Charlotte Veggie

Healthy Holiday {Cranberry Nut} Zucchini Bread

IMG_8432

I whipped up 2 loaves of this easy sweet bread today: One is for a gift and the other for my humble abode.

IMG_8431

Using whole wheat pastry flour, less oil, coconut sugar, apple sauce, banana, and zucchini, this dairy free bread is healthier without compromising taste and texture. It’s comparable to a light cake.

IMG_8430 

I thought it was suitable for the holidays to give it specks of red and green with cranberries and zucchini. However, you could easily skip folding in any additional toppings.

IMG_8428

The second one had walnuts. The bread is moist, soft, fresh but slices easily and can hold up to a spread of butter, jam, or nut butters.

IMG_8427

Try this bread for breakfast, a mid afternoon snack, as pre or post workout fuel, or dessert.

Healthy Holiday {Cranberry Nut} Zucchini Bread

DF, NF if you omit walnuts

Makes 1 loaf

 

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 mashed ripe banana

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup olive, unrefined coconut, or nonGMO canola oil

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 baking soda

*you can skip any spices you don’t have or even use pumpkin pie spice*

1/2 cinnamon

*1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

*1/4 tsp ground cloves

*1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/3 cup dried cranberries and or 1/3 cup walnut pieces

*you can skip any spices you don’t have or even use pumpkin pie spice*

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a loaf pan.

Combine mashed banana, shredded zucchini, apple sauce, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Sift in flour, baking soda, and spices.

Stir until everything is moistened and then fold in dried fruit and/or nuts.

Bake for 50 minutes.

Other posts that may interest you:

Breakfast recipes including cookies, scones, and more

Marbled Banana Bread 

Coconut sugar and the glycemic index

All about coconut oil

Recent Posts…

Holiday Edition: Five Spice Pumpkin Orange Bundt Cake + Orange Anise Icing

Holiday Edition: Five Spice Pumpkin Orange Bundt Cake + Orange Anise Icing

The holidays beckon for sweets and although I love pies, I like how bundt cakes are traditional and make a regular dessert more special. The decorative look reminds me of wreaths and rings and all things festive. This recipe is very versatile and a good guide for whatever flavors you want to impart. It is [...]

{ 0 comments }
Hunger Curbing Pre-Party Smoothie

Hunger Curbing Pre-Party Smoothie

This was my smoothie before a friend’s 40th birthday celebration last weekend. The danger for me was that the festivities were at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and it requires great restraint to control my intake of chips and salsa! One of the added advantages as to why I drink green smoothies is that they [...]

{ 0 comments }
Dessert Or Breakfast ANY Fruit(s) Crisp

Dessert Or Breakfast ANY Fruit(s) Crisp

Listen to this – never again will you have to cut butter into flour and all that mess to make a fruit crisp. This one is made of dreams because it is time saving, calorie saving, sugar saving, dairy free, and gluten free AND still tastes like a traditional version. This is my hands down [...]

{ 0 comments }