VeganMoFo: In which I proclaim my love for zucchini bread

There, I said it. I love zucchini bread.  I have some very fond memories of eating it as a child because my grandmum was always making it.  Even when we weren't visiting, she would always give some for use to take back and stick in the freezer.  I used to think that zucchini bread would be healthy, but having a veg in the name is a little misleading. My grandmum's original recipe is practically more of a cake than a sweet bread.  Here it is in all of its non-vegan glory:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups shredded zucchini

When I finally got my own kitchen at school last year, my dad let me take a lot of grandmum's old recipes that he had sitting around.  I have really played around with the zucchini bread recipe and have finally found something that is actually reasonably healthy without tasting too healthy.  

Tip: If you have a food processor, use it to shred the zucchini.  It is amazing.  I used to do it the hard way, and it would take a half hour (or so) to shred a large zucchini.  Now, it just takes me five minutes. Also, I like to leave the skin on the zucchini.  For some reason, I get a little kick out of seeing those green flecks in my bread.

Tastier and Healthier Zucchini Bread than Grandmum used to Make

-Preheat oven to 350 F

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all purp. flour

3-6 tsp cinnamon (yes, I get a little liberal with it sometimes)

pinch nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

-Take those dry ingredients and sift them together into a large bowl.

-Take 3 Tbsp ground flax seeds and combine with 8-9 Tbsp water in a small cup or bowl. Whip/stir vigorously with a fork. Let sit while you prepare the wet ingredients.

1/3 cup applesauce

1/2 cup canola (or veg) oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 cup soymilk (or whichever non-dairy you prefer)

2 cups (or slightly overflowing 2 cup) shredded zucchini

-Combine the wet ingredients, mixing in the flax and the zucchini last.

-Pour the wet into the dry.  Mix until everything is combined. 

-Pour batter into two good-size loaf pans.

(Also fits into 2 small loaf pans with extra for 6-8 muffins)

-Bake for 45 minutes. Check if done with a toothpick or knife. It may need another 5 minutes.

-Leave in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

-Keeps at room temperature for 3 days or up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

How good is it? Well, it passed the taste test with my dad. (Who is still trying to come to terms with my veganism. Seriously, it has been 17 months already!)  Also, I have a few friends who purposely invite themselves over when they know that I am making it.

Zucchini are in season right now, but whenever I bake a batch I make sure to shred extra zucchini. Measure out in 2 cup portions and freeze in plastic  bags. Then you can have zucchini bread in the winter as long as you remember to let the zucchini thaw out during the day first.