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. Total prep time (once you have the hang of it) is 30 minutes.
Ingredients and instructions
Ingredients (14 or so of them; all, good for you) are listed in bold face in these instructions:
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Put on a pair of disposable latex glove so you can work faster and add fewer germs. Wipe a 4x8” loaf pan with just enough coconut oil to coat the insides.
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Whisk two large eggs in a medium large mixing bowl (substitute 2 T ground flaxseed soaked in 2 T water if you want a vegan loaf), and stir in less than ¼ cup brown coconut sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, (optional, for elasticity: ½ teaspoon xanthan gum powder), 8+ drops of lemon essential oil OR ½ teaspoon dried lemon peel/zest (you can use a vegetable grater to grate the skin from an organic lemon), 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 medium-size banana OR ½ cup sugar-free organic applesauce OR ¼ cup grapeseed oil (or avocado oil or olive oil), 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup dried apple-sweetened cranberries (naturally sweet, fiber-rich & colorful; maybe cut each cranberry in half) OR raisins, and ¼ cup of blanched walnut halves and pieces (limit your optional add-ins of the dried fruits and/or walnuts to about ½ cup total).
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Grate/shred a 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 cups. Use table knives and a large fork to blend the shredded squash with all the other ingredients in the bowl.
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Add 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour from whole grains (we like to use 1 c. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour–it’s mostly rice flour, and ½ c. almond flour or Einkorn wheat flour).
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Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and let the mixed batter sit for about 10 minutes before baking so the flour can hydrate. Position a rack in your oven so the loaf is in the center of it and set the oven to bake at 350°F for about 70-75 minutes, until a baking thermometer determines that the center has reached around 195-200°F (much more accurate than seeing if a wooden toothpick inserted 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. You may want to cover the loaf pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes if the top is browning early.
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Allow loaf to cool completely before slicing it with a sharp knife.
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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, placed in a plastic bag and frozen for up to six months – defrosted in the fridge overnight before eating.
If your bread is too moist
If your bread turned out too moist, next time you could drain the zucchini. After shredding it, put it in a clean towel and squeeze firmly. Measure about 1¼–1½ cups after squeezing. Very watery zucchini can release a surprising amount of liquid.
For more on nutrition, see Turbo-Charged Nutrition for Peak Performance Kids.
