Spiced Zucchini Bread

It’s that time of year here in Ontario when people who grow zucchini in their garden have an over-abundant supply. The lovely couple that we buy our eggs from gifted us a zucchini from their garden with this week’s egg delivery. I grew up eating my mom’s zucchini bread. It’s a childhood favourite of mine. So when gifted an enormous zucchini, I knew just what I would do with it. Rather than follow my mom’s recipe, I opted to create my own. I’ve tried to keep sugar and fat to a minimum. To that end, I’ve used one of my favourite healthy swaps, unsweetened applesauce. Applesauce can replace some of the sugar and butter in many baked good recipes. I’ve also added a number of warming spices to the recipe, both for their health benefits and because these flavours bring a cozy fall vibe to any recipe that I just find irresistible.

Zucchini is high in antioxidants, including carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which helps to promote eye health. It contains both soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps to promote good digestion. It’s also high in Vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as patassium, folate, and manganese. However, a lot of these health benefits are in the skin of the zucchini, so never peel it.

Warming spices create a comforting sensory experience. Their aromatic compounds engage both the sense of smell and taste. The heat they generate in the body, combined with their complex flavors, offers a sense of coziness. As an added bonus, they contain antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.

I know that adding a green vegetable to a baked good might be foreign to you, but give this a try. It’s even 4 year-old approved.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (use can use salted or unsalted butter; if using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt to the recipe)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground clove

2 cups grated zucchini

1 2/3 cups AP flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

Grate the zucchini using a box grater. Place the grated zucchini into a colander placed over a bowl to drain for anywhere between 2 hours and overnight. Discard the drained liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9x5 inch bread pan by lightly greasing it.

Cream together the butter and the brown sugar. Add the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, allspice, clove, and zucchini, and mix until well incorporated. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture and mix until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing. Place the batter into the prepared bread pan and bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick can be inserted into the middle of the bread and come out dry.

Nutrition per serving (1/14 of loaf)

165 calories

2.9g protein

7.5g fat

1g fibre