Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Moist and chocolatey, this healthy chocolate zucchini bread recipe is a delicious snack or on-the-go breakfast!

Now, I am not a baker, but after a total of 4 attempts at this healthy chocolate zucchini bread recipe, I think I’ve finally nailed it! I really wanted to create a recipe that was gluten-free and free of refined sugars, to make it a healthier option for everyone, which is why it probably took me so many tries to nail.

If you have never heard of or used buckwheat, well today is your lucky day! Although often referred to as a grain, buckwheat is actually a fruit seed and a member of the rhubarb family. Because of this buckwheat is often referred to as a pseudo-grain, and is commonly found in its whole groat or flour format. Buckwheat is an extremely versatile ingredient, as it can be ground into flour, made into noodles or pancakes, added to salads or any granola recipe. Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free making it an ideal alternative to traditional flours, and also provides a nutty flavor to any recipe. In addition to the buckwheat flour, I’ve used oat flour (simply made by grinding old-fashioned rolled oats in a blender) as the base for this recipe. It is important to note that oats are in fact inherently gluten-free, however, they often become cross-contaminated in processing and packaging. Therefore it is important to look for certified gluten-free rolled oats whenever you are purchasing them. (This happens to be one of my favorite brands.)

And finally, I’ve sweetened this healthy chocolate zucchini bread with a simple banana and some honey. I think it is always best to use natural sweeteners as much as possible in order to limit our consumption of refined sugars, and this combination does just the trick. If you are out of honey, maple syrup would work just fine as well, and if you wanted to sweeten it slightly for kids (or yourself), some dark chocolate chips would go a long way. 

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Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Author: Stephanie Kay

This healthy chocolate zucchini bread recipe is made with rolled oats, buckwheat flour, olive oil and sweetened with honey, making it a healthy snack idea or easy breakfast.

• Author: Stephanie Kay
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices 1x
• Category: Baked Good
• Method: By Hand
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Ingredients

• 1 cup oat flour*
• 2/3 cup buckwheat flour*
• 1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini, lightly packed (1 small zucchini)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 large banana
• 3 eggs*
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Coconut oil, for greasing

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In large bowl, combine the oat flour (see note below), buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
3. Using a food processor, combine banana and honey and puree until smooth. (You could also mash it with a fork if you don’t have a food processor.) The banana and honey mixture will serve as a natural sweetener in the bread.
4. In a separate small bowl, add cracked eggs, banana mixture, olive oil and vanilla extract.
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, as well as shredded zucchini, and stir well to combine.
6. Add the chopped walnuts. (You can use any nuts you like, or omit them all together.)
7. Using a loaf pan, grease the edges with a teaspoon of coconut oil to ensure the loaf does not stick. You could also use parchment paper as an alternative.
8. Pour bread mixture into the pan and ensure the batter is evenly spread.
9. Place into the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until middle is cooked through. Use a toothpick to test the centre, when it comes out clean the bread is done.
10. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
11. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

OAT FLOUR: Oat flour can be made at home using old-fashioned whole rolled oats. Simply process them in a blender or food processor until well ground and a flour-like texture is formed. One cup of oats will create one cup of oat flour.

BUCKWHEAT FLOUR: If you don’t have buckwheat flour, feel free to use all-purpose flour or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.

EGG: This recipe can also be made completely vegan by using a “chia seed egg” to replace the eggs. One “chia egg” is simply made by combining 1 tbsp. chia seeds into one 3 tbsp. water, and leaving it for 5-10 minutes until it becomes gelatinous in texture. In the case of this recipe, to replace 3 eggs you would need 3 tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 9 tablespoon of water.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 175 calories
• Sugar: 10 grams
• Fat: 9 grams
• Carbohydrates: 23 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Protein: 5 grams

Keywords: healthy, gluten-free, banana, easy