Tag: zucchini

Breads, Breakfast, Recipes

Garam Masala Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Sarah

So if you have a garden or know someone who does… or heck, ever go to the farmer’s market, chances are, you are practically swimming in zucchini by now. Am I right? Classic zucchini bread is good once or twice… but then, that starts to get a bit boring. What to do, what to do, what to do… I know, I know! Add some Indian spices to that classic quick bread. Since that’s the logical solution, obviously. 😉

Don’t run away now. Just think about it. Classic zucchini bread usually has sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc., right? Well, what does garam masala have in it… ummm…. oh thanks Wikipedia… pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and sometimes other things like chiles, ginger, star anise, etc. See! Garam masala–a spice mixture–is just a fancied up mix of those familiar spices. And savory spices aren’t completely unfamiliar to baked goods. Have you forgotten about pfeffernusses?

If you like Indian flavors, I can guarantee that you’ll love this twist on classic zucchini bread. This version is just as quick and satisfying, and since it’s made with [some] whole wheat flour and applesauce instead of just white flour and oil, it’s a wee bit healthier too. Though truthfully, those health benefits are probably negated thanks to the chocolate portion of this bread. Oh well, the combination of those aromatic spices with the sweet chocolate just makes this bread even more utterly delicious than it could be otherwise. It’s the perfect summer treat and I hope you’ll give it a shot… even though it may sound a bit weird. Just don’t tell those who might freak out a bit about savory spices in quick bread… at least not before they give it a try! 🙂


Garam Masala Chocolate Zucchini Bread [adapted from allrecipes.com]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour [250 grams]
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour [120 grams]
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini, pressed with paper towels to squeeze out extra water
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, garam masala, baking soda, and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat eggs with whisk until fluffy. Then add zucchini, applesauce, and vanilla to eggs and whisk to combine wet ingredients.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips, then pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check on bread at 50 and 60 minutes, and cover with foil if bread is getting too dark.

Time: 75 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 16 servings.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Turkey, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chili

Sarah

So, it’s winter. It isn’t calendar official yet, but there’s snow on the ground so that makes it winter in my book. While I can’t say that I am the biggest fan of that cold season, I do love warming up with some hearty chili.

bowl of black bean & sweet potato chili

I recently tried this hearty chili when we had company, and it was a huge hit. I’m not a fan of thin soups and this chili is anything but. Each bite is chock-full of spicy ground turkey, black beans, sweet potatoes, and lots of other flavorful veggies.

Don’t get me wrong–regular chili is good too, but this amped-up chili has tons of healthy additions that make it even better. The original recipe was vegetarian, but to satisfy a certain man in my life, I added ground turkey. I also added some extra vegetables, like zucchini, to use up the contents of my fridge. The zucchini wasn’t too noticeable so you could probably leave that out without missing it. I wasn’t sure initially how well potatoes, even my beloved sweet potatoes, would work in chili but I am happy to report that they are great, blending in naturally so even sweet potato haters [Benjamin] don’t object too loudly. 🙂 The leftovers are fantastic served out of the fridge for a few days and also freeze nicely for lunches during the work week. Hope you enjoy!

Turkey, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chili [adapted from goodLife(eats)]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped [I just washed it really well and didn’t bother peeling it.]
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes
  • 2 large carrots, diced [I just washed it really well and didn’t bother peeling it.]
  • 3 cups diced sweet potatoes
  • 15 ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups cooked black beans [Mine were dried + cooked, but you could sub 30 ounces canned.]
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Jack cheese, for serving
  • Cilantro, for serving
  • Sour Cream, for serving

Directions:

In a skillet, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Drain grease and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for a few minutes, until tender. Add the garlic, pepper, and zucchini and saute for a couple more minutes, until fragrant. Add cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and oregano and stir well, cooking for another minute or so.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Next, stir in ground turkey, tomatoes, carrot, sweet potatoes, beans, and salsa. Reserve 1/4 cup broth, but add the rest to the stock pot.

In a small measuring cup, whisk together reserved broth and cornstarch. Mix until smooth, then pour into pot. Stir until combined, then cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then uncover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 60 minutes. Cover and simmer with lid for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with cheese, cilantro, and sour cream as desired.

