"Paleo" Zucchini Chocolate Chip Loaf

I think it's natural for many to step away from a doing a whole lot of baking during the warmer months. We are more inclined to look for refreshing food choices when the sun is beaming down. But, as the weather turns colder and my nesting instincts grow stronger, I find myself being drawn back into the kitchen. There's something about the winter months that make me want to bake up a storm on the weekends. I am constantly looking for ways to turn traditional comfort baked goods into something a little more nourishing, and this past weekend was no exception. I had a few zucchinis waiting to be used, so I thought, what better way than to whip up a loaf of zucchini chocolate chip bread! After a little research, I was able to adapt a few different recipe ideas to make this version of a gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free bread. I generally try to avoid a lot of food labels, but "paleo" was a lot easier to fit into the title. This loaf turned out moist and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness, in my opinion. There are a couple of interesting things to note about the recipe: one of the key ingredients is a mashed banana. This not only adds to the natural sweetness, but also helps give it a great texture. The second thing is that the recipe requires quite a few eggs (6!), but that's stretched out over an entire loaf and helps to add a good dose of protein and healthy fats.

Nutrition Fun Fact of the Day: Egg yolks contain a high level of lecithin, a fat molecule that helps with a number of bodily functions.  It not only helps you digest fat, but plays a valuable role in moving waste out of cells and allowing nutrients to move into cells (it helps maintain cell permeability). The take away here is to not be afraid of the yolk! As of recent, I do feel like this message has been received by the general public. The fear of yolks is passing with the increase in available information regarding the health benefits. Some professionals may suggest to limit your yolk intake IF you struggle with high cholesterol. Otherwise, you're probably fine (and will reap the benefits) of consuming the entire egg.

Ok, back to the recipe...

I used dark chocolate chips for this recipe, which I enjoy more than a milk chocolate, personally. This also helps ensure your loaf remains dairy-free, if that's important to you. I am not dairy-free myself, but I do limit the amount of cows milk in my diet to usually yogurt and a little bit of cheese from time to time. Many people, of course, find that cows milk causes digestive distress or other side effects. If you suffer from this, but are not sure why, it's one of the first foods I would suggest removing from your diet as it can be highly inflammatory. There are a couple of brands of dairy-free chocolate chips. For this recipe, I used Enjoy Life, available at most health food stores. 

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If you're a regular "healthy" baker (if you like to think of it that way),
I would say most of the ingredients needed for this recipe can be found
in your pantry. I didn't have to go out and grab anything special (other
than another carton of eggs so my husband still had breakfast
in the morning), as I use all of these items on the regular. So, without
further ado, let's get into how to make this yummy treat a reality
​in your kitchen! 

Ingredients

• Approx. 1 cup shredded zucchini 
• 1 ripe banana
• 6 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. maple syrup 
• 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 1/2- 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda 
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• chocolate chips to taste (plus more more for topping) 

​Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper
• Dry your shredded zucchini with paper towel, removing as much excess water as possible
• In a large bowl, mash the banana and whisk in eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla
• Add coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt and stir until combined
• Stir in zucchini and fold in chocolate
• Pour batter into lined loaf tin, smooth out and add a few more chocolate chips on top
• Baking time will vary depending on pan and oven, but start by setting a timer for 40 minutes. Loaf is done when you insert a knife into the middle and it comes out clean. The top should be lightly golden brown
• Remove from oven and let cool

I hope you enjoy this yummy treat on a cold day as much as I did!

​xo

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