Have you ever had zucchini bread? Many people would turn up their noses, thinking that “zucchini” and “bread” do not belong in the same sentence. But think about it–if you don’t try new things, you may miss out on your favorite food EVER! Not only is zucchini bread a delicious treat, it’s also a great way to use up excess zucchini produced from the garden. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the experience of growing zucchini in the garden, but forget to check for one day? Zucchini grows really quickly and can get HUGE! It seems like it quadruples in size overnight! Not only that, one plant produces a lot of zucchini. My wife remembers a time her mother planted three hills of three plants each. They were up to their ears in zucchini before they knew it and had more than one grow so big it had to be cut in half to fit in the fridge! When they get that big, they can get a bit tough but don’t throw them away! Make zucchini bread, instead!
This weekend I decided to make zucchini bread from two gigantic zucchinis that we had…overlooked. We happen have several close family members and friends who are diabetic and I always try to alter recipes that I prepare so that everyone can enjoy them, as well. I found a recipe that I thought sounded pretty good and then put my own personal spin on it (of course!). I tried three versions of the recipe below and they all turned out amazing!
The basic recipe instructions are to start by grating the zucchini, reserving liquid and all. You need the liquid to help make the bread nice and moist. Next in a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, add eggs, [sweetener of your choice], oil, and vanilla. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, then stir in the grated zucchini. Prepare the loaf pans by spraying with cooking oil and coating with a little flour. Pour the batter into the pans evenly and bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.
I started with the sugar free version. I recommend Splenda and typically use half or less than the amount of sugar that a regular recipe calls for as Splenda is very sweet. A little goes a long way! Of course, if you have no diet limitations, you can do the same recipe with sugar if you’d like. You can also really make this recipe your own, using all of your favorite flavors. I made a batch where I used sugar, and added banana, chopped apple, and chocolate chips. It turned out amazing! So, next time you have some extra zucchini on hand and aren’t quite sure what to do with it, give this recipe a try. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!
