People joke that the Covid-19 pandemic has turned everyone into someone they were not. Those with brown thumbs have started growing green things in their backyard – many with success. Bathroom singers have emerged out of their shower-stalls – and some of them are extremely talented. Armchair philosophers and pundits have been putting out their opinions on everything under the sun – that’s bringing out the ability to think beyond the obvious. Parents and teachers have had to become proficient in the art of patience and the science of Information Technology. Self-professed cooks are coming up with (mostly) wonderful creations – and sharing this joy with their friends and neighbors.

Bread Making During Covid-19

Some of the products that went missing from store shelves was baking flour and yeast. Baking became a quarantine pastime. Cooks from all over the world shared their (mis)adventures with homemade sourdough bread, quick bread, shortbread, brioche, cornbread, challah, focaccia, banana nut and everything else in between.

My husband and I jumped on the bread-making wagon sometime in April of 2020. We got a sourdough starter from a baker friend. Joe has been baking breads way before Covid started and way before people showcased their baking talent on social media. Joe Wolford is extremely meticulous with his bread making practice and is very generous with his knowledge. If you are not aware, it takes at least 3 days to bake a sourdough. Boy! Once you’ve sunk your teeth into a homemade sourdough slice, you realize it is totally worth the 3-day investment.

Gradually, through trial and error, our sourdoughs have been turning out pretty good, with Joe’s precise instructions and continued support. Not perfect, like his. But decent. Decent enough that we have not purchased sourdough bread from a store in nearly 8 months!

Zucchini-Banana Bread

While my ability to blog about a perfectly made sourdough bread is not on the horizon, I have ended up perfecting this amazing Zucchini-Banana Bread. I scanned through several recipes and all of them called for sugar and/or honey. For one, I dislike the idea of adding sugar to my bread (hey! this is not a cake recipe, so why do you need to add sugar?!). For another, honey loses its wonderfully healing properties when subject to high heat (read here). So, why on earth would I add honey to something that’s getting baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit?

After a couple of trials, I hit on the PERFECT balance in this bread. Just the right amount of saltiness, just the right amount of sweetness, the right moisture level and the right amount of “bite”. I call this the Goldilocks Point. Not too much of anything. Not too little of anything. Just Perfect.

Ingredients for Zucchini-Banana Bread

Zucchini-Banana Bread Ingredients

This is a great way to use overripe bananas. The sweetness of the ripe fruit is enough for some. For me, pulsing and adding dry fruits (I have used figs and dates, but you can use others like apricots, raisins or sultanas as well) has added just enough sweetness to this recipe.

The combination of green (pumpkin seeds and zucchini), red/yellow/ochre (saffron, vanilla extract, egg yolks) and whites (banana, egg whites, flour) brings that festive touch that I was craving for during this holiday season. For those celebrating today, I wish you a joyful Christmas.

I LOVE that fruit and vegetable can be combined into this amazing breakfast/snack. Clean ingredients, easy to make, preserves well (read more about how to preserve) both on the countertop and in the freezer. Kid friendly too.

The ingredient list may seem long, but you can eliminate and substitute to your heart’s content, keeping the basic ingredients like flour, eggs, zucchini and banana intact. Instead of seeds, you can substitute with nuts. You can substitute whole wheat flour with 1:1 gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill has a good selection). You can add chocolate chips to the mix to make it even more kid friendly.

Feel free to substitute butter for coconut oil. Because of the moisture in bananas and zucchini (please squeeze out excess water), this recipe doesn’t need too much oil or butter.

Baked Goodies

If you love baked recipes, try out our favorites:

• Crunchy Baked Plantain Chips
• Vegan, Spicy, Baked Eggplant
• Baked Okra

Breakfast Recipes

During the holiday season, try out some of our healthy breakfast and/or brunch fares.

• Soft Kefir-Quinoa Rawa Idli
• Wholesome Spicy Sprouts Dosa
• The BEST Open-Faced Veggie Sandwich
• No Ferment Cabbage Onion Dosa
• Zesty Carrot Garbanzo Usli
• Whole Grain Hot Cereal
• Vegetable Masala Omelet with Guacamole
• Banana Avocado Smoothie
• Vegetable Uthappam
• Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma
• Vermicelli Upma
• Uppudupindi

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Zucchini-Banana Bread

This wonderfully healthy, soft and moist Zucchini-Banana bread is easy to make. Serve at breakfast or as a snack, with your favorite hot beverage.

