Zucchini & Sunflower Seed Bread
http://zabars.typepad.com/recipes/2011/07/zucchini-sunflower-seed-bread.html
By Tiffany Ludwig
Every spring I get ready for my late summer harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and summer squash, including zucchini, by planting my small raised garden bed and watching, watering and encouraging my seedlings to become productive plants. As always is the case, the tomatoes and zucchini are the ones that win, leaving me with more that I know what to do with. And every summer I look forward to Zucchini Bread, one of my most favorite sweet breads.
It always comes out very moist, not too sweet and holds together well. I look forward to it in the mornings with a touch of cream cheese, but really it’s a perfect snack anytime. This recipe is easy, adaptable and sure to please.
450-zucchini-bread
Ingredients
½ stick butter (4 Tbs, unsoftened)
2 cups white whole wheat flour (this is my personal favorite flour to use, but you can also use all-purpose or half all-purpose and half whole wheat)
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
¾ cup orange or apple juice
½ cup sunflower seeds (if you use salted seeds reduce salt to ½ tsp)
1 cup shredded zucchini
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. If you have a food processor, use the s blade and place all the dry ingredients and butter in it. Pulse until the butter is cut into very small pieces, you shouldn’t see any chunks. Without a food processor, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and cut the butter into the ingredients. I usually start cutting in the butter with two knives then when it becomes too small I finish it with forks.
3. In a separate bowl beat the egg and add the orange juice.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined. Fold in the sunflower seeds and shredded zucchini (I shred this in the food processor as well - that way you will have only 2 bowls to wash and the bread is ready for the oven in about 10 minutes).
5. Add to a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing the bread from the pan.
Variations: You can substitute the sunflower seeds for any other crushed nuts. You can add carrots, raisins or dried cranberries and the will all work wonderfully.
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