Zucchini-Pecan Flaxseed Bread

Make this zucchini bread on a weekend afternoon and it will supply you with breakfast for the coming week! Just grab a couple slices on your way out the door. The flaxseed in the bread is an awesome way for vegans to get omega-3 fatty acids, so touted by nutritionists, who – alas – usually only mention fish as a way to get it. Flaxseed, though, is a great omega-3 source (walnuts too…)

As for batter breads such as this one, I’ve never had any trouble with vegan substitutions. Indeed, the only substitute I make below is for soy yogurt instead of regular yogurt, since the original called for egg substitute over real eggs!

For this recipe, measure out one and a half cups all-purpose flour and one cup whole wheat flour. Make sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cups and level with a knife, rather than scooping (I already mentioned this in my Chocolate Malted Cookie recipe).

Combine the flours with 3/4 cup raw sugar, 1/2 cup ground flaxseed, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (organic), one tablespoon baking powder, one teaspoon cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg.

Shred two cups-worth of zucchini using the large holes of a cheese grater. The recipe said this would take 2 zucchini, but make sure to buy large ones! My two small ones only yielded one cup, so I had to dash back out to the store mid-recipe! Once shredded, spread the zucchini onto a layer of paper towels. Press down with another layer of paper towels to squeeze out the excess liquid. Set aside.

Combine 1 cup vanilla soy yogurt (such as Whole Soy), 1/2 cup egg substitute of your choice (such as Ener-G), 3 tablespoons canola oil and one teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir well with a whisk, then stir in the zucchini.

Add the zucchini mixture and 1/4 cup chopped pecans to the flour mixture. Stir well with a wooden spoon, then pour into a 9x5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with an additional three tablespoons chopped pecans.

Bake the bread in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. A wooden toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool for ten minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then carefully remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack. The loaf yields 18 slices of 190 calories each.

Cost:

zucchini: $1.43 the first batch, $4.38 on my second!

vanilla soy yogurt $2.18

pecans $6.99