Walnut Zucchini Bread
What to do with all your garden-fresh zucchini? Aug. 8th is National Zucchini day! Celebrate with walnut zucchini bread, skip the cinnamon, decrease the sugar & use Villa Graziella Organic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of vegetable oil. A healthy breakfast or delicious on the go snack. Makes two 9 x 5 loaves.
Simple Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup Villa Graziella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil extra for brushing the pan
- 3 large eggs, room temperature beaten
- 2 cups finely grated zucchini with excess moisture drained (3 medium zucchini -1 1/2 pounds
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (approx. 1 pound)
- ¾ packed cup light brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 7 oz. plain whole Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Easy Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F & grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans with olive oil.
- Grate zucchini & drain excess moisture with a clean cloth dish towel. Place zucchini in a large bowl, discard excess moisture.
- Add olive oil, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract & sugar to grated zucchini, mix ingredients.
- Add eggs & mix until sugar is dissolved.
- In another large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder & lemon zest.
- Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients & blend until flour is fully incorporated into a thick batter, fold in chopped walnuts, do not overmix.
- Scrape batter into the 2 prepared loaf pans, dividing batter evenly.
- Bake on middle rack until a tooth pick or knife inserted in the center comes out completely clean, approx. 55 minutes. Checking after 45 minutes & continue to check every 5 minutes until done.
- Set loaf pans on a rack, cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife or spatula around the edges to release & flip loaves.
- Slice, serve & enjoy. Zucchini bread will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature wrapped in foil, if it lasts that long!
Helpful Tip: Drain excess moisture out of the grated zucchini for a lighter, less dense version.