From Johnna’s Kitchen: Zucchini Bread
Baked, fried, grilled – however you slice it, zucchini is a healthy dish that can be a sturdy side, or the star of the show on the dinner plate. And it’s as low in calories as it is healthy! One cup of sliced zucchini has about 19 calories. That’s 40 to 50 percent lower than the same serving size for other low-cal green veggies like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Italians are thought to have bred modern zucchini from the squash they picked up in colonial America – “zucca” is actually the Italian word for squash. That’s why you’ll see zucchini referred to as “Italian squash” in some recipes. The crop dates back to 5500 B.C., where it was integral in the diets of people living in Central America and South America. Did you know zucchini are part of the gourd family? Native to Central America and Mexico, zucchini are grown throughout the United States during the warm season. Most zucchini grow about the size of a small bush, so if you want to grow your own, plant zucchini anytime after the danger of frost has passed.
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
⅓ cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-2 loaf pans, coated with cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into one bowl, until everything is blended well together.
Coat loaf pans with cooking spray.Pour mixture into loaf pan(s).
Pour mixture into loaf pan(s), being careful to not overfill pans.
Bake for one hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool before slicing.
