Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Melissa Clark

This moist loaf, made with olive oil and yogurt, is less sweet and more complexly flavored than most zucchini breads. Grated lemon zest gibes a gentle brightness, while brown sugar adds a caramel sweetness, and cinnamon makes it spicy and rich. Serve slices plain or buttered, or spread thickly with cream cheese for a tangier luscious variation.

Yield: 16

Ingredients:

• Butter, for the pan

• 1 ½ cups grated zucchini

• ⅔ cup light brown sugar

• ⅓ cup olive oil (or other oil such as safflower or canola)

• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the grated zucchini, sugar, olive oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract.

3. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest and spices in a separate bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the walnuts if using.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The bread will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

5. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a rack completely before cutting and serving.

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Nutrition Facts:

Serving Slice: ¹⁄₁₆ slice

Calories: 140

Total Fat: 6 g

Total Carbohydrate: 18 g

Dietary Fiber: 5 g

Protein: 3 g

Equivalents: 1 starch, 1 fat