Inspired by Vanilla and Bean

3 Eggs large (or substitute with flax eggs or aquafaban)

1/3 C (70g) Coconut Oil melted, warm to the touch

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

 3/4 C (220g) Pure Maple Syrup or coconut sugar

1 1/2 C (150g) Gluten free flour mix* or Oat Flour

1/2 C (60g) Almond Flour

1/2 C (65g) Tapioca Flour

1 3/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Fine Sea Salt

3/4 C (75g) Chocolate Chips (I used Lilly’s dark chocolate chips with no sugar) optional 

2 C (300g) Zucchini loosely packed, skin left on, shredded fine in a food processor with grater attachment or on a box grater. About 2 smallish zucchini.

*Gluten Free Flour Mix: 1/2 cup coconut flour, 1/2 cup buckwheat flour, 1/2 cup 1:1 GF baking flour

Start with room temperature ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup together until an emulsion is formed. About 30 seconds.

To the wet ingredients, add the gf or oat flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, cinnamon, baking soda and powder, and salt. Whisk until there are no dry patches left. Set aside while the oven preheats.

Preheat the oven to 350F (176C).

While the oven is preheating shred or grate zucchini using the fine grater in a food processor or use a box grater, retaining the zucchini juice (it will be added to the batter – no need to squeeze the zucchini juice out of the zucchini). Set aside. Grease a 9″x5″ (3.5cm X 2cm) loaf pan and line it one way with parchment paper keeping the parchment hanging over the edges for handles. Grease the parchment paper and clip the edges.

Once the oven is preheated, fold the cc if using and zucchini into the batter until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Scrape the batter into the pan and use a sharp knife to run a shallow cut down the center (this helps the beauty crack open up). Bake for one hour and 5-10 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking. When ready, the top will have cracked open and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

Place pan on a wire cooling rack. After 10 minutes, remove the bread using the parchment as handles. Set on a cooling rack until completely cool. You’ll notice the bread shrinks slightly as it cools. Once cooled, the bread can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to three days.

Slices are best toasted and enjoyed with slathering of choice, dairy free cream cheese is a real winner.

To freeze, slice and lay on a parchment lined sheet pan. Freeze, then stack the slices between parchment paper and store in a freezer bag or lidded container. Freeze for up to two weeks.