Zucchini Bread

Well, I've picked the last zucchini from our garden--it's done now.  Can you believe that I have NOT made zucchini bread this summer?  Especially since there was such an abundance of this vegetable.  Therefore, it was time, time for zucchini bread.

I've searched a lot of recipes and most of them call for a huge amount of oil, up to three cups in some recipes.  Then, I found the perfect recipe--only 1/2 cup of oil.  So how can it be so moist?  Well, there is also 1/2 cup of applesauce.  I think that's the secret.

So here's my version of the recipe from AFamilyFeast.com.  I reduced the amount of sugar and also the amount of vanilla.  For the flour, I used half whole wheat pastry flour and half unbleached flour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two 8" x 4" loaf pans with parchment paper (spray the pans with coconut oil or PAM then line with the parchment).

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups zucchini grated (can use as little as 2 cups and as much as 4 cups)
3 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil (I used light olive oil)
3 cups flour (I used half whole wheat pastry flour and half unbleached white flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar

Mix together in separate bowls, the wet ingredients, and the dry ingredients.  Then add the wet to the dry mixing just until combined, don't over mix.  Fold in the zucchini.

Pour half the batter into each of the loaf pans.  Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Remove the bread from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

After the bread is completely cool, slice and serve with softened butter, real butter!

Enjoy Friends!

Homemade Granola with Pumpkin Pie Spice

You can eat it right out of your hand, pour milk over it and eat it like cereal, or make a healthy parfait by layering yogurt and granola.  Anyway you serve it, homemade granola is the bomb.

Here's the ingredients I used, modified somewhat from the recipe on

My Baking Addiction

4 cups old-fashioned oats

chopped pecans

sliced almonds

craisins

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

3 Tbls pure maple syrup

2 Tbls mild olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, and pecans.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, oil, and pumpkin pie spice.

Mix and bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour over the oat mixture.

Stir to coat.  Spread in a 1/2 sheet pan lined with a silicone mat.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes, stir occasionally. 

Let cool, add the craisins.

Store in an airtight container--I used the empty oatmeal container.
(reuse stuff!)

You can improvise and use any combination of nuts and dried fruit.

Here's the link to make your own pumpkin pie spice:

pumpkin pie spice

Enjoy friends!