Zucchini Carrot Bread

I had never baked a sweet recipe with a vegetable before. I've never made zucchini bread or carrot cake, or whatever other recipes rely on vegetables as opposed to the sweetness of fruits.

I was skeptical about how this bread was going to turn out. I mean, I know what carrots taste like and I know what zucchinis taste like, but in a quick bread? I just had no idea what I was getting myself into.

And really, what I was getting myself into was delicious. With this loaf sitting in my kitchen, I had a hard time not picking at it when I was walking through the kitchen. It lasted through about 3 days of breakfasts before it was no more.

This is definitely not a recipe I would throw away. I will make this again and again.

Zucchini Carrot Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup sugar

6 tbsp egg substitute

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup shredded zucchini

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

pinch cardamom

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup chopped pecans (or other nut - or just leave it out)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a loaf pan by spraying it with Pam.

2. Beat the egg substitute until frothy. Combine the oil and sugar with the egg substitute and mix well. Mix in the vanilla, zucchini, and carrots, and then set aside.

3. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly add the zucchini mixture until blended. Fold in the nuts.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spoon. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

* makes 1 loaf - 8 slices per loaf

* 326 calories per slice