This hearty bread melds the sweetness of carrot and parsnip with the moist richness of zucchini. With traditional fall spices, this muffin-like loaf is a welcome breakfast as the weather turns chilly.
I’m excited to share this recipe today because I know it’s going to bring nourishment and flavor to your life. It’s loaded with shredded vegetables and wholesome ingredients (whole wheat flour and low-glycemic golden coconut sugar).
In the world of baked goods, this bread is quite simple to make. Just expect to get a little work out with shredding the vegetables (part of the health component I think).
Storing the Bread
This recipe yields at least 10 portions of bread. Left-over bread can be wrapped in cloth and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to warm a slice at a time for about 15 seconds in the microwave.
Selecting Zucchini, Parsnip, and Carrot for This Recipe
You only need 1 each: zucchini, parsnip, and carrot for this recipe (total weight = 15 oz). What’s less important than the over-all size of each vegetable is that you end up with 3 cups total shredded.
How to Make Healthy and Moist Carrot-Parsnip-Zucchini Bread
To make this recipe, you will need a way to shred the vegetables. I used a cheese grater, but you could also use a food processor fitted with the shredder blade.
Distribute all the vegetables with the dry ingredients first, then add the wet. Be careful when mixing to stop as soon as the batter is free of flour clumps. I say this because you don’t want to develop too much of the gluten.
The batter for this bread should sit shallowly in the pan. Depending on your pan size, you may need up to 4. Either way, aim for no deeper than 2-inches of batter. Adjust your bake accordingly:
Suggested Bake Times by Pan Size:
- 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan – 35 to 40 minutes
- 10 by 3-inch loaf pan – 40 minutes
- miniature loaf pans (pictured above) – 30 minutes
How do I tell if my loaf is done?
With a wet bread, it’s not possible to use the skewer test, so I recommend checking at the 30 to 35 minute mark. The surface should be golden brown and the top should spring back when pressed.
If you really want to stick a skewer in the center, then it should come out mostly clean – note that the bread will be done even if the skewer still has some bread stuck to it.
Pro Tip: Always allow bread to cool completely before slicing into it. The gases continue to release and the inside of the bread continues to cook. Cutting prematurely can result in a gummy bread.
Healthy and Moist Zucchini-Carrot-Parsnip Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup golden coconut sugar or evaporated cane sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 medium carrot peeled, shredded
- 1 medium parsnip peeled, shredded
- 1 small zucchini shredded
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup apple butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub loaf pans with olive oil (6 mini-loaf pans or 2 regular size).
- In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and 3 cups shredded vegetables. Mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (eggs, apple butter, olive oil, and vanilla) until smooth. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pans right away but only fill to a depth of 2 inches. Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes (for small loaf pans) or 40 minutes for large loaf pans. The bread is done when the top is a deep gold color and springs back when touched. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
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