Zucchini Bread

I love the changing seasons. It seems like each season has its own look, feel and aroma. When I think of Fall I think of crisp clear autumn mornings, hot apple cider, and a bountiful garden harvest of crops I’ve tended all summer. Pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, caramel apples, and brilliant red, gold and yellow leaves. And of course, Zucchini Bread slathered with melted butter and cream cheese!

Zucchini is a yummy summer squash that we look forward to every year. It comes in yellow and green and offers a delightful taste and texture to many dishes, but also carries with it many health benefits. There are many reasons why you and should include it in your diet.

-One cup of zucchini has 36 calories and 10% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar and curbs overeating.

-Dietary fiber promotes healthy and regular bowel movements, the high amounts of fiber in zucchini also help prevent carcinogenic toxins from settling in the colon. Moreover, the vitamins C and A, as well as folate, found in zucchini act as powerful antioxidants that fight oxidative stress that can lead to many different types of cancer

-Vitamins A and C not only serve the body as powerful antioxidants, but also as effective anti-inflammatory agents. Along with the copper found in zucchini, these vitamins deter the development of many hyper-inflammatory disorders, including asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

-The dietary fiber in zucchini helps lower cholesterol by attaching itself to bile acids that the liver makes from cholesterol for digesting fat. Because fiber binds so well with bile acid, thus crowding its ability to immediately digest fat, the liver is charged with producing more bile acid. The liver then draws upon even more cholesterol to produce bile acid, consequently lowering the overall cholesterol level in the body. Furthermore, the high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A prevent cholesterol from oxidizing in the body's blood vessels, thus hampering the onset of atherosclerosis.

-A trace mineral and essential nutrient, manganese provides many health benefits and contributes to a slew of normal physiological functions. One cup of zucchini contains 19% of the RDA of manganese, which helps the body metabolize protein and carbohydrates, participates in the production of sex hormones, and catalyzes the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol.

-A one cup serving of zucchini contains over 10% of the RDA of magnesium, a mineral proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Zucchini also provides folate, a vitamin needed to break down the dangerous amino acid homocysteine, which - if levels in the body shoot up - can contribute to heart attack and stroke.

-Magnesium and potassium found in zucchini helps lower blood pressure. If unchecked, hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to arteriosclerosis (blood vessel damage), heart attack, stoke, and many other serious medical conditions. Both the potassium and magnesium in zucchini, however, can help alleviate the stress on the body's circulatory system.

-The manganese in zucchini also increases the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the enzyme responsible for protecting mitochondria against oxidative stress. Finally, manganese is essential for the production of proline, and amino acid that allows collagen to form, thus allowing for healthy skin and proper wound-healing.

So let’s make some incredibly yummy Zucchini Bread!

I’ve experimented with several gluten free flour combinations in my quest for a zucchini bread like I used to make in the days before I had to go gluten free. Most combinations I tried were gritty, chewy or gummy and just weren’t what I was looking for. Today however, I think I did it. I made an incredible Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread that is moist, soft and doesn’t fall apart in your hands. It is truly yummy and I just have to share it!

Ingredients:

-3 Eggs

-1 C Oil

-2 C Sugar

-2 C Zucchini, grated

-4T Vanilla

-1t salt

-2 C Buckwheat Flour

-1 C Gluten Free flour blend

-1t baking Soda

-1t Baking Powder

-3t Cinnamon

-2t Xanthan Gum

Directions:

-cream together eggs, sugar and oil

-add other ingredients and beat until well blended.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Test for doneness.

-Serve with butter and cream cheese

Makes 2 loaves