If there’s any way to make homemade gluten free zucchini bread better, it’s to make it better FOR you!
Not that you’d ever know that this moist and flavorful quick bread was healthy in any way. There are little flecks of green dotted throughout, giving away the fact that this is zucchini bread, of course, but most of us have long since lost any hang-ups we might have had in thinking of zucchini bread as health food.
Of course I have other gluten free zucchini bread recipes (even one with pumpkin AND zucchini and another with chocolate, coffee AND zucchini) — and I love them! — but this one is fun too, especially knowing I can have extra extra slices because of the extra extra nutrition tucked inside from the secret ingredients.
What secret ingredients? you would be justified in asking.
Peas or lentils! Now before you turn up your nose at the thought, I promise you’d never know! They are cooked up and puréed, then added to the bread batter for moisture, vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.
I give lots of other options with this recipe — you know I love to give options! — so it’s easy to make this recipe vegan and to use what you’ve got in the fridge. So no excuses! I hope you get to try this recipe one day soon, and I hope you love it! Remember, you can always still make one of my other gluten free zucchini bread recipes, or any other zucchini recipe on my site. There are so many options!!!
Oh, and if you’re interested in more recipes using pea or lentil purée, I’ve slipped these healthy little jewels into Chilled Pea or Lentil Salad, Pumpkin Hummus, Zucchini Bread, Veggie Burgers and Chocolate Cake.
I’ve never been opposed to increasing fiber, protein, vitamins, and complex carbs in my foods, but only where the end result is a dish that’s just as yummy, moist and aftertaste-free as it would have been without the nutritional boost.
So without further ado, I present to you the peas & lentils recipe that intrigued you the most: Gluten Free Veggie Zucchini Bread!
Gluten Free Veggie Zucchini Bread
What could make homemade gluten free zucchini bread better? Making it even better FOR you!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks
- 2 large eggs or egg substitute (like 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas, apple puree or applesauce, or canned pumpkin)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (dairy or non-dairy sour cream OR plain coconut or soy yogurt like So Delicious®)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup split pea purée
- 2 cups gfJules™ Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal (optional, or use gfJules Flour)
- 1 Tbs. cinnamon
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 cups packed fresh zucchini, unpeeled and grated (approximately 1 1/2 zucchini squash)
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Cinnamon-sugar mixture to sprinkle on top
Instructions
Measure and rinse 1/2 cup dried split peas. Add to a large saucepan with 1 1/4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to simmer, cover and continue to cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until the peas are quite soft, but not falling apart. Drain, then purée, using a food processor, blender or a potato masher. Add water by tablespoons to purée if necessary to thin it — peas should be the consistency of canned pumpkin when done.
Measure out 1/2 cup of purée for the recipe and if there is any remaining, cover and refrigerate for use in other recipes — it will keep for 3-4 days or longer, if frozen.
To prepare the bread:
Preheat oven to 350° F (static) or 325° F (convection).
Beat the sugar and butter until fluffy, then add the eggs or egg substitute, sour cream, vanilla and cooled pea purée – mix well.
Sift together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then pour slowly into the wet ingredient bowl and beat together until integrated. Fold in the zucchini and nuts, if using. The batter will be fairly stiff.
Oil one loaf pan and scoop batter into pan, then smooth with a rubber spatula. If using mini loaf pans, oil 5-6 pans; if using muffin tins, oil 24 muffin tins. Fill each no more than one-half full, then sprinkle the tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Bake large loaf for 50-55 minutes; mini loaf pans for 30-35 minutes; muffins for 20-30 minutes. Test the middles with a toothpick to be sure they are cooked through before removing to cool on a wire rack. Do not overbake!
Don’t forget to pin for later!
Sounds good! Can’t wait to try it
I can wait to try this recipe. Anything that helps to add fiber to our diet is awesome! My kids will surely love it.
SO happy to see a way I can get veggies into food that my boys already love. Eack wknd I make two loaves of your bread —one for sandwiches in lunches and a second for the boys to just eat. Great contest, too!
I can’t wait to try this out!
Thanks for providing these! I’ve been looking for something like this.
Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try this recipe out. My husband is GF and loves zucchini bread!
This recipe is so interesting, will have to give it a try. And only 1/2 cup of sugar is great, so many quick bread recipes use at least twice as much.
Love all of your recipes & I cannot wait to try this one!!! I am always trying to get more veggies into the kids meals!
Thank you!
I love your recipes!! And now reci-peas!!
A great way to add more protein and fiber to a product and also at a cheap price.
This looks great, can’t wait to try it. Absolutely love your flour Jules!
I love zucchini bread! And I would love to start adding more peas and lentils into my baking!
I have been dying to find a good zuchinni bread recipe since I was diagnosed with Celiac’s in January… I love that this one is so healthy, and I can’t wait to try it!
What a great idea to add extra protein to a yummy recipe!
Wow I would have never thought to add pea purée to my zucchini bread recipe but I can’t wait to try it out. Bring in the greens!
Wow, all those ‘healthy’ ingredients packed into a delicious-sounding recipe – good job, Jules!
I have been gluten free for nearly three years and it has given me back my life. I have tried many flours as well and Jules Gluten Free Flour is hands down the best and most reliable. I have baked zucchini bread with jules’ flour and it is actually better than traditional wheat flour…as is the case with chocolate chip cookies.
I will try it soon. I like that you have options for it being dairy free as well. I would make the dried pea puree on the day before making the bread….that way it would seem easier!
This recipe sounds delicious! I can’t wait to try it! You’re tips and recipes have really improved my gluten free baking…THANKS!!!
yum…I never bake vegan, but this looks like a winner…
I love it that you use minimal sugar as well as healthy ingredients like flax and peas. I definitely would replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt for a boost of protein! Can’t wait to try it!