This zucchini bread recipe is Low-Sugar, Low-Fat, Gluten-Free, & Dairy-Free.
Looking for a nutritious way to make use of the summer bounty of fresh zucchini? Baking with zucchini gives you a moist bread. The ingredients (14 or 15 of them; all of them, good for you) are listed in boldface in these instructions:
1. Drizzle a 4x8” loaf pan with just enough coconut oil to coat the insides.
2. Whisk two large eggs in a medium large mixing bowl, and stir in ¼ cup grapeseed oil (or avocado oil or olive oil—OR, better yet, omit the oil and substitute ½ cup sugar-free organic applesauce), ¼ cup brown coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ to 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, ½ teaspoon dried lemon peel/zest (you can use the fine side of your vegetable grater to grate the skin from a small washed organic lemon), 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ cup dried apple-sweetened cranberries (optional but tasty, naturally sweet, fiber-rich and colorful; you may want to cut each cranberry in half; or use raisins) and 1 ½ cups (measured by using the “spoon & level-with-a-table-knife” method) of gluten-free all-purpose flour (ancient Einkorn whole wheat flour is great, or in combination with something like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour, which is mostly rice flour). Optional: add about ½ cup of blanched walnut halves and pieces (limit your optional add-ins of cranberries, raisins and/or walnuts to 1 cup total).
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.; if it’s hot weather and you have a toaster oven, set the oven outside so you don’t heat up your home.
4. Using a grater, shred one medium-size zucchini (rinsed, but not peeled; the skin gives your loaf color, nutrients and fiber) or yellow squash if that’s what’s available, to make 1 ½ to 2 cups of the squash.
5. Use two kitchen table knives to blend the shredded squash with all the other ingredients in the bowl.
6. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan.
7. Bake on the center rack for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick insert in the center pulls out clean. Watch your bread as it bakes the first time, because all ovens are different. Toaster ovens tend to bake it faster.
8. Allow loaf to cool completely before slicing it with a sharp knife.
9. Store in an air-tight container for 1-2 days at room temperature or for up to 1 week in refrigerator. It can be wrapped in plastic wrap [not aluminum foil] and placed into a plastic sure-lock bag and frozen for up to six months – defrosted in the fridge overnight before eating.
For more on nutrition, see Turbo-Charged Nutrition for Peak Performance Kids.
