Chocolate Walnut Zucchini Bread

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2 min read
Summary

Quick breads are easy to make and perfect for sharing, whether over a cup of tea or as a gift. This delicious zucchini bread is packed with nutrients and fiber and tastes sort of like dessert without being overly sweet. Pair it with mint or fennel tea to compliment the chocolatey flavor perfectly.

Yields6 ServingsPrep Time10 minsCook Time50 minsTotal Time1 hr

Ingredients

 3 tbsp flax meal (or ground flax seeds)
 ½ cup warm water
 1 ½ cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
 ½ cup cocoa powder (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)
 1 tbsp baking powder
 1 tsp baking soda
 ½ tsp salt (optional)
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
 1 cup plant-based milk (unsweetened)
 ¼ cup organic applesauce (unsweetened)
  cup date paste (link in directions)
 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 2 cups organic zucchini (grated, half of the water squeezed out)
 ¾ cup walnuts (chopped)
 ½ cup chocolate chips (vegan, Fair Trade or Fair for Life)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x4” loaf pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper.

2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flax and warm water to make a flax egg. Set aside while you prep the dry and wet ingredients.

3

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

4

In a large bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk, applesauce, date paste, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla.

5

With clean hands, squeeze the zucchini to remove about ½ of the water content. Stir the zucchini into the wet mixture.

6

Fold the flax egg into the wet mixture.

7

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir just until combined. Don’t overmix.

8

Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.

9

Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips, if desired and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool completely for 45–60 minutes (it’ll continue to cook through during the cooling process).

10

Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, cut the loaf into pieces and freeze the pieces in between parchment paper and freeze up to 30 days.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
In place of applesauce, use banana.

If you don’t have date paste, use another type of fruit paste or you can use pure maple syrup.

Sugar-free
Omit the chocolate chips and add more nuts.

Nut-free
Omit the nuts, or substitute sunflower seeds.

Flour-free
We’re sorry BLE friends, we don’t have a flour alternative for this recipe.

Pro Tips
If the bread does not cook all the way through, cook for an additional 10–15 minutes as oven temperatures can vary.

If the bread overfills your baking dish, use two baking dishes to make two loaves of bread and so they cook thoroughly throughout.

Whole Food Sweetener
Prepare the date paste ahead of time.

Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to one month.

Ingredients

 3 tbsp flax meal (or ground flax seeds)
 ½ cup warm water
 1 ½ cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
 ½ cup cocoa powder (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)
 1 tbsp baking powder
 1 tsp baking soda
 ½ tsp salt (optional)
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
 1 cup plant-based milk (unsweetened)
 ¼ cup organic applesauce (unsweetened)
  cup date paste (link in directions)
 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 2 cups organic zucchini (grated, half of the water squeezed out)
 ¾ cup walnuts (chopped)
 ½ cup chocolate chips (vegan, Fair Trade or Fair for Life)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x4” loaf pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper.

2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flax and warm water to make a flax egg. Set aside while you prep the dry and wet ingredients.

3

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

4

In a large bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk, applesauce, date paste, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla.

5

With clean hands, squeeze the zucchini to remove about ½ of the water content. Stir the zucchini into the wet mixture.

6

Fold the flax egg into the wet mixture.

7

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir just until combined. Don’t overmix.

8

Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.

9

Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips, if desired and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool completely for 45–60 minutes (it’ll continue to cook through during the cooling process).

10

Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, cut the loaf into pieces and freeze the pieces in between parchment paper and freeze up to 30 days.

Chocolate Walnut Zucchini Bread