I Heart Zuke

August 2, 2013 by Rachel 1 Comment

This is my sister being a poor college student without any zucchini bread

I suppose I could continue along with the unofficial theme this week (and official theme of my life) and discuss food here. Let me tell you one thing about summer. Zucchini. Do you like it? I don’t care if you don’t. Zucchini is the greatest vegetable to ever grow. My mother grows zucchini the size of baseball bats in her garden. Do you know why it is so great and what is made with zucchini? ZUCCHINI BREAD. The greatest food in the world. It makes me giddy. I love zucchini bread. I would make it all day every day if I could. I could literally eat an entire loaf in five minutes (let’s be real, probably less than that). I take my zucchini bread very seriously.

My mom has been making zucchini bread every summer for as long as I can remember.

And this is what happens when I give her some

When I was old enough and actually felt like being a decent enough human being to help out, I would be her assistant and shred the zuke. I then got to the point where I would make it on my own. When my sister decided to become a vegan, my mom found a recipe because my sister is obsessed with it as well and needed her own. After some experimenting, we’ve come to enjoy the “vegan” version better. With this recipe, I don’t consider it a disgusting, sketchy vegan version because there’s not really anything super weird about it. It tastes a lot better and stays more moist (I cringe at that word, but it’s an accurate description…sorry) when refrigerated. And when I make it, I “follow” this recipe…which is more or less me flinging things and scooping things without real measurement…and it somehow still comes out delectable. So here you go. Try it. Eat it. Love it.

Zucchini Bread (makes 2 loaves)

3 medium zucchini

1 cup applesauce

1 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease 2 metal loaf pans.

3. Shred zucchini, measure out 3 packed cups.

4. In a large bowl, whisk applesauce and sugar. Then slowly whisk in vegetable oil and add vanilla. Stir in zucchini.

5. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.

6. Pour batter into 2 prepared loaf pans and rap on counter to settle any air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour 15 mins, or until tester comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely on rack (they will flatten out a bit). Wrap well in aluminum foil and refrigerate or freeze.

*Keep the loaves refrigerated if you’re going to eat them within the week. Refrigerate any extra shredded zucchini (will last no more than a week, otherwise freeze it for future loaves).

Like I said, I take my zucchini bread very seriously

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