Zucchini Bread

We had some great vegetarian chili and some chicken stirfry during the storms this weekend, so I decided to whip up a delicious zucchini bread to go with both dishes.  If you aren't familiar, it is a relatively healthy loaf bread (think banana bread) with a bit more of a mealy texture.  There isn't too much flavor (most eating it will hardly know there's zucchini in it!)

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

2 large eggs
1/8 cup agave or 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 1 small/medium zucchini)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan.
2. Mix together eggs, agave or honey, oil, sugar, and vanilla.
3. Blend in flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
4. Add in zucchini and nuts, if desired.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan and spread with spatual to make sure top is even.
6. Bake for 60 minutes.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Rainy weather always makes me want to cook something yummy.  This is really probably dangerous given that we're in for another five or so days of storms.

I've got some nectarines that never ripened when I got home - the flavor is good, but they are still hard as a rock.  So I figure my best option was to think about some fun ways to cook them up.

So here's what I'll be cooking up tonight:

Nectarine and Tomato Bruschetta

1 1/2 cups diced nectarines

1 1/4 cups chopped yellow tomato

2/3 cup coarsely chopped arugula

1 tbsp vinegar (you can really play with different kinds here.  White wine is the best bet, but I may try it with apple cider tonight to add some fun and acidity)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Bread of your choice (I do prefer the French Baguette, but whole wheat will work just as well!)

*(I'm thinking I might also add a bit of mascarpone to the bread tonight and call it dinner.)

Directions

1. Dice and mix, then place it on some deliciously toasted sliced bread!

Later tonight I will also be attempting an almost entirely healthy nectarine crisp (I mean, you can't ditch ALL of the brown sugar - that would just be wrong!)  Hopefully, I'll have the recipe down soon to share with you all.

Baking Frenzy

Last week, I was in one of those moods where I just needed to bake, and bake, and bake.  Most of my friends are out of town this weekend, though, so I knew there would be few people with which to share the delicious treats - so whatever I made would have to be relatively healthy, as it would be sitting in the house with me and my resident cookie monster.


So here's what I made, and let me tell you, YUM.


Cranberry-Oat Bites
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups dried cranberries (unsweetened)
1 cup diced pecans or walnuts


 Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine oats, flour, dried fruit, nuts in a bowl.  Set aside.
3. Cream butter in separate bowl.
4. Add sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla to butter.
5. Beat in the egg.
6. Add in dry mixture and stir well.
7. Place the dough in small mounds (just under a tablespoon) onto parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.  Turn the tray, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.




Chewy Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cup white whole wheat flour
2 2/3 cups dark chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat together the butter, oil, sugars, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt.

3. Add in the vinegar, egg, baking soda, and baking powder.

4. Stir in the flour, then the chocolate chips

5. Place tablespoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.

And last but not least...

Lite Banana Bread

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt3 medium bananas

1/2 cup all-natural applesauce
2 large egg, or eggbeaters
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup diced walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan.

2. Beat butter.  Add in sugar and mix well.  

3. Mix in vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas.  Leave some chunks of banana.

4. Add in the honey and eggs.

5. Stir in the flour and walnuts.

6. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan, and smooth out.  Let the batter sit in the pan for five minutes at room temperature.

7. Bake for 60-65 minutes, placing a piece of aluminum foil over the top for the last 15 minutes.

I think I'm going to go eat some more leftovers...Enjoy!