Super Awesome Zucchini Bread

When I first came upon this recipe on 101 cookbooks, I was skeptical, curry powder in zucchini bread? I wasn’t convinced I would love it, but I was intrigued enough to try it, and I am glad I did, it is awesome, super awesome in fact. Even the kids loved it, anytime I can sneak extra veggies into their diet it is a total win. Here is my adaptation of the original, I hope you like it!

Super Awesome Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 loaves (14 servings)

Ingredients

1 cup chopped walnuts (save a few to sprinkle on top)
1/4 cup coconut oil (virgin & unrefined)
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup brown rice syrup (if you don’t have this just sub more sugar or maple syrup)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large zucchini, grated, skins on (squeeze out excess moisture in a clean kitchen towel, fluff up before using)
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. curry powder

Preparation Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter two loaf pans, dust them with a bit of flour and set aside. Alternately, you can line the pans with a sheet of parchment. If you leave a couple inches hanging over the pan, it makes for easy removal after baking. Just grab the parchment "handles" and lift the zucchini bread right out.

In a mixer, beat the coconut oil and yogurt until fluffy. Add the sugar and rice syrup and beat again until mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini (low speed if you are using a mixer).

In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring between each addition.

Fold in the walnuts. Save a bit to sprinkle on the tops of the zucchini loaves before baking for a bit of texture. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist, not unlike a butter cream frosting.
Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Make sure it is level in the pans, by running a spatula over the top of each loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes on a middle oven rack. I like to under bake my zucchini bread ever so slightly to ensure it stays moist. Keep in mind it will continue to cook even after it is removed from the oven as it is cooling. Remove from the oven and cool the zucchini bread in pan for about ten minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling - if you leave them in their pans, they will get sweaty and moist (not in a good way) as they cool.
Makes 2 loaves. 14 servings.
Nutritional Data: 1 serving = Calories 249; Total fat 7.0g; Saturated fat 0.9g; Trans fat 0; Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 322mg; Total carbohydrates 40.5g; Fiber 4g; Sugars 18.9g; Protein 7.1g