What to bake with a 20 inch zucchini- Part 1- Chocolate Zucchini Bread

You're like.... WHAT? That's right. I returned home from Sturgeon Falls with a giant zucchini, a parting gift if you will! So, what do you do with such a thing??? I even showed you a comparative scale so you can see the impact of it's giantness! That's a 12 inch chef's knife on my cutting board... so just imagine!

So, I knew I was going to grill some on the BBQ, but for the rest, well I knew I had to bake. How about a delicious Zucchini bread? Or, what about a chocolate zucchini bread? Fantastic Idea!

When you start shredding your zucchini you are going to see just how much moisture it holds.... and that is why it makes such a nice moist bread.

So here's a great recipe I found online.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

(adapted from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chocolate_zucchini_bread.html)

Ingredients

•1/2 cup chopped walnuts

•1 cup all-purpose flour

•1 cup whole-wheat flour

•1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch-process

•1/2 teaspoon baking powder

•1/2 teaspoon baking soda

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•3 large eggs, lightly beaten

•1 1/2 cups sugar

•3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

•1/4 cup canola oil

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

•2 cups grated zucchini, (1 medium)

Here are all the delightful, healthful ingredients, now here's what you do:

Preparation

1.Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

2.Spread walnuts in a pie pan and bake until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3.Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

4.Whisk eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil, vanilla and melted chocolate in another large bowl until blended. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in zucchini and the reserved walnuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops.

5.Bake the loaves 55 to 60 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto rack and cool completely.

and 60 minutes later...

Et voila, nice and moist and good for you!

Here's the nutritional info:

Per slice : 239 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 40 mg Cholesterol; 38 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 143 mg Sodium; 97 mg Potassium