zucchini bread I

Zucchini bread is one of my all time favorite cake breads. I have a number of recipes and I constantly try new ones and tweak those to suit. This one is adapted from a Paula Deen recipe (I love Paula, but damn if she doesn't make the most caloric dishes there could be). I'll call this one Zucchini Bread I because I suspect that I'll be posting some other recipes.

Zucchini Bread I Recipe
3 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c. apple sauce
1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. water
2 c. grated zucchini
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 c. toasted pine nuts (because that is what I had, use walnuts or pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, apple sauce, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Using some apple sauce in place of the oil helps to reduce the fat. I don't recommend a complete substitution for the fat though because then the muffins will be dry. Also, the original recipe called for 3 cups of granulated sugar. So if you like it a little sweeter, you can add in the extra sugar. I was trying to go light on the sugar though.

*healthy foodie*

date nut pumpkin muffins

I was praying that this recipe was going to come out ok when I put it in the oven. But rest assured, the recipe worked. It's a good thing Rob wasn't here, because he doesn't like when I experiment with the recipe before trying it first ;) I limited the amount of sugar in this recipe, because with the dates and applesauce, there is enough sweetness. If you would like the muffin part of it to be sweeter, you can add about a 1/4 cup more sugar.

Date Nut Pumpkin Muffin Recipe (6 muffins)
1 scoop vanilla whey powder
2 tbsp wheat germ
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch ginger
pinch salt
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp applesauce
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dried dates
1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (reserve 1 tbsp)

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Do not over mix, you only need to make sure the ingredients are combined - no need to break out the electric mixer. Divide into 6 muffins in a muffin pan. Sprinkle the remaining pumpkin seeds on top of the muffins. Bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Here is some nutritional content information
Healthy Foodie Pumpkin Muffins: 200 calories, 9 g. protein, 7 g. fat, 22 g. carbs, 4 g. fiber
Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: 470 calories, 6 g. protein, 24 g. fat, 60 g. carbs, 1 g. fiber

Panera Pumpkin Muffins: 590 calories, 7 g. protein, 13 g. fat, 93 g. carbs, 1 g. fiber

Which one will you choose?

*k*

irish naan

you heard me! Irish naan.... no, I'm not talking about Guiness beer bread. It's naan on the grill (no tandoor oven necessary!) made by your local irishman (or woman in my case).

Indian Naan Recipe
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 oz plain fat-free yogurt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus 2 more tablespoons for brushing the naan before cooking, alternatively to reduce fat you can use water in the dough and a pan spray on the naan before grilling - spray it on the dough, far away from the grill!)

Whisk the warm water with the yeast and sugar until the yeast is dissolved. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl add the yeast mixture, the vegetable oil and all the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough then knead on a floured surface for 5-7 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large non-stick bowl (spray with PAM or equivalent pan spray), cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size.

Punch down dough then knead for 5 to 7 minutes. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece out into 6 inch oval naans. (I have found this size a little unwieldy on the grill, you could divide the dough into 10 pieces and might yield a better result). Place each rolled out naan between parchment paper or on a tray so that you can carry it out to the grill.

Pre-heat grill to medium-high. Just prior to grilling, brush the naan with a little of the remaining vegetable oil and sprinkle with medium course sea salt. Cook naan on a hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side or until puffed and just browned.

Enjoy with your favorite curry or raita.

*k*