Zucchini Bread

We received our weekly delivery of fresh produce yesterday, and it included a handful of medium sized zucchini. There's nothing better than the smell of something cinnamon-y baking on a cold, rainy day, so I decided to make some (healthy) zucchini bread. (I am no longer on the dairy-free diet, but this bread happens to be dairy-free.) I used the following ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis finely chopped or shredded (I used a food processor)
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup canola oil
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 T cinnamon
1 t pumpkin pie spice (or a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg)

Mix the wet ingredients (eggs, brown sugar, oil, vanilla) together (I used my Kitchen Aid mixer). In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, flaxseed, cinnamon, pp spice). Slowly blend the wet and dry ingredients together. Finally, mix in the zucchini, but do not over mix.

Pour into a greased loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. This makes a great healthy snack for kids and adults. :)

A Healthy, Hearty, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie (Great for Kids!)

While looking for a cookie to make for playgroup a few months ago, I found the following recipe on www.wholesometoddlerfood.com:

Farmland Flax Cookies - A popular cookie that everyone loves.
Butter 1 1/3 cups
Granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups
Brown sugar 1 1/2 cups
Flax seed- 1 1/2 cups
Large eggs 3
Vanilla 1 1/2 tsp
All-purpose flour 3 1/2 cups (try a mix of whole wheat flour/all purpose)
Baking soda 1 tbsp
Oatmeal 3 cups

In a bowl, cream butter and sugars; add flax seed. In another bowl, beat eggs and vanilla together. Combine with flax mixture. Sift together the flour and soda. Mix in oatmeal and combine with other ingredients. Form dough into 4 cm (1 1/2 inch) round logs. Place in freezer and chill. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice into .5 cm (1/4 inch) medallions. Place on baking sheet leaving about 5 cm (2 inches) between cookies.
Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool Yield: 108 cookies (5 cm/2 inches)

Changes I made:

I used all whole wheat flour, only 1.5 sticks of butter, added a cup of applesauce, and added about one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (not enough to really make them super chocolatey, but enough to give them a little chocolate kick).

I made a few "logs", ended up baking one for play group, saving one for later (in the freezer), and giving two of them to friends. These were great for the kids, and for the adults as well!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Ingredients/Whole Foods...

Whole wheat flour (especially the local whole wheat flour I discovered at my Farmer's Market)
White balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Flax seed
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Fresh garlic
Fresh basil
Crushed red pepper
Fresh mozzarella
Shredded cheese
Whole wheat/high fiber angel hair pasta
Plain, low-fat organic yogurt
Organic skim milk
Applesauce
Stewed tomatoes
Red peppers
Strawberries
Nuts (specifically almonds and walnuts)
Brown rice
Frozen blueberries