My garden is overflowing with zucchini right now. Yours is too or if not your local farmer's markets is and the grocery store has piles of them local, fresh and cheap!
So far this week I have made zucchini boats stuffed with chicken sausage, tomato sauce and cheese which Amy's husband ate and enjoyed. My mom then made them the following night for my dad as the main dish and they were a hit!
Then I made whole wheat calzones stuffed with shredded zucchini and spinach (squeeze well!!), chicken sausage, olives, sauce and cheese. I could eat that twice a week no problem.
I have also shedded and frozen some and chopped, steamed and frozen some zucchini for breads and soups this winter.
But onto the main reason for this post. I made 4 different whole wheat zucchini bread recipes this week. The first came out horrible- I only had one egg, subbed in too much applesauce, and didn't leave it in the oven long enough so it fell and was mooshy and gross. Brent still ate a couple pieces. Good man. The second loaf was a big improvement but a bit dry and overmixed. The third were whole wheat zucchini muffins basically the same as the amazing pumpkin muffins on this site. The last was this whole wheat chocolate zucchini bread!
It's pretty healthy as far as chocolate breads go....I altered the original recipe by using whole wheat flour instead of white, olive oil instead of vegetable oil and cutting down the sugar. It turned out great and the non-whole wheat eating members of my family loved it!
Start by shredding some zucchini
Sift dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt but not the sugar, sugar counts as a wet ingredient)
And mix the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients. I know this is nonconventional but it helps prevent overmixing that can occur when you stir choc chips into batter that is already mixed.
Mix together wet ingredients (olive oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla)
And beat for 2 minutes. I might try not beating next time and see how it changes the texture.
Then mix zucchini into the wet ingredients, making sure to separate all the clumps with a fork (again this helps to prevent overmixing).
Mix wet into dry, mix until just barely mixed. Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake at 350oF for about 55 minutes. Instead of inserting a toothpick I always just push down on the top a little and if it springs back it's done!
Within a couple hours we had eaten more than half the loaf. Good warm or cold, plain or topped with ice cream :)
Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Bread
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
preheat oven to 350oF and grease a 9x5 loaf pan
sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, and salt
mix chocolate chips into dry ingredients
beat eggs, olive oil, sugar and vanilla for 2 minutes
mix in zucchini being sure to separate the clumps
mix wet into dry until just barely mixed
bake at 350oF for 55 minutes (or until it springs back)
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