Zucchini Bread

I'm going to be real- before today, I have never had zucchini bread. Maybe I have, but I don't recall so. I know I've had banana bread before, but never zucchini bread. So, what's a girl to do on a rainy day? Hint: it's make zucchini bread. I did a tad bit of research going into this, getting inspiration from Pinterest, calling my mom, etc. Not only was I able to formulate what I think is a pretty stellar recipe, but I was very proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone to make this! I used a leftover zucchini that I picked up from the farmers market this past weekend. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always the best, especially from a farmers market. They are frequently locally grown and sold by the farmers themselves at the booths! They are a perfect way to connect farm to table!

The finished product! Does it look great or does it look great?!

Did you know that zucchinis have a mild bitterness that is related to some species of cucumber? This is caused by environmental factors- high temperature, low moisture, low soil nutrients to name a few. The bitterness itself, however, is caused by compounds called cucurbitacins. Long ago, cucubitacins were used for its medicinal powers! Though cucumbers and zucchinis have been domesticated to hone in on its best features- it's without a doubt a great super-food.

Zucchini pre-mixing...look how vibrant the green is! We love a fresh zucchini!

Have no fear though- this zucchini bread is sweet and savory at the same time! It can make an excellent dessert or snack! Today, I chose to have some as a dessert. I had my mom on FaceTime while I tried it for the first time- I couldn't hold back a smile. Not to mention, I also FaceTimed her when I took these bad boys out of the oven. They were nothing short of perfection- I just had to share. I am honestly now obsessed with this recipe, and you can be too! Now, this recipe did take a little while to do. However, it is super duper simple and can be made with less than $20 and/or with things you already have at home! Note that I did use walnuts in my variation. These can be taken out if you have an allergy or just straight up hate walnuts. Here's how to make it...

A lil' slice of perfection!

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Zucchini Bread Serves: 16 Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

- 1 cup white sugar

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 3 eggs

- 1 cup vegetable oil

- 3 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon nutmeg

- 3 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2-3 cups zucchini, grated (a large zucchini)

- 1 cup walnut, chopped

Steps:

1. Grease two 8x4 (or two 9x5) pans. Prehead oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and oil. Make sure there are no lumps.

3. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the wet ingredients. Mix until well combined. 4. Grate zucchini and add to batter. Mix well. 5. Add chopped walnuts to batter and mix.

6. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 40-60 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 7. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove from pan and enjoy!