chocolate + paper + scissors

3.20.2009

Fantastic Food Friday: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I’ve decided to make Fridays a day for celebrating great food. Please note that I’m not claiming to be a food expert, nor is this a food blog. However, I do love cooking and eating food (which I suppose makes me a foodie!) and experimenting with recipes to make them healthier and still delish. Not all recipes that I love are healthy, by the way! But, I would like to share recipes that are somewhat easy that also make my family happy. Eating good food should make us happy, right?

I have to give credit for my “FFF” title. Last year, my friend and colleague Kim turned me on to Rocks in my Dryer, a fantastic blog about life and parenting, which originally featured Works for Me Wednesdays (now featured on We are THAT Family). I decided to follow in the footsteps of the alliteration – and devote my fun Friday entries to fantastic food.

My free time is limited in this season of my life, but there are two foodie sites I check regularly: Cookie Madness and Cooking Light. There are millions more out there – but these are my two favorites that always offer no-fail recipes.

I’ve been trying to take to my cookbooks that have been collecting dust over the years (especially the last 6 months, as my little man is almost 6 months!). I’m so fortunate to have so many lovely books – so I’m trying to dive into them a little at a time. I’m excited to share them with you!

My most recent recipe find comes from a church cookbook – which are full of great little favorite, tried-and-true comfort food recipes. I added a few twists to make it (secretly) super healthy, and my three year-old daughter and my husband loved it! They’re both quite choosy on their sweets…especially my husband. Since we’ve been married, we’ve concluded we have very different ideas of what constitutes “good” sweets. That's another topic for another day.

This recipe has whole grain, ground flaxseed, antioxidants from the chocolate, and vegetables! It tastes like gooey chocolate cake. With benefits.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Adapted from Food for the Journey
by First Congregational Church of Houston

3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur)
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional!)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I used Dutch-processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated zucchini
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat eggs until frothy. Beat in sugar, oil and vanilla until thick and lemon-colored. Sift all dry ingredients together. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with zucchini. Stir in chocolate chips last.

Pour batter into a greased 9X13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Enjoy as a perfect breakfast, snack or dessert!

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