Zucchini Bread

Growing up in Alaska, we were taught to keep our car doors locked in the summer, and it had nothing to do with thieves or kidnappers.  This special evasion training began early in childhood and was all about avoiding a neighbor’s dreaded gift of giant zucchini (if your doors were unlocked they could pile up the back seat with squash the size of toddlers and you’d be forced to drive home and deal with it.)  So you can imagine my surprise and shame in South Carolina when I couldn’t manage to keep a simple zucchini plant alive (nasty squash bugs!)

Thus began my mission to somehow out maneuver my insect enemy.  Wanting to avoid pesticides, I was left to picking them off by hand on a daily basis and scraping the clusters of eggs off the leaves.  This became impossible with my work schedule and the size of our garden, so I decided to try the local’s trick of succession planting in many different areas of the property.  Our third summer we finally have success!  I’ve lost over 2/3 of the plants to squash bugs, but the survivors are strong and prolific.  I’ve introduced my coworkers to chocolate zucchini cake and the neighbors may be growing wearing of zucchini bread, but I’m still smiling as I shred away:)

Makes 1 large or 2 small loaves- or 12 muffins

• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini
• 2/3 cup melted butter or oil (I prefer coconut oil)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups flour (we use fresh spelt or whole wheat, but white will do)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

preheat oven to 350 and grease pans

In large bowl mix sugar, eggs, extract and butter/oil

Mix in grated zucchini

In smaller bowl mix the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon

Stir dry ingredients into zucchini mixture (go light on the stirring)

Mix in optional ingredients

Fill pans 2/3 full

Bake 20 minutes for muffins or 30-45 for bread, longer for larger loaves (bake until brown, firm to touch and toothpick comes out clean)

Optional versions

Add 1 cup nuts, raisins, craisins and or flaked coconut

Add ½ cup cocoa powder to make chocolate zucchini bread

Add 1 cup chocolate chips

*my favorite is to add 2 tsp ground cardamom and zest of ½ lemon (or lemon extract or lemon essential oil) in place of cinnamon and vanilla

As I write this I realize I’ve never given you the recipe for our amazing zucchini patties (had these for dinner tonight topped with fresh cilantro sour cream- Oh my.)  Next week!