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine American, International

Keyword Baked, Banana, banana bread, banana zucchini bread, bread, home baked, homebaked, homemade bread, saffron, zucchini, zucchini banana bread, zucchini bread

Special Diet No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 10 People

Calories 205kcal

Equipment

• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
• Kitchen Knife
• Bamboo Cutting Board
• Preethi Blender

Ingredients

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract - Pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup Banana - Mashed. Over-ripe fruit is preferred
• 2 Cups Zucchini - Unpeeled, Grated. About 2 medium sized
• 5 Dates - Dry.
• 5 Figs - Dry. Remove the hard top.
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil - Warmed, so it is liquid
• 2 Eggs - Pasture Raised. Bring to room temperature
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder - Aluminum Free
• 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg - Freshly grated
• 1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
• 2 Cups Flour - Whole White Wheat. I like King Arthur
• 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds - Roasted. Save some for garnishing
• 1/4 Teaspoon Saffron - Save some for garnishing
• 1/4 Teaspoon Avocado Oil - Or Olive Oil - for greasing the pan and parchment paper

Instructions

• Grate zucchini (do not peel) and remove the excess water by squeezing it out between 2 kitchen towels or by squeezing them between your fingers (you can use this extra liquid while making a curry or soup). Repeat, if necessary, so most of the water is extracted.
  
• Add melted coconut oil to blender. Add dry fruits (I have used figs and dates, but you can use apricots, raisins, sultanas etc.). Pulse until the dry fruits are coarsely blended with the oil.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, add pure vanilla extract.
  
• Peel banana and mash it with the back of a fork or a potato smasher. Add mashed banana to bowl.
  
• Crack eggs (make sure they are at room temperature) into the bowl. Whisk it all up.
  
• Add grated nutmeg, salt, baking powder (aluminum free), and baking soda. Give it all another mix with the whisk. Make sure there are no lumps.
  
• Add dry fruit blended in coconut oil. If the coconut oil has congealed, depending on the temperature in your house, microwave the mix for a few seconds until the oil melts.
  
• Add white whole wheat flour.
  
• Gently fold it all in until everything is smoothly combined.
  
• Add grated (and drained) zucchini and saffron strands (save a few for garnishing).
  
• Mix and fold the batter. Don't overmix at this point. The consistency of the batter will be thick.
  
• Add roasted pumpkin seeds (you can also use sunflower seeds, or a mix of both). Mix everything thoroughly. Save a teaspoon of pumpkin seeds for garnishing on top.
  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Smear or spray a little oil of your choice (I have used avocado oil) all over the inside of your 9x5-inch loaf pan or baking dish. This is to keep the parchment paper in place. Line the tray with parchment paper, making sure the paper is over-hanging on 2 sides (so you can easily lift the bread out). Spray some additional oil on the parchment paper.
  
• Transfer the bread batter to the baking dish.
  
• Using a spatula even it all out, so it is smooth on the top.
  
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the remining pumpkin seeds and a few of the remaining saffron strands on the top for a festive green/red look.
  
• Bake in an oven (don't cover the baking dish) at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so this may not be precise.

  After about 50 minutes, check the bread to ensure it is done. You can insert a sharp knife into the bread and if it comes out clean, that means the bread is ready. If the inside of the bread is not yet done, cover the bread with a foil to prevent the top from burning, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
  
• When done, remove from oven and allow the bread to cool in the baking tray.

  After 10 minutes, hold the parchment paper hanging on the sides and move the bread to a cooling rack. This is to prevent the moisture/steam from wetting the bottom of the bread.
  
• Slice and enjoy with homemade ghee, or jelly, or nut butter or even with this delicious Chutney Powder. See Notes below for storing and freezing instructions.
  

Video

Notes

Storing Instructions:

Countertop: Line a Tupperware glass container with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Place the bread on it. Cover the top of the bread with another fabric or paper towel. The towels will absorb any remnant moisture and keep the bread fresh. Close the lid and store on your kitchen counter. The bread will last on the countertop in a centrally heated/cooled home for 3-5 days. 

Refrigerator: You want the bread to stay moist and the fridge will dehydrate the bread. To ensure fresh and moist bread, place the slices in zip lock bags and store the bags in an air-tight container. The bread will last for 7-10 days. 

Freezer: Place a parchment paper between each slice, place in zip lock bags and store in an air-tight container. To thaw, place slice in fridge before moving to the countertop. Store up to 3 months. 

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Zucchini-Banana Bread

Amount per Serving

Calories

205

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

7

g

11

%

Saturated Fat

 

5

g

31

%

Cholesterol

 

33

mg

11

%

Sodium

 

150

mg

7

%

Potassium

 

246

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

31

g

10

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

9

g

10

%

Protein

 

5

g

10

%

Vitamin A

 

142

IU

3

%

Vitamin C

 

6

mg

7

%

Calcium

 

35

mg

4

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.