Early Morning Booster: Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread replaced Banana Bread years ago in my kitchen. I think I just made way too much banana bread; using up the bananas as they darkened when the kids were little. But one day, I was given a small loaf of zucchini bread and I instantly had a new favorite breakfast cake. (My second favorite now is Strawberry Bread, but that’s for another blog, another day.)

This bread is always moist, flavorful and is a great way to use up zucchini from your garden! The cinnamon and nutmeg make the house smell amazing! And if you have picky eaters, they will never know that there is zucchini in the bread. So feel free to name it whatever you wish in order to get your family to eat it.

Originally, this recipe called for nuts. Well, I didn’t have any nuts, but I did have a cup of blueberries in the fridge. So, once again, this recipe was crafted in order to alleviate a trip to the store and use up items I had on hand. Thankfully, the flavor combination worked. Plus, blueberries are really good for you. It is a Win/Win!!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 Loaves, freezes well

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup blueberries
• Optional:  you can use one cup of chopped nuts instead of, or with the berries.

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. 
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add blueberries and fold in. 
4. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
5. Or, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.
6. Another option is to grease the loaf pan, then make a cinnamon/sugar mixture and instead of flouring the loaf pan, use the cinnamon/sugar. This will give it a nice sugary crust around the edges. Works great on bundt cakes, if you don’t want to make an icing or glaze.

Wet ingredients

Dry ingredients

Bread batter

Grated zucchini

Grated zucchini and blueberries

Added to the batter

Gently fold zucchini and berries into the batter

Blueberry Zucchini Bread hot out of the oven!

Moist and delicious Blueberry Zucchini Bread

One loaf, I made in a foil loaf pan and put it in the freezer after it had cooled. I wish this blog had a scratch/sniff button! Oh, it smells great....and tastes even better than it smells! Plus, you are getting a serving of vegetable and a fruit! This is health food we’re making here!

It’s been quite interesting to see what people read most on this blog. Though we all claim to be eating better, the sweets I have posted have gotten four times the hits than the savory recipes! I have no way of knowing which ones people are cooking. LOL!

Enjoy this holiday weekend with your family and friends and remember those that fought and died for us while serving this country. Because of them, we remain free.

As the mixing bowl turn,

Donna ; - )