Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Fresh zucchini, hearty whole wheat flour, and indulgent cocoa make every slice from this loaf a hearty and satisfying treat. Studded with dairy-free chocolate chips and walnuts, it brings just the right balance of sweet and nutty. Slather with your favorite “butter” spread or nut butter, and all your cravings will be covered. (Photo source: Josie Braaten ) — Fresh zucchini, hearty whole wheat flour, and indulgent cocoa make every slice from this loaf a hearty and satisfying treat. Studded with dairy-free chocolate chips and walnuts, it’s brings just the right balance of sweet and nutty. Slather with your favorite “butter” spread or nut butter, and all your cravings will be covered. (Photo source: Josie Braaten )

| Yield: 10 slices | Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes |

Ingredients

Wet ingredients

1 ¾ cup zucchini (shredded)

½ cup coconut oil (melted)

½ cup maple syrup

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Flax “Eggs”

2 tablespoons flax meal (ground)

6 tablespoons warm water

(The flax meal and water can be substituted for 6 tablespoons of dairy-free yogurt in a neutral flavor.)

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

⅓ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinammon

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup walnuts (roughly chopped)

¼ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Preparation

For the batter

In a large mixing bowl, add the zucchini, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and stir until evenly combined. If using the dairy-free yogurt instead of the flax “eggs,” stir it in at this point.

If using the flax “eggs,” whisk together the flax meal and warm water in a small bowl. Let rest for approximately 5 minutes. The flax meal will absorb most of the water and form a gel-like consistency. Once the flax meal has reached this state, whisk it once more, then stir it in with the rest of the wet ingredients.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, cinammon, and baking soda. Mix until no lumps remain, then stir in the walnuts and diary-free chocolate chips.

Pour the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold the two mixtures together until no streaks or clumps of the dry mixture remain.

To bake

Using a scoop of coconut oil, grease a standard loaf pan, then pour the batter into the pan. If desired, top the loaf with extra walnuts and dairy-free chocolate chips.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick or butter knife comes out clean.

Zero-waste tips

• Save any excess zucchini scraps in a sealed plastic bag or container to use later in a stir-fry or soup.

• Leftover nuts and seeds floating around your pantry? Swap them in for the walnuts for an extra seedy kick.