if you want a lovely swirling appearance.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the middle of the loaf springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place a wire rack over the pan of bread and let it cool. To cut slices into separate pieces, use a serrated knife.
- Due to its moistness, this bread only lasts two to three days at room temperature. It can be kept in the freezer for up to three months or the refrigerator for five to seven days. Before freezing, I prefer to slice the bread, and then I’ll microwave or lightly toast the slices to thaw them out.
NOTES
Recipe adapted from mine for carrot muffins and banana bread, with credit to Once Upon a Chef and All Recipes.
NOTE ON OILS: I adore coconut oil in this place. You hardly notice that I used unrefined coconut oil in the finished result. If you like it, olive oil will give the bread a herbal flavor. Although most vegetable/canola oils are heavily processed, vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, therefore if at all possible, I suggest choosing cold-pressed grapeseed or sunflower oils.
CHANGE IT UP: Swap out the nuts for chocolate chips or finely chopped dried fruit.