Have you ever heard of or eaten Zucchini bread? You are probably a big fan of carrot cake (who isn’t?), so you know that putting veggies into your baked goods makes a lot of sense. But Zucchini? When I saw a recipe some months ago, I immediately put it on my to-bake list, and a couple of weeks ago I finally made this healthy zucchini bread.
I picked the recipe not only because I was very curious to use zucchini in a cake, but also because I was looking for a treat that allows me to stick to my health goals.
I just recently visited an alternative practitioner to find out about any food intolerances I might have. I had some real stomach issues (bloating, stomach cramps, etc.) for quite a while and finally wanted to find out what was causing it. The practitioner identified the following intolerances: wheat, white sugar, soy, cow milk, garlic, and onions. I found the results to be fascinating as it only further confirmed my speculations and how I intuitively ate most of the time. The practitioner recommended to completely removing these foods for a while to see if I felt better.
One week into my adjusted diet, I was invited to a friend’s party, and I wanted to bring some homemade cake. And that’s when I remembered that zucchini bread recipe from my to-bake list!
This healthy zucchini bread doesn’t contain wheat, gluten, dairy or sugar. The sweetness comes from the unsweetened applesauce and the zucchini. The vegetable also adds a wonderfully moist texture to the cake. It was the perfect healthy treat!
But I wasn’t sure if non-healthy-food-addicts would like the less-sugary bread as much as I did. Therefore I brought some homemade jam and almond butter to accompany the bread. And I have to admit; it makes it even more delicious!
This healthy zucchini bread is a great snack to have at home or take with you when traveling.
Have fun baking!
Love,
Marion
If you are looking for more sugar-free recipes? Check out this banana bread or these pancakes.
Healthy zucchini bread
Moist and delicious zucchini bread without gluten, dairy or sugar.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized zucchini
- 115g (1 cup) almond flour
- 40g (1/4 cup) coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 250g (1 cup) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 organic free-range eggs
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 50g (1/2 cup) nuts, for decoration
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F and line a medium (8×4 inches, 20x10cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Step 2 Grate the zucchini, transfer to a cheesecloth or paper towel, and squeeze out all of the water. You should end up with 1 cup of zucchini (shredded and squeezed out). This step is crucial otherwise the dough will be too wet. Set aside.
- Step 3 In a medium bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 4 In a separate bowl, mix applesauce, oil, vanilla extract, and eggs, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Step 5 Fold in the dry ingredients first, before adding the shredded zucchini.
- Step 6 Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, spreading it out evenly, and top with nuts of your choice (I used walnuts).
- Step 7 Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the edges are browned, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the top of the zucchini bread is browning too much, cover with tin foil and continue baking.
- Step 8 Remove the bread from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
