Zucchini Bread

This delicious zucchini bread recipe makes two loaves. Like our Very Banana-y Banana Bread recipe, it calls for butter originally, but we make a mixture of half natural applesauce and half oil to keep it heart-healthy and low-fat. It also adds a great texture and taste!

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (whole wheat flour is also great in it)

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup applesauce/oil mixture

2 cups grated zucchini

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly spray two 9x5 inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Mix in applesauce/oil mixture and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nuts. Stir into zucchini mixture.

4. Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Very Banana-y Banana Bread

This is a very moist and heavy banana bread. The applesauce/olive oil mixture can be replaced with just olive oil, or with butter, but we like to use the mix to keep it a bit healthier, and we also like the added taste and texture that the applesauce has.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup applesauce/oil mixture

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/3 cup mashed, overripe bananas

2 eggs, beaten

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together brown sugar and the applesauce/oil mixture. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.

4. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture, but only enough to moisten.

5. Pour batter into the lightly sprayed loaf pan.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.