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!!!
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!
I love Zucchini Bread! Thanks so much for the recipe…can’t wait to check it out!
This looks really good can’t wait to make it!! I’m going to substitute agave instead of sugar…. yummmy!
Like the Beatles … can’t wait to “give peas a chance”!!! This sounds awesome – will be going shopping for peas tomorrow!
I have never made zucchini bread. Thanks for the recipe!!
Zucchini bread is one of my favorite quick breads, and the ingredients in this recipe make it an amazingly nutritious one! Thanks Jules!
I love adding extra nutrients into recipes and I’m lucky that I do not have to “hide” anything from my husband and 4 yr.old son- they eat it all! And of course, everything tastes great with Jules Flour.
Sounds really tasty!!
I remember making zucchini bread in my gluten eating days. How wonderful to have a recipe to make in my non-gluten eating days!
I LOVE zucchini bread! I can’t wait to try this! Thanks, Jules!
Sounds (and looks) delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Looks like a winner. I’m always trying new recipes to pass on to my patients who are gluten-free to let them know there are great options out there for them that are healthy!
I’m always amazed and saddened by all the unhealthy gluten-free options so many of them chose. So many just eat “gluten-free” junk food!
Thanks for the emails.
I enjoy trying new recipes. Can’t wait to try this one!
I’m totally making these as muffins. Great for a lunchbox snack or a play date.
This sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for making gluten free tasteful and worth eating again!
I LOVE zucchini bread! Can’t wait to try this out with some fresh zucchini from the garden…maybe some poppyseeds and lemon zest too?! Dried pea flour…how interesting.
I like the recipe and it is a great idea using peas for baking.
Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Tips like “batter will be stiff” really help when a recipe uses odd-ball ingredients.
I used to make a pinto bean bread — delicious, but I always needed to reassure the people gave the recipe to.
You might be on to something. If you increase the fiber and protein content of a dessert item the body takes less of an impact from the sugary aspect of the dessert, so the recipe sounds brilliant and using pea flour also sounds brilliant to me, way to go Jules. I cannot wait to try this recipe, however for me it is way too hot to be thinking of baked desserts
Peace and Chocolate
Brian