Summer Zucchini and Blueberries bread

With amazing taste, texture and fragrance, as well as being healthy, this bread will have you come back for more and more. And it is simple to make. This is a variation of the classic zucchini bread. It has more whole grain, less sugar, and added blueberries, which not only compliment the overall flavor with their tartness, but they add more antioxidants to this delicious bread. Instead of cinnamon, which I believe makes every cake/bread taste the same, as, in my opinion, instead of bringing out the flavor of the main ingredient it masks it, I add lemon zest, which adds to the fragrance and freshness. 

Ingredients

2 cups for shredded zucchini (from about 4 medium zucchini)

3/4 cup of fresh blueberries

1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (sifted)

1/2 of whole wheat flour

1 cup of raw sugar (or your preferred ratio of granulated sugar and brown sugar)

2 eggs

1/4 cup of vegetable oil + 2 tbsp  of melted butter

1 tablespoon of ground flax seed (optional)

1/2 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of baking soda

the zest of one organic lemon

a few tablespoons of sunflower seeds (optional)

a few tablespoons of pistachios

a pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven at 325F

In a medium bowl, with a handheld mixer at high speed, or a tabletop mixer, mix the eggs, sugar, oil/butter, until smooth (about a minute or so).  Add the flours, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mix at lower speed until fully incorporated. You will have a very thick mixture, which is needed to offset the wetness of the zucchini that you are about to incorporate. Fold in the zucchini with a spatula until evenly incorporated, then fold in the sunflower seeds, pistachios and lemon zest. 

Pour the evenly mixed batter in a plum cake mold which has been buttered and floured (unless it is guaranteed non-stick).

Bake at 325F in the middle rack  for about 1 hour, or until golden brown and/or if you run a toothpick through the cake it comes out dry.

Cooking time may vary depending on the oven, so it is good to check your bread about 1/2 way.

Once ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.

It tastes great accompanied with a dollop of  plan FAGE or Siggi's yogurt and some honey drizzle.

Enjoy

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