Blueberry Zucchini Bread

I've got a lot of summer zucchini to use up these days. I finally had to freeze a bunch because I'm about zucchini-ed out. Now I've got a freezer full of ziploc bags with 2 cup portions of grated zucchini so I can make this bread year round. 

This recipe was a hit in my house. We all gobbled it up. The lemon zest adds a delicious compliment to the blueberries and cinnamon. I reduced the sugar from the orginal recipe as the blueberries add their own sweetness and it turned out plenty sweet.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
adapted from The Complete Kitchen Garden by Ellen Ecker Ogden
Makes 2 loaves

3 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini)
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Position rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter and flour two 8x4 loaf pans, shaking out the excess flour.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, beat the sugar and butter on high speed until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Gradually add the flour mixture until combined.
With a wooden spoon, fold in the zucchini, lemon zest and blueberries and stir gently until ingredients are just blended. Pour into the floured pan and tap on the counter to even the batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

You can slice and freeze this bread in a freezer bag too.
Enjoy your zucchini treat!

This recipe is featured on: Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Your Green Resource, Tasty Tuesday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday

Blueberry Protein Shake

I did my favorite Friday morning yoga class and wanted a substantial smoothie with fruit & protein for lunch so I came up with this concoction. It turned out to be a very tasty purple shake that was thick since I used a frozen banana & blueberries instead of fresh.

 

1 frozen banana

½ to 1 cup blueberries

½ to 1 cup plain yogurt

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

½ cup milk

Mix in a blender & enjoy!

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

We love to eat muffins & I love to make them.  Blueberry is one of my favorites. Here's a healthy variation on the traditional blueberry muffin.

Ingredients:

2 c. white whole wheat flour from Trader Joes 

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

zest of 1 lemon

1 egg

1/4 c. raw honey

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1/4 c. butter, melted

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 c. blueberries (I like to keep a bag of frozen wild blueberries on hand for muffin emergencies)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease your muffin pan. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the blueberries and toss gently to coat with flour.  Melt the butter in a small pan on the stove and remove from heat. In the pot where you melted the butter, add egg, syrup, and honey.  Stir to combine.  Add to the dry ingredients and stir lightly, until just incorporated.  Add the yogurt and stir again until all dry ingredients are moistened, but not overmixed.  Batter will be a bit lumpy.  Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes (or 12 – 15 as mini muffins).  Makes 12 regular muffins or about 30  mini muffins.

Enjoy with cup of green tea! 

 My little taste tester loved them with butter.