I love baking with whole grain flours. It used to be pretty rare that you would come across recipes that didn’t use white flour. And if you did, they were categorized as a “healthy alternative.” Well yes, whole grain flours are a healthy alternative. But whole grain baking is not just about healthy. It’s about incredible flavors and textures. This recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour which you can find at most grocery stores. For the sugar, I like to use Florida Crystals organic pure cane sugar. It’s less refined than regular sugar. You can find it at Whole Foods or MOM’s organic market.

I came across this delicious zucchini bread recipe on Heidi Swanson’s blog 101cookbooks.com. The first time I made it I couldn’t believe how good it was – nor could my family. I have made it several times since and it disappears very quickly in our household.

If you have a food processor with the grating attachment, I recommend you use this to grate the zucchini. It is a huge time saver.

This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup poppy seeds
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup muscovado sugar (unrefined brown sugar – can find it at Whole Foods)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium or 2 large), skins on (squeeze the moisture out of the grated zucchini before mixing it in)
• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Equipment: two 1 pound loaf pans (5×9 inches)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter the 2 loaf pans, dust them with a bit of  flour, and set aside.
3. In a small ball combine the walnuts, poppy seeds, and lemon zest. Set aside.
4. In a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until the mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
6. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini (on low speed).
7. In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
8. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing between each addition.
9. By hand, fold in the walnut, poppy seed, lemon zest mixture, saving a bit to sprinkle on the top of the loaves before baking. (Avoid over mixing the batter).
10. Divid the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Make sure the batter is level.
11. Sprinkle any remaining walnut mixture on top of both loaves.
12. Bake for about 40 minutes on a middle oven rack (could be shorter or longer depending on your oven – it’s best to err on the side of under baking to keep it moist).
13. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.
14. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Note: You can freeze one or both loaves if you don’t plan on eating them right away. Or give one away as a gift and keep the other for yourself.

Adapted from 101cookbooks.com by Heidi Swanson.