Almond Zucchini Bread (grain-free!)

Yesterday I picked the first zucchini from my garden.  I was so excited, it took me quite awhile to decide how I wanted to use it.  Should I make zucchini noodles, zucchini chips, sauteed zucchini, stuffed zucchini; the list goes on and on!  In the end, I remembered how much I love zucchini bread and given I only had one zucchini I decided it would be best to make a loaf.  I have over ten zucchini plants, so all those other delicious foods can wait until I start getting baskets of zucchini every day!

My aunt had given me these adorable little loaf tins late last year, and I haven't used them yet.  They are perfect to use if you want to give baked goods away as gifts!  This recipe makes four mini loafs, but you can also make two regular sized breads.  Oh, and this bread freezes well so you can pop them in the freezer and have zucchini bread ready for whenever the craving hits!

I chose to use almond flour to make this bread, mainly because I had half a bag sitting in my fridge, but also because almonds are delicious and an almond flavored zucchini bread sounded like a good idea to me.  Boy was I right!  The almond flour gives this bread a hearty feel without being super dense or crumbly.  Honey and bananas sweeten while also helping make this bread nice and moist without having to add any oil.  Almond flour is full of natural oil, so you really don't need to add any additional oil to achieve a nice crumb!  I added some almond extract for good measure, and of course lots of cinnamon.  Boasting two cups of zucchini, this definitely qualifies as a balanced breakfast as well as a tasty treat!

Look for a new post on Get Dirty soon: I finally have the time this weekend to get some pictures and update you on the progress of my garden!  In the meantime, grab a zucchini and get baking!


Almond Zucchini Bread

yield: four mini loaves or two 9 x 5 loaves

2 3/4 cups almond flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp finely ground flaxseed
2 Tbsp coconut flour (or more ground flaxseed)
2 cups grated zucchini
6 eggs
1/3 cup honey
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 tsp almond extract

5 dates, pitted and diced (optional)
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease four mini loaf pans, or two 9x5 loaf pans.
2. Whisk together almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, ground flaxseed, and coconut flour.
3. In the base of a mixing stand or using a hand-held mixer, beat the eggs, honey, bananas, and almond extract until light and frothy, about 1-2 minutes.  You will see bubbles forming around the outside of the bowl when ready.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.  Stir in the zucchini, dates, and walnuts.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.  If you are making larger loaves, the baking time will be slightly longer.  Let cool completely before using a spatula to gently loosen the sides of the bread before taking it out of the pan.