Remember that Gluten-Free Flour Mix I sent you last week? You don’t – well go and print it out. You’re going to want to keep it…well, if you’re a gluten-free devotee. I promised I’d share a recipe or two with you on what to use it in. Well, I found a good one. A riff on an old classic. Zucchini Bread – summers coming, and those vines will be sprouting flowers and little squashes like crazy. And as with every year, it’s great at first, but they don’t know when to stop! That’s when you go looking for creative uses. Yum – Zucchini Bread – a quick bread. Although, quick breads are usually nothing I’d consider a bread at all. They’re just loaf sized muffins! Gooey sweet and dripping with calories,…oh, yeah and FAT! (and not the good kind!) That’s not bread. Have you seen some of the recipes? I’ve got jam recipes that call for less sugar! Ain’t No Way !! I stumbled on a Yogurt-Zucchini recipe that looked good, but the reviews were mixed. Then I got my brain going, played with it and made it pretty much mine….Gluten-Free, Lo-Fat, Lower Sugar,…All Good! Have an open mind (and an empty stomach) and let’s go.
Michelle’s Yogurt-Zucchini Bread : Gluten-Free
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 325 and dig out that loaf pan. Then gather…
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped (you can add more, up to a cup – it’s ok, they’re the good kind of fat)
2 Cups Gluten-Free Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt (or a bit less)
3/4 Cup Whey-Lo (or Truvia, whatever natural sweetener – or even good old sugar, but add 2 more Tbl)
2 Large Eggs (you Vegans can sub the eggs – but I didn’t)
1 – 4oz. Apple Sauce (about 1/3 cup)*
2 Tbl Vegetable Oil*
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt, lo-fat, plain (It just occurred to me that there are yogurts (diet ones mainly) that have gluten, so either make your own or check the label.)
1 Cup Coarsely Shredded Zucchini (about 1 medium zuke)
1-1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp Nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp Ginger, ground
Step 2:
Mix the dry in a large bowl. Mix the wet in a smaller bowl. * the apple sauce and oil is a big part of the moisture. My apple sauce containers don’t measure exact. I emptied one into a 1/2 cup measure and topped it off with the oil, which came out to be about the 2 Tbl I listed. You can do as you like – all sauce, or all oil, or 1/2 of each. But I’m all about Lo-Fat here.
Shred the zucchini.
Step 3:
Add the wet to the dry, and fold in the zucchini and walnuts until just combined. Pretty simple
Step 4:
Get it into your standard loaf pan, and into the hot box.
Step 5:
After about an hour and 10 min. there you have it.
Step 6:
Let it rest in the pan for about 30 min and then de-pan – Mmmm, smell that!
Speaking of pans – I’m loving the not-so-new USA Pan Co. They make the signature pans for King Arthur Flour and the top-notch Gold Touch Pans at Williams Sonoma. They are fabulous ! Even America’s Test Kitchen raved about them. Heavy folded steel/aluminum for even cooking, non-stick, a light coating that doesn’t burn. I don’t care that I can’t put them in the dishwasher. They wipe so clean! I’m in love. Oh, and yes, they’re made in America, Pennsylvania in fact. (lot’s of cool things come from PA)
Finale:
Look at that. Gluten-free…what?!! The texture is like any other quick bread, the spices bring up the flavor factor.
You may add more sweet – or just some honey after you toast it. Me, well, I tried it and passed it around without telling my taste test victim the difference. That’s when Jon says, hey, you know what would be good on this,….that carrot stuff. O M G !! Yet another thing to add to the list of edibles to be made more fabulous with the addition of Carrot Jam ! Besides, carrots and zukes are friends. Fire away.
Now you can have all your food groups for breakfast…add some coffee (cause that’s a breakfast food group here too) and you’re set – no gluten required !
Enjoy!
Michelle Beal
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