Healthier Zucchini Bread

I remember as a little girl the sweet smell of my Mom’s Zucchini Bread wafting throughout the house.  It was moist and delicious. Chocolate Zucchini Bread, one of her specialties, tasted like a big, moist brownie. As you can imagine it was high in calories. Just one slice of Zucchini bread, not even Mom’s chocolate goodness, can be over 300 calories. Ouch!

Using the standard ingredients of (white) flour, sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, eggs, oil, sour cream, and zucchini, here is the nutrition for a standard loaf:

Per Standard Recipe Serving:

Calories: 306
Fat: 16.75 g
Cholesterol: 34.5 mg
Percent calories from fat: 49

I strive to mostly use Paleo-style recipes and bake with nut flours, but I still enjoy an occasional treat like this. While I can’t remember where I got this recipe, it’s called Mother Earth Zucchini Bread. This healthy zucchini bread recipe uses substitutions like 1/2 white & 1/2 whole wheat flour, egg whites, applesauce, and buttermilk. Here are the new Nutritionals for this healthier version:

Per Healthier Recipe Serving:

Calories: 157
Fat: 2.17 g
Cholesterol: Trace
Percent calories from fat: 12

WOW!  A trace of cholesterol?  About half the calories?  And less than a 1/4 of the fat!

But the true test is if my super picky husband with good taste says, “In fact, it is so good, I want another piece,” then we’ve got a keeper! This is not an overly sweet bread – which I like – and not dry either. Love the bit of crunch of the walnuts too.

Here’s the recipe:

Mother Earth Zucchini Bread

Servings: 20

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 6 egg whites
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 c grated zucchini

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a bundt or tube pan (I used loaf pans) with ghee, butter or oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, applesauce and buttermilk.
4. Mix in the grated zucchini with the wet ingredients next.
5. Then combine the wet and dry ingredients together.
6. I like to stir the nuts in last.
7. Pour into the greased pan(s).
8. Bake for 45-minutes to 1-hour. Serve warm or cold!

One recipe made 2 loaf pans – remember to fill those only about 1/2 full with batter.

Now grab a cuppa something, cut a slice, and enjoy this healthier version of Zucchini Bread!