Yes: I am baking with vegetables. People who know me well will be astonished by this, given that until recently I’ve lived a fairly vegetable-free life. My aversion to these nutritional powerhouses began early in life, and I’ve kept most vegetables at arm’s length (or hidden in mashed potatoes, so I don’t really have to taste them) until the last month or so.
You’d think that a kid raised by health and phys ed teachers would eat spinach omelets for breakfast, salads for lunch, and grilled veggies for dinner…but you’d be wrong. I’ve spent most of my life shunning veggies, especially the green ones…and most especially, the leafy green ones. But last month, I committed to improving my overall health and began to work with a health coach (read: my friend and former intern Kate, who is awesome) and she’s helping me figure out ways to sneak vegetables into foods that I already like. Enter zucchini bread.
Skeptical, I was, but curious too. As the bread baked, a lovely cinnamon aroma wafted from my kitchen. Once cool, I cut a slice, then stared it down. I could do this, right? Long ago I adopted an attitude of no fear in my baking, so why should tasting be any different? For the record: this bread tastes amazing. It’s cinnamony and moist and studded with chocolate chips, which makes anything better, really. If all vegetables tasted like this, I’d be the healthiest person in the world.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray two 8 x 4 loaf pans with baking spray.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla, mixing well. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well-combined and no dry streaks remain.
Add zucchini and chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Divide batter evenly between loaf pans.
Bake for 60-65 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 