Life lesson #4039 – When your mom mentions she has extra produce
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it's best to have friends
She smiled as she opened her trunk that summer evening. We stared. She told us all the ways she'd been eating zucchini. We stared some more. She mentioned she'd never seen zucchinis quite this big, well, and maybe not zucchinis this big and in this amount
!!
My husband looked at me and smiled. It didn't need to be said aloud. God bless parents who are all sorts of wonderful and grow zucchinis that are at least 4′ long and easily weigh over 10 pounds each
(not to mention gigantic cucumbers, she brought those too)
When it comes to zucchini there aren't many things I like more than zucchini bread. It's delicious, portable, easy to share, and one of the few things I will happily turn my oven on for even on the hottest of days. There are plenty of tried and true recipes out there, but this time around, I wanted to bring my own. A healthier take on this seasonal classic
This version uses almond flour, which is a fun one to play around with when you're transitioning to a grain-free lifestyle, or just wanting to try something new. I've found recipes with almond flour can (at times) be on the dry side, but not this bread; it's moist, fluffy, and absolutely delicious!
Honey and banana provide a natural sweetness, toasted walnuts are mixed throughout, and a cinnamon streusel topping just because.
I knew I was onto something delicious as I folded the last few ingredients this afternoon. Sometimes you just know. The thick and creamy batter was flecked with hundreds of green-lined strands of shredded zucchini nestled alongside the occasional flare of toasted walnut.
Baked in two 6″ cast iron skillets, it made the perfect amount for the two of us
We'll be enjoying this not-to-sweet loaf for breakfast and as an afternoon snack. A bit of vanilla Greek yogurt on the side never hurts
Enjoy!
xoxo
ps: When you're beating your eggs, you'll want them to be really frothy. It will make a big difference in your final product
— — —
~ Adapted from Against All Grain
Zucchini Bread with Walnuts + Chocolate
Ingredients
- Zucchini Walnut Bread
- 1 ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp nutmeg
- 3 eggs, beaten (large or XL)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ¼ cup zucchini, shredded and unpeeled
- ¾ cup walnuts, chopped and optionally toasted
- Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp natural sugar (Sugar in the Raw or Turbinado)
- 1 tbsp oat flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients
- Roast the Walnuts (Optional)
- The walnuts can be used raw or roasted. I like to take a few minutes to roast because it adds a toasty, nutty depth of flavor.
- Roast the nuts at 350° F for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Allow to cool before using
- Zucchini Walnut Bread
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs 1-2 minutes on medium, until frothy. Add the honey and banana. Beat another minute until well-combined
- Add the zucchini and beat this time until the ingredients are just incorporated
- Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer running, until all of the flour mix has been incorporated.
- Stir in the walnuts
- Spoon the batter into 2-6" cast iron skillets & spread evenly. (you could also use 2 mini loaf pans or make them into muffins as well)
- Sprinkle the cinnamon streusel topping on top
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out clean. (Your baking times may vary. 25-30 minutes worked great for my 2 - 6" skillets)
2 Comments
Maybe those zucchinis grew up under power lines?
But absolutely delicious recipe.
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