Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread

I told you in my post last week that when you make zucchini pasta, you need to save the centers that don't work for pasta so that you can turn them into some fabulously delicious zucchini bread. And here, my friends, I bring you the absolutely perfect recipe for using that leftover zucchini! (You could probably even use some of the leftover carrot if you're making pasta with them together!) Just throw those zucchini centers into the grater of your food processor (or grate them yourself, but be warned they'll be pretty moist since the seedy center has tons of water), and you'll come up with perfectly grated zucchini to add to this amazing bread.

This bread is not too sweet (with only 7 grams of sugar per serving, it only has 1/4 cup of honey plus the natural sweetness of the banana), but it is perfectly chocolatey, perfectly moist, and perfectly healthy (okay, maybe not as healthy as those veggie noodles you just made - but hey, if you just had veggie noodles you've earned a little indulgence!) This bread would be perfect as a healthy treat, or even as a yummy addition to breakfast.

Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
2 Loaves or 24 Muffins
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 45-50 minutes            READY IN: 75 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional) 
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray two 8-inch loaf pans, or 24 muffin cups (or you can do 1 loaf pan and 12 muffin cups) with cooking spray.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients (flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl. 
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the mashed banana, oil, eggs, honey, vanilla and almond extract. Fold in the grated zucchini, followed by the chocolate chips.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tins, filling about halfway. Bake loaves for 45-50 minutes (muffins for 25-30 minutes). Loaves are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or if you lightly press a finger the indent doesn't remain. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. 

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1/12th of loaf or 1 muffin    113 calories   4.3 g fat   17.9 g carbs    2.1 g protein    7.0 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Weelicious.