Healthy Zucchini Bread from Debra Klein

Celebrity shoutout! We LOVE this zucchini bread from the celebrity chef, Debra Klein. It’s comfort food made HEALTHY, by using apple sauce and maple syrup instead of sugar. Quality good-for-you ingredients, without losing that yummy dessert flavor!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini (approximately 2 cups grated)*
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup maple syrup (or use all of one or the other)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole grain flour*
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 
• ½ cup chopped walnuts – I use a little more
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper
2. Grate zucchini. There is no need to peel. You should have around 2 cups
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix grated zucchini, applesauce, honey and vanilla together until well combined
4. In a large bowl, stir dry ingredients together: flour, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt….plus chocolate chips and nuts if using
5. Pour the wet into the dry and mix well
6. Pour into prepared pan and let sit for 5 minutes. This will allow the applesauce to activate the baking powder
7. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
8. Let zucchini bread cool in pan for 10 minutes and then carefully lift the parchment paper out and onto a wire rack to continue to cool
9. Wait until completely cool to slice