Zucchini Bread!

I always try and use whatever produce is locally available in the area.  The reason for this is that it is generally very fresh, and also that it is very cheap!  The best possible combination out there :) Anywho, as we approach late summer, it is time for all the squash to come into season.  I should mention that I actually do not like zucchini very much, in fact I avoid eating it in stir fry, ratatouille, or anything else.  Zucchini bread is a very different matter though.  I discovered when I was quite young, that my mothers zucchini bread was going to be the only way I was going to eat this vegetable.  That recipe was delicious, however, it was also a bit oily.  We have since modified it to make it healthier, but it loses a bit of its rustic charm.  This recipe is one I made while in culinary school.  I have omitted some of the ingredients, but you can certainly add them if you would like.


Ingredients

230ml Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
425g White Sugar (about 1 3/4 to 2 cups)
485g All Purpose Flour (about 2 3/4 cups to 3 cups)

335g Grated Zucchini (about 1 1/2 to 2 normal sized zucchini)

150g raisins (about 1 1/2 cups) - Optional
200g Walnuts (about 1 1/2 cups) - Optional

Directions

1: Grate the zucchini and put it in a bowl

2. Combine the oil, eggs and vanilla in a bowl

3. Combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and flour in a large bowl.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

5. Stir in the zucchini and the raisins and walnuts if you want to add them.

6. Use spray oil to coat two bread pans.

7. Pour the batter into the two bread pans and bake at 350F for 60-75minutes.

The bread should be nicely browned on the surface when it is done.  If you think it is done, insert a knife into the center of the loaf.  If it comes out clean you are good to go.  If there is still some batter attached to it, put it back in for another 5 minutes.  Repeat as necessary.

Let it cool down and enjoy!

Nutritional Information.

When I made this recipe I used 200g of Walnuts and no raisins.  This nutritional information is based on you dividing the bread into 15 pieces (which is what we did)

It's rather high in fat, although the fat coming from walnuts is a good one.  If you are concerned and wish to leave the nuts out, you will decrease the calories by 43.7 and the fat by 4.4g so that each serving has 172.5 cal and 7.5g of fat.  for some reason this program is showing trans fat (which it is reading from the oil, even though most vegetable oils are trans fat free now).