You’re trying to give it away to good homes and those good homes are also trying to give their zucchini away to you. I have a solution and it’s tasty and easy.
Here’s my recipe for Zucchini Loaf with a tasty twist. Or two.
First, chop up enough zucchini to get 3 cups. Stick in an airtight bag and freeze. Then thaw that bag in a bowl. All the liquid will come out of the zucchini. I find this makes for a loaf that’s more moist and with a nicer texture, than making loaf from fresh zucchini.
Here’s the recipe:
Set oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter two loaf pans.
3 eggs
3 cups of chopped, thawed zucchini, with its water included
1 cup oil (I use sunflower)
3/4 cup demerrerra brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup xylitol (fantastic natural sweetener; I’ll explain)
1 tsp almond extract
Add all of these ingredients together and combine well. Set aside.
In a different bowl, combine:
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped pecans
1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups white flour
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup chocolate chips (for Cherise) or 1 cup dried blueberries (for Quentin)
Combine 2 bowls. Just stir until all dry is wet. Don’t over stir. Split between two lightly buttered loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes.
Now, some explaining. Demerrerra brown sugar has more even more molasses blended in than regular brown sugar. You get a loaf that’s darker in color with a richer flavor. Xylitol is a natural sweetener derived from birch trees. It is said that it actually preserves tooth enamel and it regulates blood sugar levels. It’s like sugar’s super fabulous, high achiever twin but it’s heinously expensive. Don’t cut any of the sweeteners – I’ve already knocked them down a titch. In part, because almond extract will get a sweeter and more delicate flavor than vanilla does. The pecans give the loaf some character and depth. The pumpkin seeds give it crunch and more zinc for nice skin and increased immune system (just in time for fall colds and flu). The spelt flour is a sister to wheat flour but it’s easier to digest because it has way less gluten. With more protein, it’s also more kind to insulin levels.
So there you have it. Tasty and I snuck a little additional nutrition in there and you didn’t even notice.
~Cherise
