Zucchini Chocolate-Chip Walnut Loaf and Muffins

A few weekends back, Thomas and I made a trip out to his parent's house in Glen Valley. His parents grow a variety of herbs, vegetables and fruit on their property. Apart from some delicious blackberries and apples that we picked, his mom gave me a summer zucchini the size of about my arm. 

I've never been a big fan of zucchini, probably due to the fact that I don't really know what to do with it. So faced with a huge zucchini that I really didn't want to see go to waste, I decided to bake with it. My big inspiration was the vegan zucchini chocolate-chip muffins that are sold at JJ bean. Their muffins are moist, nutty, chocolate-y and delicious - so delicious that you forget that there is even zucchini in them! 

I found a recipe for a zucchini chocolate-chip loaf smitten kitchen which looked yummy, so I decided to give it a shot! 

Zucchini Bread
(I've made a few adjustments to the smitten kitchen recipe)

Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins

3 eggs 
3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup sugar 
3 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour (next time I would use a mixture of whole wheat flour and all-purpose) 
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, plus 1/3 cup to sprinkle on top
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour loaf pans and muffin tin. 

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

3. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using. Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans, or muffin tins. 

4. Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake far more quickly, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

MEAT AND BREAD

om nom nom.

This place is de-li-cious.

My friend raves that the porchetta sandwich is the best thing he has ever tasted.

But I got the grilled cheese, which was gooooey, stringy, sweet, and spicy heaven, if that is even possible.

You should check it out!.. This place ALMOST makes me want to eat meat!

http://www.meatandbread.ca/

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Macadamia Nuts

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Macadamia Nuts

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 beaten eggs

1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (5 medium)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Corn Bread

Ever since first trying corn bread at an organic cafe in Tofino, I have always wanted to make it. I find the texture and sweetness of corn bread similar to soda bread, but about ten times better. This bread is so good you can just eat it all on it's own! :)

Corn Bread

3/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

2 T. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, mix the wet in another bowl and combine.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 375 degrees in a buttered cast iron frying pan.