Zucchini Blueberry Bread

The dog days of summer are upon us here in New Hampshire. Pete the Smart Corgi flops in the sun most mornings while I get the baking done before the heat builds. This morning I dealt with the first big onslaught of zucchini and the huge amount of blueberries that SB picked up on Gap Mountain. The local paper printed a recipe for a zucchini blueberry quick bread that is lightened up a bit. The batter has plain yogurt, one egg and egg whites, and less oil than my other recipe. The bread is treated with a lemon glaze while it's still warm, which creates a densely sweet slice.



I baked a large loaf for SB and I and two small ones to share with friends. Then, I left them to cool on the counter while I dashed off to the little country fair here in Cheshire County to help a friend set up the needlework department. Golly, there are a lot of talented people in the world and this corner of New Hampshire has a good number who brought their handiwork in for display! Photos to follow ...

Back to this quick bread, though. My neighbor clipped the recipe for me and it's a pretty good one!

My only criticism of the recipe is that the glaze is made with lemon extract, which tastes a bit too strong. Next time I make the bread, I think I will use lemon juice instead of the water and leave the extract out altogether. It sure tastes good with a morning cuppa, though!

Zucchini Blueberry Quick Bread

Susan Selasky’s recipe originally printed in Detroit Free Press newspaper

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

7 oz. low-fat plain yogurt

⅓ c. canola oil

1¾ c. sugar

1 large egg

3 egg whites

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1½ c. all purpose flour

1½ c. whole-wheat flour

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

⅛ tsp. salt

2 c. zucchini squash, grated and squeezed to get some moisture out

1½ c.fresh wild blueberries, picked over

Lemon Glaze

½ c. confectioner’s sugar

1½ tbsp. water

1 tbsp. butter or transfat-free margarine

¼ tsp. lemon extract

Making the Bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and grease two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
2. Whip the yogurt and canola oil in a deep mixing bowl. Add the egg and egg whites and beat well. Add the sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat until very smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to thoroughly distribute the ingredients.
4. Grate and squeeze the zucchini , leaving it to drain a bit in a colander.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
6. Add the zucchini to the batter, turning the squash in gently.
7. Add the blueberries and gently turn them in.
8. Divide the batter between the loaf pans and bake in the center of the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when the loaf is poked.
9. Remove the loaves to a cooling rack and let them sit for ten minutes. Then, remove them from the pans, place a tray until the cooling rack and drizzle the warm loaves with the lemon glaze.
10. Let the loaves cool before wrapping for storage.

Now, about those fair pictures ... beautiful handiwork, huh ?!?

Here's hoping you can make it to one of the country fairs in your neck of the woods!