Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I can't tell you how often I've made this recipe.  I found it online by BargainBriana.com approximately 8 years ago and have made it MANY times since!  It is delicious.  When I get access to zucchini, I immediately make this recipe and then freeze as much as I can for future baking.  (You can use frozen, then thawed zucchini with no problem.)

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

3 TBSP vegetable oil (I use canola)

2 large eggs

1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)

2 cups all purpose flour (I use a combo that includes whole wheat flour)

2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa

1-1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 cup shredded zucchini (don't skimp - be generous!)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use the mini's)

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Combine sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl.  Mix until well blended.

3) Stir in applesauce.

4) In a separate bowl combine, flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture.

5) Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips (and nuts if desired).

6) Pour into a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.

7) Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Zucchini Bread (healthier version)

 
One of the guys at work brought in a bunch of very large zucchinis to share with everyone.  Looking at it I knew that this would not make just one loaf - but many!  I did not peel the zucchini, I just cut it up into chunks, cut the seeds out and then put it through the food processor to shred it up.  I got 6 cups of shredded zucchini out of it. Since the recipe calls for 2 cups of shredded zucchini (to make 2 loaves) I ended up with 6 loaves of bread!!!

The recipe I used was from my newest Healthy Cooking magazine (Aug/Sep 2010) - it was called Makeover Zucchini Bread.  The recipe reduced the oil to only 1/3 cup and replaced it with applesauce.  I made a couple of my own substitutions - instead of 1-1/2 cups of sugar I changed it to 1 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.  I also changed the 3 cups of white flour to 2 cups of white and 1 cup of whole wheat. The nutritional info is based on the original recipe.  I don't think my changes will make any significant difference to it.

Zucchini Bread (healthier version)


Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup chopped walnuts


Directions
In a large bowl, beat the sugars, applesauce, eggs, oil and vanilla until well blended.  Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended.  Stir in zucchini and walnuts.


Transfer to two 8-in X 4-in loaf pans coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.


Yield:  2 loaves (12 slices each)


Nutritional info: 1 slice equals 168 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 165 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. 
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch 1 fat