Healthy Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour (recommend Bob's Red Mill brand)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine sea salt (or kosher salt)

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon (if making pumpkin I add 1-2 tsp or pumpkin pie spice plus cinnamon)

1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin)—you can halve the olive oil and use applesauce instead. Or only use applesauce. Or use about 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Or you can use some oil and some applesauce and cut out the honey or maple syrup. Lots of options. All forgiving.

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup honey—you can use some applesauce in place of sweetener too.

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

2 heaping cups zucchini (grated with a hand or box grater)—you can use carrot instead

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" loaf pan and set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the whole wheat flour, baking powder and soda, sea salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla.

Fold in the grated zucchini and dry ingredients. Stir until well combined.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy right away with some soft butter or cream cheese. Or save for later in an airtight container or plastic bag on the counter. If you do not eat it all within a few days, transfer to the fridge.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 192 kcal
• Total Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 27 mg
• Sodium: 163 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 23 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 4 g