Being Overcome by Zucchini?

Are you being overcome or over run by zucchini?  Here's one way to use up your bountiful harvest without having your neighbors locking their doors and closing their curtains when you appear.

I wash the squash and cut the ends off leaving the seeds in - nobody will even notice.  Then through the shredder attachment on my food processor.  (I used to grate it by hand, it just takes longer.)  Mine holds about 2 cups of shredded zucchini or yellow summer squash.  I often mix them, it just depends on what I have at the time.





 
Two cups of shredded squash makes a batch of our favorite zucchini bread recipe.  I bag and freeze the rest in 2 cup portions to use the rest of the year.  Hint: I always double bag it to make sure it stays without freezer burn.  Lots of goodness to share with neighbors later this winter - and they will welcome you with open arms!

Here's our favorite zucchini bread recipe.  It's a variant on a recipe from the Lion House Lite cookbook.

1/4 cup olive oil

Bagged and ready to freeze

2 cups splenda (instead of 2 cups sugar)
1 1/2 cups egg substitute
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded raw zucchini
3 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Spray 2  9 x 5 loaf pans (you can use smaller pans, just watch the baking time)with nonstick spray.  Mix oil, sugar substitute, vanilla, egg white, and zucchini.  Then I mix in everything but the flour and nuts.  Add the flour carefully and scrape the bowl well.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let sit in pans for 10 minutes then tip out onto cooling rack.

I experiment with different spices: Pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and different combinations.  And even though I try to keep it lite, sometimes a little sprinkle of chocolate chips on top makes it just a little special.