Many cooks will say they are not bakers and bakers will say they are not cooks. However, if you blur the lines, there are those who have cross pollinated and become something I like to call a boock. A boock is both a baker and a cook, and not unlike a book you read, there are usually stories behind why someone becomes one or the other, or both.
Growing up in a semi-traditional Italian family it was more than likely you’d see my mom making sauce–just to have for later in the week, or putting together some four course meal on a mundane Saturday night. But unlike others, my mom also began to bake. Cakes, breads, muffins, amazing homemade whip cream, pies, you name it, and she baked it…well much of it. One of her signatures has become zucchini bread. Moist, flaky, with a slight spongy spring to it, this bread is mouthwatering. A loaf doesn’t last more than a few days in my household.
Attempting to recreate my mother’s recipe (I am not a baker), I made some minor modifications for a healthier option. So for those who love zucchini bread as much as I do here is a recipe straight out of the Digestion Suggestion kitchen, and my mother’s very own:
Ingredients
2 cups shredded zucchini (use one medium to large zucc, and shred using a mandolin or cheese grater).
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup of LIGHT olive oil (this is key. Do not use extra virgin or vegetable oils as they are dense).
2 cups of flour
2 eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp of cloves (I use doTerra clove oil–if you use this only add three drops).
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp baking soda.
Directions
Beat the wet ingredients together first–both sugars, eggs and olive oil. Once the mixture is a slightly thick consistency, mix in the shredded zucchini with a spatula.
In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients–pepper, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Take your wet ingredients and, in thirds, combine it with the dry ingredients. Blend well but do not over mix. Add your vanilla and clove once all ingredients have been incorporated and mix again lightly with spatula.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour your mixture into two bread loaf pans or muffin tins (if you’d like to be a bit more creative). Bake for 40 minutes. Once you reach the 36 minute mark, take a tooth pick to check the bread. If it comes out clean the bread is done. You want the bread to be soft and springy to the touch, but not doughy. Be careful to not overcook it, as it will come out very dry.
Digestion Suggestion Alternative ingredients
Substitute the flour for Bob’s Red Mill finely ground Almond Meal Flour. A great source of fiber, this flour is made from skinless, blanched almonds. It is gluten free, and contains six grams of carbs per every 1/4 of a cup; making it the perfect low carb substitute.
However, because of its consistency, decrease your olive oil to just under 1/2 a cup and make sure it is light olive oil. You will also need to cook it slightly longer, roughly 45 minutes (if you are making muffins, cut the time in half as the cooking portions are smaller).
I also add a little orange zest to the batter just before I pour it into the pans.
Let the breads/muffins cool before removing and transferring them.
This is a great late summer dish and a fairly guilt free way to snack on some delicious baked goods.
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!
