Zucchini Bread - Yes, Veggies in Baking!

There is something about being forced to sit in front of a computer for eight hours a day that gets my creative juices flowing.  Please note however, that I do compose these posts on my own time, not on company time – I just tend to come up with the ideas while staring at something completely unrelated.


So yes, after three months of unemployment/couch occupation, I have a job!  Which is slightly diabolical for a food blogger, because while I didn’t have a job, I had heaps of time in which I could have done a lot of blogging…if I had had the money, creativity and motivation to do so.  But there was something about having alllll that free time – it just got sucked up by more important everyday life things, like watching Dance Academy and Ellen.  


Also, Motivation and I are not really friends, not when there’s heaps of time to get something done.  It’s Motivation’s evil twin Procrastination that is my BFF when I have plenty of time to get shit done.  I’m sure most people are like that, it’s nothing new.  But it’s funny what I would call a “good reason” for not doing something. Here are some popular excuses: 


-I can’t get out of bed yet, I have to read all the Internets before I can start my day properly!
-I can’t do the dishes right now, a cat has just taken possession of my lap and desperately needs my love and affection.  For the next two hours.
-I can’t possibly do laundry right now, there’s a could in the sky that could potentially produce rain that would get any washing I hang out wet.
-I can’t go for a swim right now, I’ve just eaten lunch!


But here’s something you can’t procrastinate on: baking with in-season veggies.  


What what?!  Baking something sweet with veggies?!  Cue Jonno’s horror-stricken face; he has declared that it is an abomination to have vegetables in a cake.


Back when we were working together and someone would bring in carrot cake for afternoon tea, we used to tell him is was a “spice cake” so that he would eat it.  Then later we would enjoy telling him he had indeed just eaten a CARROT CAKE.  Gah!


Anyway, this zucchini bread/loaf/cake is great if you include both raisins and some kind of nuts, because it adds great texture and crunch to an already great dish.  Make it now while the zucchinis are big and glorious!!

Zucchini Bread

Adapted from Love & Confections

Makes 2 loaf pans

Ingredients:

·         2 cups Zucchini, grated & drained - about 3 medium zucchinis

·         4 Eggs

·         1 cup Vegetable Oil

·         2 cups Sugar

·         3 cups All-Purpose Flour

·         1 tsp salt

·         1 tsp Baking Soda

·         1 tbsp Cinnamon

·         1 tsp Vanilla Extract

·         1 tbsp Baking Powder

·         1 cup Nuts - walnuts are good

·         1 cup Raisins

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C.

2.      Grease and flour loaf pans

3.      Beat Eggs well

4.      Add Oil and Sugar to Eggs and beat well

5.      Add Flour, Salt, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract, and Baking Powder.

6.      Mix to combine.

7.      Add Zucchini, Nuts (optional) and Raisins (optional). Mix to combine.

8.      Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when testing.