Zucchini Bread Recipe 

It’s the end of summer and the abundance of zucchini from our gardens has us scratching our heads trying to find ways to use them.   We’ve spiralized our fair share of both green and yellow zucchini yet we wanted to do something else.  Our answer? This zucchini bread recipe which we turned into a bread and chocolate zucchini muffins.  Its quick and easy and filled with tons of vitamins.  We reduced the sugar by 50% and you will not miss the sugar at all.  Your skin will thank you!

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Cook Time 50 minutes
• Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 16 (Makes two small loaves or 1 large loaf and 12 mini-muffins)

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups grated zucchini you can add a little more, I always do!
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ¾ cup of pumpkin seeds(optional)
• 3 tablespoons of flax seed (optional)

For chocolate zucchini bread add 3 tablespoons of dark unsweetened cocoa powder to half the batter.  This way you can make regular zucchini bread and chocolate zucchini bread (or muffins) with one recipe!

Directions

1. Grease two 8 x 4 inch pans, 6 mini loaf plans, or 1 loaf and 12 mini-muffins. ( there are lots of options)
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Assemble your ingredients. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, soda, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a bowl.
4. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl.
5. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well.
6. Grate zucchini. Stir into the mixture along with the nuts until well combined.   Mixture will appear a bit ‘tight’ or dry at this point.  Allow it to sit in the bowl (covered) for 10-15 minutes and the water from the zucchini will release into the batter.  Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. The mini-loaf pans take about 35-40 minutes. Large sized loaves take about 55 minutes.  Mini-muffins take 18-20 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. These should be eating immediately or frozen.  Enjoy!