Time: 2 hours [30 minutes active].

Yield: a lot of chili. At least 10-12 generous servings.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Sarah

Okay. So I’m going to forget for a few moments that it’s been in the 80s here in Indiana this week and last, and transport myself back to a time a couple weeks ago where the temperatures were barely in the low 60s and the rain was steadily pouring nearly every day. This requires a bit of willing suspension of disbelief, if you will.

Now that I’m back in those chilly early days of fall if only in my memories, I can recall a delicious soup that popped its way into my oven, onto my stove, and into my heart. A soup that requires little to no effort, sans some chopping, scooping, and measuring that yields a slightly spicy, thick, and comforting bowl of Roasted Vegetable Soup.

Now, despite my love of vegetables, I am by no means a Vegetable Soup kind of girl. Brothy soups are not for me. So when I saw this recipe pop up on my Google Reader, I was a bit skeptical. A soup just made out of vegetables? How much flavor can that really have? Sure, there are some herbs but what can they really do?

Oh, silly me. Clearly I forgot the lessons I learned with Roasted Tomato Sauce or any of the other roasted vegetable dishes I’ve shared on this ‘lil blog. Roasting vegetables makes all the difference. While cooking vegetable stovetop leaves them mushy and a little blah, roasting them brings out tons of flavor and that smooth, creamy texture that I love. This soup’s perfect for cozying up to on a cold, rainy evening, and is the best vehicle for endless bites of warm, crusty bread. Mmm, good!

I’m so glad I decided to give vegetable soup a try. What’s one food that you’re glad that you decided to try?

Roasted Vegetable Soup [from Good Cheap Eats]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 7 baby eggplants, halved lengthwise [about 3 1/2 cups; original used 1 large eggplant]
  • 2 medium yellow squashes, halved lengthwise
  • 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
  • 4 small sweet peppers [or 2 bell peppers], seeded and halved
  • 2 large carrots, chunked
  • 3 medium tomatoes, halved
  • 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 small hot pepper [optional]
  • olive oil
  • freshly ground pepper and salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4-6 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the vegetables–eggplant, squash, zucchini, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and hot pepper–on a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet [or two, in my case]. Brush with a thin layer of oil and season with a generous amount of pepper and a little salt. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until tender and spotted with brown.

Add vegetables to a large stockpot, scooping pulp from eggplant, squash, and zucchini first. Add oregano, basil, and bay leaf, then pour in 4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.

Remove the bay leaf and discard. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. Alternatively, use a blender or food processor with caution since the liquid is hot. Add up to 2 more cups of broth if desired to thin. [I didn’t do this.] Serve warm with crusty bread.
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes [10 minutes active].
Yield: 5-6 servings.
Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Pacific Natural Foods.
Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sarah

Need a way to use up an abundance of late summer zucchini? Well, look no further. I have the perfect solution for you.

Simply put, these muffins are awesome and a great way to combine two of my favorite quick breads. They have a long name–Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins–but each part of the name is important and revealing of the muffins’ wonderful components.

The “whole wheat” assures you of the health component. Blah blah blah. Not very exciting, I know, but I had to throw that in there. These muffins have very little sugar but are still sweet and flavorful. “Zucchini” and “banana” demonstrates the main components, the main kinds of flavor–and add a little extra fruit and veggies to your day. And last but not least… “chocolate chips.” Well, I think we all know what those morsels of goodness are… deeelicious!

I made these muffins on a Friday, and by Monday, they were completely inhaled. I need to get my hands on some more zucchini asap! Anyone have some to send my way?

Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins [from Eats Well with Others via Marcus Samuelsson]

printable version

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas [about 2 medium]
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 1/2 cups zucchini, grated [from 2 small or 1 medium zucchini]
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin or line with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, honey, banana, brown sugar, and vanilla until well mixed.

In another bowl, sift together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the egg mixture, then add in zucchini and chocolate chips. Stir until just combined, then spoon into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover with foil after 20 minutes if the tops are starting to brown but the center is not fully cooked.

Yield: 16-18 muffins

Time: 40 minutes [10 minutes active]