Healthier Zucchini Bread

 

I'm always looking up ways to use up the zucchini from my garden and now that I'm trying to eat less sugar, I really wanted to bake a healthier zucchini bread. This bread is dense, soft and perfectly sweet. It has a light flavor and is amazing served warm with a slab of butter on top.

You can either add dark chocolate chips on top or leave as is. It's great either way. And if you'd rather have the chocolate mixed inside, you can do that, too.

Be sure to make this ASAP while zucchini is in season and readily available!

Healthier Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini (1-2 medium zucchini), (wrap in large paper towel and squeeze excess moisture out)

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

2 large eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (any milk will work)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 8x4-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add zucchini, maple syrup, eggs, almond milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add in melted coconut oil and mix again until well combined.
4. Pour into prepared loaf pan, sprinkle with dark chocolate chips if using and bake for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling or serve slightly warm.

Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen