This month’s Recipe Redux is right up my alley!
Fresh from the Garden
The season of bountiful produce has arrived. Whether your produce comes from the Farmers Market, a CSA share, or a plot of dirt out back, show how you are using fresh July fruits or veggies. And if you have gardening successes – or failures – please share!
(Don’t forget to check the bottom of the post for many other great recipes!)
We have transformed most of the raised garden beds in our yard that used to have decorative plants into a huge veggie garden. Our garden is a bit crazy right now but I love it. We have already been picking peas, green beans, lettuce, kale, and all the herbs. Tomatoes, zucchini, squash, watermelon, cucumbers, and eggplant all are growing like champs right now. Things are looking a little bit like a jungle but I’m loving it.
These tomatoes are taller than I am!
We picked our first zucchini last week. Last year we had zucchini coming out of our ears so we only planted two plants but from the looks of it, one plant might have been enough. So much zucchini!
I like zucchini roasted, sautéed, in soup, or shredded and fried into fritters but I have to say my favorite way to have it is in zucchini bread. Homemade breads are on the top of my favorite food list…pumpkin, banana, blueberry breads – ah! they are all so gooood. It may be that I love those kinds of breads because they are great vehicle for almond butter but that’s up for debate.
I know there are a million and one zucchini bread recipes out there but my go to is from one of my first cookbooks, the . It is easy and the ingredient list isn’t a mile long. I alter it just a bit but I always use the flour, baking powder ratio they suggest. I did use all whole wheat flour this time but if you aren’t big fan of whole wheat maybe just do half all purpose and half whole wheat. To me whole wheat makes a more dense bread and it doesn’t rise quite as high but I don’t mind. I would encourage you to at least try to do at least half and see if you even notice.
Since I knew I would be putting almond butter on every slice I thought I might as well just cover the whole loaf. It might be a stretch to call this frosting but it tastes just as good as frosting loaded with powdered sugar and butter to me.
Zucchini Bread with Almond Butter Frosting
1 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1/4 cup cooking oil (I used coconut oil but any vegetable oil would be fine)
Almond Butter Frosting
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
Set oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl: flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground ginger. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients: egg, sugar, zucchini, and oil. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. Place batter in loaf pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
To make frosting, combine almond butter, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir to combine. If your almond butter is very dry, heat in the microwave to 10-20 seconds to soften. Spread on zucchini bread when it is still warm from the oven.
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Be happy, be healthy!
Your garden looks like it’s rockin’! Love zucchini bread; yours with almond butter frosting sounds divine.
Thanks Diane! It’s been a great summer for gardening so far!
I thought zucchini bread was already delicious, and then you added frosting! Looks amazing
Right?!? Frosting is never a bad idea.
Jealous of that garden! And I looove zucchini bread- almond butter frosting sounds amazing!
Thanks Jess! I’m loving my garden this year.
We’ve been gifted many a zucchini by our neighbors whose garden is overflowing with them and this is the perfect use for them!
Ha! It’s amazing how fast zucchini grow. I’ll be sick of them by the end of the summer but I’m still in love with them for now.
yum! I am so jealous of your garden
And I LOVE zucchini bread!!
Thanks Tara! It’s one of my favorites too!
Oooh what a fabulous idea! I have a recipe for chocolate zucchini bread that I’m going to top with your frosting using peanut butter. (And I’m jealous of those zucchini blossoms you have – swoon.)
Oh my, you had me at chocolate and peanut butter. That’s such a good idea!
You just made zucchini bread THAT much more fabulous with that almond butter frosting!
Thanks Rebecca!
You have a beautiful garden. That zucchini bread looks scrumptious and the almond butter frosting makes my mouth water.
Thanks Mary! I hope you are able to give the recipe a try sometime.
I have never made zucchini bread believe it or not. I have so much zucchini from my garden I really need to make the attempt.
I don’t know why a veggie like zucchini goes so well in bread but it does!
Three more zucchini harvested yesterday… Time for another loaf?
Yes, definitely time for more zucc bread!
Almond butter as a frosting… now that’s an interesting idea, and such a great way to boost protein and nutrition while also adding flavour.
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Thanks Glenda! I agree however I may have a slight addiction to almond butter.